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Forum software?
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I think it makes a difference. I go to some Ikonboards and they really don't look that good. It's the LAYOUT of the software/service that is the best.
Last week I was running on YaBBSE and it was slow, has some bugs and it really didn't appeal to others. I am now using SMF (Simple Machines forums) and they are AWESOME! They have a good layout, you can make custom templates with HTML and PHP so it has WAY more features.
But on the downside to SMF is you have to install it, it's still in beta and you have to upload stuff.
Meh, oh well. My vote goes to SMF.
Last week I was running on YaBBSE and it was slow, has some bugs and it really didn't appeal to others. I am now using SMF (Simple Machines forums) and they are AWESOME! They have a good layout, you can make custom templates with HTML and PHP so it has WAY more features.
But on the downside to SMF is you have to install it, it's still in beta and you have to upload stuff.
Meh, oh well. My vote goes to SMF.
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Originally Posted by cscgal
In other words, if a community had the same content, would a visitor think of the forum as more serious / reputable / better simply because of the software used?
Just throwing this idea up in the air people. Interested in hearing responses.
I seem to be partial to phpBB. I'm not exactly sure why though. Likely because it's familiar and tends to generally have a more clean aesthetic than other types of forums.
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,056
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Solved Threads: 127
I just want to add that while vBulletin is feature-rich, almost every option can be enabled or disabled from the admin panel. In addition, it is perhaps the cleanest, object-oriented php code I've seen in a long while.
Dani the Computer Science Gal 
Follow my Twitter feed! twitter.com/DaniWeb
And if you're interested in Internet marketing there is twitter.com/DaniWebAds
Follow my Twitter feed! twitter.com/DaniWeb
And if you're interested in Internet marketing there is twitter.com/DaniWebAds
My two personal favorite bulletin boards are vBB [www.vbulletin.com] and Woltlab Burning Board [www.woltlab.de]. Both are feature rich, and have a good support/hacking community. The downside to both is that they're pay only bulletin boards, with Woltlab being the cheaper of the two.
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,056
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Solved Threads: 127
I've never heard of Woltlab until you just mentioned it. I headed off to their site to check it out and it just doesn't seem very robust to me. 
How does it compare to phpBB, Invision Power Board, and vBulletin?
How does it compare to phpBB, Invision Power Board, and vBulletin? Dani the Computer Science Gal
Follow my Twitter feed! twitter.com/DaniWeb
And if you're interested in Internet marketing there is twitter.com/DaniWebAds
Follow my Twitter feed! twitter.com/DaniWeb
And if you're interested in Internet marketing there is twitter.com/DaniWebAds
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Join Date: Jun 2004
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Junior Poster in Training
I'm thinking of setting up two more sites alongside my current forum. Even though I don't like phpBB that much, thats what I'll be using as finances are tight and I can always screw everything up at a later date by converting to vbulletin when the finances allow. 
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Originally Posted by cscgal
Do you think that the forum software that's used makes a difference for a community? Suppose, for example, forum software all has the same options available. And we're talking about the same community of people.
For a forum visitor, does seeing powered by vBulletin strike a softer note than seeing powered by phpBB? Not because of features - but simply because vB is commercial software?
In other words, if a community had the same content, would a visitor think of the forum as more serious / reputable / better simply because of the software used?
Just throwing this idea up in the air people. Interested in hearing responses.
Me personally - if I want to find a forum on a topic I will first try and find a vBulletin powered forum. If I can't find one (which is rare) I'll take whatever option seems most appealing from there. To me, all other forum software is an equal #2 behind vBulletin :lol:
I know I'm biased though, and don't think most users really care as long as the forum is not slow. That will kill off a member base faster than anything else. Poeple don't pay $50/month for broadband so they can post on a slow forum. I don't think I have ever found a slow vBulletin forum.
The Forum Zone, great resources for forum owners.
JJS Computing offers computer help and service in and around the chicagoland area.
JJS Computing offers computer help and service in and around the chicagoland area.
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Originally Posted by cscgal
Do you think that the forum software that's used makes a difference for a community? Suppose, for example, forum software all has the same options available. And we're talking about the same community of people.
For a forum visitor, does seeing powered by vBulletin strike a softer note than seeing powered by phpBB? Not because of features - but simply because vB is commercial software?
In other words, if a community had the same content, would a visitor think of the forum as more serious / reputable / better simply because of the software used?
Just throwing this idea up in the air people. Interested in hearing responses.
For people (guests visiting a forum) that are looking for a long term community, or possibly serious answers, I feel that seeing vBulletin does make a difference.
Why? Simply put, vBulletin isn't free, and those that end up buying a license, or even leasing one are at least show one thing... That they are willing to invest $$ in their community and are less likely to just give up or throw it away.
I know there are other factors and probably no real surveys to back this up, but those that are serious about making something that is going to go the distance are going to spend the money for the best products and have probably also made the long term plans.
Most of the communities that I am active in, or at least have registered for are vBulletin. This doesn't mean that phpBB, SMF or the others are bad. Heck, I have run them myself, though never on a community I am looking at for the long haul.
Just my 2 cents. Not dogging any other software but I do feel vBulletin is the best there is to be had...
David
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