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Best Way To Create a Forum?
wooddog
Posts: 177
Joined: 30 Jul 10
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29 Mar 11 1:50 am

Best Way To Create a Forum?

I want to install a forum on one of my sites but after doing a little research I notice that the free or cheap ones are not connected with the domain you want to install it on. I would assume one of the best reasons to have a forum is all the indexing it would create for your domain but if it's off site then there is no seo benefit. Or maybe I'm wrong. Does anyone have any experience or advice for me?

Many thanks :-)
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faradina
Posts: 1895
Joined: 01 Jun 09
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29 Mar 11 2:11 am

 phpBB is a free forum software that you can use.

From what I know, you can install phpBB on your own hosting server, much like you would install self-hosted wordpress. There are hosting services that allow you to install it automatically through the control panel and there are hosting services with which you have to download phpBB from www.phpbb.com/downloads and then upload it via FTP.

If you want your forum to be a part of your website, then you would install phpBB in a subfolder on your hosting server.
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PremiumMember
gradyp
Posts: 848
Joined: 28 Jun 09
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29 Mar 11 4:09 am

 Wooddog,

Fara is right. If you want to do a forum, particularly if you're using a 3rd party hosting company (such as Hostgator), check in the control panel in the Fantastico (or whatever service they have that allows you to "install" packages onto your hosting account). There, you'll usually find at least one version of phpBB and maybe a few other options. Also, though it may be a bit more complicated to set up, some CMS packages, such as Drupal and Joomla, have add-on packages that will allow you to have a forum on your site. All of this is beyond the scope of Affilorama, but still the options are there.
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mack45
Posts: 236
Joined: 29 Nov 09
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30 Mar 11 2:28 am

 Hi I to have been thinking or having a forum and do not know of a good one to use is there some one here who can install one on a domain for a reasonable price. Some one who has done this before and knows forums if not I g=can out sourse it else ware.
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cecille.l
Posts: 6369
Joined: 25 Feb 11
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01 Apr 11 2:09 am
phpBB is a free forum software that you can use.

From what I know, you can install phpBB on your own hosting server, much like you would install self-hosted wordpress. There are hosting services that allow you to install it automatically through the control panel and there are hosting services with which you have to download phpBB from http://www.phpbb.com/downloads and then upload it via FTP.

If you want your forum to be a part of your website, then you would install phpBB in a subfolder on your hosting server.


Hi Mack45,

Fara suggested phpBB. You might want to give it a look: http://www.phpbb.com/downloads
As for someone who knows how to install forums, you might want to check https://www.affilorama.com/forum/affilorama-services-f45/ for members who can assist you with creating a forum.

Have a good day!
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Cecille

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colormecharisse
Posts: 6
Joined: 09 Nov 10
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26 Aug 11 5:52 pm

 Great information on forums and how to make them relevant to your site. I have a similar question:

Situation: We have a wholesale stone harvesting(mining) company.
I would like to create a platform that would connect the stone yards (or landscape contractor) with the stone mining company. I would like for members to have a product and price page, and a few other things.

Question: Do I use a forum platform (phpBB) or do I run a social networking such as BuddyPress?

Please excuse me if I am not posting my question in the right area.

Thank you for your time, I look forward to hearing from you.
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essexboyracer
Posts: 105
Joined: 02 May 11
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27 Aug 11 4:37 pm

 BuddyPress is basically a forum extension for Wordpress, so all the features you would expect to see in PhpBB should be there in BudyPress, so in essence BuddyPress isnt a social networking site, just another forum.

Your requirement sounds more like a directory of service providers (stone yards), where they can publish their products and prices, and edit these when they want, receive email enquiries and add new products - sounds a bit different from a forum.

If the stone yards all have their own websites (near enough) you could get away with a simple directory script, there are loads out there and Fantastico or Softaculous should have an option there for you.

On the topic of forums, I have just tried Vanilla Forums on a site to see how it works, it tries to group posts by conversations
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colormecharisse
Posts: 6
Joined: 09 Nov 10
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27 Aug 11 5:25 pm

 Okay, I have not even considered a directory. Sounds promising I will investigate Fantastico or Softaculous, I would like photo options.

Vanilla sounds great on my scripts choices, sounds great for mobile.

Thank you
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evilla.drazen
Posts: 81
Joined: 26 Aug 11
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09 Sep 11 6:01 am

 Hi there,

Perhaps you can try www.forumotion.com. It says that you can create a forum or message board which is 100% customizable. Their updates are also regular, free and automatic.
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colormecharisse
Posts: 6
Joined: 09 Nov 10
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21 Sep 11 5:13 pm
evilla.drazen wrote:Hi there,

Perhaps you can try www.forumotion.com. It says that you can create a forum or message board which is 100% customizable. Their updates are also regular, free and automatic.



I will take a look at forummotion, I have set up my BuddyPress. Although, I have a sign in problem and need to correct it.

Thank you.
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