New Site
 

So im making a new site, but I dont have the money for another vb, so I was wondering what is the best free forum system out there. Im thinking PhPbb, what do you guys think?

If you can't afford another vBulletin license then I'd recommend SMF.

phpbb2

Our second site is also SMF and it is pretty good and easy to use. We are using it until that forum becomes more active, then we will get a second VB.

MyBB...

Try eBlah, was the 1st software i used and the support forum is brill condisering its free software

I would recommend you save money until you can buy another vBulletin license, if not then SMF, I have have several phpBB boards phpbb-rpg and they are continually hacked and hard to update if heavily modified and I am in the process of switching them all over to vBulletin.


Cheers,

_V

You must be using very old version then, as last security issue that could cause forum to be hacked was found more than 2 years ago. People are always complaining about phpbb being hacked, but then they install few years old version using fantastico or any other auto installer because they are very lazy to install normal version themselves.

Hard to update? There is a code changes list for every release, and it is in easily readable text form. Every vBulletin update has much more code changes than all phpBB 2 updates within a year, and doesn't provide any code changes.

Then you are using phpbb-rpg, not phpBB, so don't blame phpBB for bugs and problems of third party overmodded version. Its not phpBB you are using.

Back to topic: I suggest to go with phpBB 2. Its stable and safe, if you keep up to date, but don't forget to install some anti-spam mod. There is an upgrade script from phpBB 2 to vBulletin, so you can upgrade whenever you'll get money for vb license.

phpBB is simply too popular and too easily spammed if you don't have the time/patience to wade through it's documentation and mod it to a decent degree.

I threw up a domain for a friend's band recently, about 3 months ago. They installed phpBB, and within a month the spam-bots had completely taken over auto-registering and auto-posting on the board, to the point of 10-15 new users per hour on a VERY new domain. I've modded phpBB in the past and while there are indeed some decent add-ons out there for it, it's mod system and communities are nothing like vB's.

My advice is that unless you can devote a decent amount of time to it making it spam-proof, shy away from PHPBB.

CyberAlien:

I am using phpbb as fact, and its always updated to the latest version, so don't presume to tell me what’s what or what I am using please, and contrary to your belief the very latest stock version of phpbb gets hacked, allot.

Chris-777:
I have also had major Spam problems with my phpBB boards.

So to the original poster, I put in my option and my experience with the 2 boards I have used, take it for what you will, best of luck with whatever you decide.

Cheers,

_V