Creating a Forum

[pipigrande]

Hello guys, A friend of mine and I are planning to create a forum but we don't really know how to start.

We want to create a forum for our science community for our university, and if everything goes well we are planning to create more forums when we got more spare time. Money isn't a issue.

We want a forum to look more or like SRF, nothing fancy. And like I said we don't really know how or where to start (we don't know programming either).

So folks out there, any advices and/or tips would be really appreciate it

PS: We don't want to use the free things forums out there because they are full of advertisements and we certainly don't want that.

[LaloHao]

phpBB
Invision Power Board

Get PHP+MySQL Hosting

[StealMySoda]

-First get a domain name, use something like godaddy.com, it's something like 10$ a year. Choose something catchy, thats not too long.
-Webhosting. You can either buy or use a free one. There are a few good free ones out there, just look for one with php+mysql without add's that let you add your own domain name (using the one purchased from godaddy). For an idea of some, see here: http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=386624
-Use a free board program, like phpbb3.

And voila.

[NuclearSilo]

what kind of forum is it? and what it is for?
If I find it interesting, i might help you a bit.

[pipigrande]

phpBB
Invision Power Board

Get PHP+MySQL Hosting

I went to the phpbb website and downloaded whatever they told me to download. I unzipped it, but I don't know what to do; like there is no program to install, hmm..

@ Soda:

I guess the domain and the webhosting will be dealt after I get everything ready, which means that I would already know how the forum would look like...Sadly don't know how to start the phpbb working.

[Shrambles]

Maybe you need take a free forum from begining an then learn how it working and learn PHP+MySQL Hosting before you pay for a host.. and soo on

[Tasdik]

what kind of forum is it? and what it is for?
If I find it interesting, i might help you a bit.

We want to create a forum for our science community for our university,

[StealMySoda]

phpBB
Invision Power Board

Get PHP+MySQL Hosting

I went to the phpbb website and downloaded whatever they told me to download. I unzipped it, but I don't know what to do; like there is no program to install, hmm..

@ Soda:

I guess the domain and the webhosting will be dealt after I get everything ready, which means that I would already know how the forum would look like...Sadly don't know how to start the phpbb working.

lol.

You can't just download it and install it on your computer. You'll need a webserver with mysql. What I suggest you do is find some free hosting, install the script mess around, then decide on other stuff. If you want, I can install a blank php script on my website and give you admin so you can mess around with it.

[AnemuS]

If you have a domain or willing to buy one , i can give you a free hosting with everything included with no limits :p

[pipigrande]

phpBB
Invision Power Board

Get PHP+MySQL Hosting

I went to the phpbb website and downloaded whatever they told me to download. I unzipped it, but I don't know what to do; like there is no program to install, hmm..

@ Soda:

I guess the domain and the webhosting will be dealt after I get everything ready, which means that I would already know how the forum would look like...Sadly don't know how to start the phpbb working.

lol.

You can't just download it and install it on your computer. You'll need a webserver with mysql. What I suggest you do is find some free hosting, install the script mess around, then decide on other stuff. If you want, I can install a blank php script on my website and give you admin so you can mess around with it.

lol .

Yea, sure let me mess around with it and thanks! Gonna be my first try at php scripting...

[StealMySoda]

You wont be scripting, but okay...
I'll get it set up, I'll send you a pm once it's done.

[[SD]Master_Wong]

-First get a domain name, use something like godaddy.com, it's something like 10$ a year. Choose something catchy, thats not too long.
-Webhosting. You can either buy or use a free one. There are a few good free ones out there, just look for one with php+mysql without add's that let you add your own domain name (using the one purchased from godaddy). For an idea of some, see here: http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=386624
-Use a free board program, like phpbb3.

And voila.

improved on what he said but cheaper

Host:
personal fav good service, nice amount of space, access to your mysql database too
http://byethost.com/index.php/free-hosting

Domain Name:
Register a free one at
http://www.co.cc

Board:
Phpbb3 (if using that one with byethost you need to spilt it into 3 zip folders as it has an upload limit)

[StealMySoda]

PM sent

For those interested
http://www.stealmysoda.com/pipigrande

[pipigrande]

Alright guys, thanks a lot especially Soda (BTW, Soda you can delete that website you created for me if you wish).

Right now, my buddy and I will go mess around with the free forums and work on our template and see how it goes. After we are done with the template and we finally know how the forum is going to look like, then I think the next step is to buy a domain and a hosting service.

Hopefully, I got the order right on and I'm not missing anything


PS: Soda, that website of yours, how much are you paying for it? And what is its purpose?

[Twist]

Can i be admin?pls pls pls

[StealMySoda]

PS: Soda, that website of yours, how much are you paying for it? And what is its purpose?

Paid something like £7 for the domain for 3 years. Then it's hosted as a sub on a family members web hosting, so it's free.

As for the purpose of the site, it doesn't have one yet, and I doubt it will. But I use it for e-mail and hosting my images on it, it's also handy for back up, or sending files that are too big to send as email attachments.

[ThiefzV2]

how easy is it to set up a forum?

how long did it take u to set up yo first 1?

[Kirkaldi]

Get some skins or make your own. Ask some professionals.