Should a new forum hit the net?

**iowadawg** · Aug 7th, 2007, 8:22 pm

Just bored and for some reason, been hitting on finding a good name for a forum.

Is there room for another forum on the net?

If so, what kind of forum?

My thinking is one forum for buying, selling and trading just about anything.

**unr** · Aug 7th, 2007, 8:59 pm

No matter what there's always room for 'one more forum' ont he net.

It'll never end.

**iowadawg** · Aug 7th, 2007, 9:14 pm

OKay, my domain is: buyselltradeforum.com

Next question:
What forum script should I use?
ANd why?

**grim** · Aug 7th, 2007, 9:20 pm

VB of course, security, features, most are already familiar with it, etc.

**iowadawg** · Aug 7th, 2007, 9:30 pm

I was thinking of vb, but have to overcome the cost.
Then a template will cost.
ANd so forth.

One question about vb:
Is it in the script the ability to charge people for joining, or for posting, or for posting just in certain forums?

**grim** · Aug 7th, 2007, 9:34 pm

Originally Posted by iowadawg

One question about vb:
Is it in the script the ability to charge people for joining, or for posting, or for posting just in certain forums?

I'm not 100% sure, better to wait for somone who does know

**D007** · Aug 7th, 2007, 10:00 pm

It is already there ?
Buy, Sell and Trade :: Index

**iowadawg** · Aug 7th, 2007, 10:16 pm

Yep, just threw it up to make sure google and company find me a bit quicker.

Uses phpbb.

**Manish Pandey** · Aug 7th, 2007, 11:19 pm

vB ofcourse...just because it is cool...but you could also look for MyBB it is the best script for free...Offers way too much!

And as the money rolls in you could have a vB+a hot skin!!

**dgridley** · Aug 7th, 2007, 11:19 pm

Find yourself a specific niche and go with it.. general forums are very hard to start up IMO

**Big Dan** · Aug 8th, 2007, 12:07 am

Originally Posted by iowadawg

I was thinking of vb, but have to overcome the cost.
Then a template will cost.
ANd so forth.

One question about vb:
Is it in the script the ability to charge people for joining, or for posting, or for posting just in certain forums?

Yes, you can use the payments system. It integrates with directly with Paypal or a 3rd party CC processor. I set it up on a forum once, amazingly it was fairly straightforward.

You're best bet would be to create a separate usergroup called paid users and use a promote to that usergroup upon payment. Then give them the ability to post in certain forums, bigger PM box, larger signature, etc.

For templates:

Miner Skins
Themes By Design

Have some awesome free templates, for paid I'd recommend Colleen or Peggy. Both do some sweet work.

I'd also recommend, MyBB as a free alternative to vB, but I'm not sure it has a payment gateway.

Originally Posted by dav3us

Find yourself a specific niche and go with it.. general forums are very hard to start up IMO

Tell me about it, I started one I've been working on it here and there, have a few members but am thinking about doing a promotional blitz. I contacted a newsletter company it's $1500 for one run in one newsletter.

mg:

**iowadawg** · Aug 8th, 2007, 3:33 pm

For now will stick with phpbb.
Seems to be the easiest at the moment for me.

Okay, it is a buy, sell, trade forums for just about anything (except sex).

What I need is someone who could populate this forum with great categories and sub-categories.
If this is you, pm me and let's talk about it.

http://www.buyselltradeforum.com

**grim** · Aug 8th, 2007, 4:28 pm

Originally Posted by iowadawg

For now will stick with phpbb.
Seems to be the easiest at the moment for me.

You can always easily upgrade in the future should the site take off. Just make sure to keep phpbb up to date, spammers love to hit it from my experience.

**Kaos** · Aug 8th, 2007, 4:40 pm

^ that was my biggest issue with phpBB too. Once the spammers find you they go crazy on it. But as long as you monitor it you should be fine. As long as you know how to keep banning them all :-) They also have some cool free templates for phpBB that will make it look like vB too if thats what you wanted.

**iowadawg** · Aug 8th, 2007, 6:02 pm

Okay, been slowly populating the forum.

Now is the time to review the forum and tell me what I need to add or what I need to change.

Anything to do with buying and selling and trading will hopefully eventually be on the board.

Plus anyone do a logo that would look good for this forum?

**idkmybffjill** · Aug 19th, 2007, 10:05 pm

VB of course .. there are so many mods and everything.

**labrocca** · Aug 23rd, 2007, 2:45 pm

Ditch phpbb asap....looks like crap, runs like crap, mods like crap...smells like crap..so it's crap.

If you can't go VB...then go mybboard.net (mybb). I am a big supporter of the software and I even converted a huge VB forums into mybb simply because I think mybb suits my needs better. VB has a LOT of bloat.

If you want a review of your forums...it doesn't look good. You have an ancient template you are using. I would also minimize your forum categories until the site does better. I believe having 10-15 categories that have posts are better than 25 that look empty.

Good luck it's not a bad name but you need to put more effort than you have.

**iowadawg** · Aug 23rd, 2007, 2:49 pm

Talk about a negative posting!
Glad it is just your opinion!

**trocobob** · Oct 4th, 2007, 2:05 am

of you want a professional forum go for VB , or at least if you want a free alternative gos for simplemachines forums .
good luck

**WikicyloN** · Oct 4th, 2007, 10:32 am

Originally Posted by labrocca

Ditch phpbb asap....looks like crap, runs like crap, mods like crap...smells like crap..so it's crap.

tell us how you really feel about it.

**handsonweb** · Oct 4th, 2007, 10:55 am

Can you charge people and get it integrated to your forum? Yes. Both VB and you can also find a module in phpBB to do the same thing.

For years, we ran phpBB, and as much as I'd love to say it's crap, it's not. It's a pretty good program, especially when it's free!

VB, even better program, but you pay for that license. Lots of modules available in both platforms.

When you want to convert from phpBB to VB, there's a simple conversion script. And if you want to convert back, that's no problem either.

Since you're starting a forum, I'd go with free until you have a number of visitors/members, then if the money is worth it, upgrade to the vb.

**JuggernautH** · Oct 4th, 2007, 2:23 pm

Originally Posted by labrocca

Ditch phpbb asap....looks like crap, runs like crap, mods like crap...smells like crap..so it's crap.

If you can't go VB...then go mybboard.net (mybb). I am a big supporter of the software and I even converted a huge VB forums into mybb simply because I think mybb suits my needs better. VB has a LOT of bloat.

If you want a review of your forums...it doesn't look good. You have an ancient template you are using. I would also minimize your forum categories until the site does better. I believe having 10-15 categories that have posts are better than 25 that look empty.

Good luck it's not a bad name but you need to put more effort than you have.

Well i use phpBB, managed to stop the spam and everything even creating my own styles for it. Alot more plugins than most forum softwares, but everyone got a right to have a opinion though

**LaCabra** · Oct 4th, 2007, 3:55 pm

Originally Posted by labrocca

Ditch phpbb asap....looks like crap, runs like crap, mods like crap...smells like crap..so it's crap.

its not the software buddy, check your pants!!!

**CreativeIdealist** · Nov 17th, 2007, 9:29 pm

I thought about having a forum with ebidsnow but who knows. would take me forever to get it out there.

Jim

**Plouplou** · Jun 10th, 2009, 8:17 am

I love IPB forums. They are compatible with so many things that would actually be useful to the community. The setup is very simple, and it's a very smooth process adding in features.
Demo : forum hosting