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encoder · 07-27-2007, 09:55 AM

What should be the plans for making a forum.

Here are my specifications for the forum that I would like to create. I hope you guys could help me with this.
1.) Free but Reliable Server (As much as possible for I have no budget for a dedicated server yet.)

2.) Simple and Fast Setup (Math is already a boring subject to my students, I don't want them to get bored again by waiting in my forum)

3.) Easy-To-Use Forum Code (I could read all the books and instructions on how to make a good forum but my real problem is that time is very fast on my side. What could you advise on what kind of forum program I should use.)

4.) Additional Settings (What are the do's and dont's in making a forum?)

**KCMO** · 07-27-2007, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by encoder

What should be the plans for making a forum.

Here are my specifications for the forum that I would like to create. I hope you guys could help me with this.
1.) Free but Reliable Server (As much as possible for I have no budget for a dedicated server yet.)

2.) Simple and Fast Setup (Math is already a boring subject to my students, I don't want them to get bored again by waiting in my forum)

3.) Easy-To-Use Forum Code (I could read all the books and instructions on how to make a good forum but my real problem is that time is very fast on my side. What could you advise on what kind of forum program I should use.)

4.) Additional Settings (What are the do's and dont's in making a forum?)

Your first mistake is the free server space. Sure its out there but half of them are fly by night places that will be there today when you set your site up and gone tomorrow. If you do manage to find one that you can count on to be there, there's no telling what stipulations surround the "free" server space your after. I'd say put yourself into the mindset of buying some reliable hosting. No one says you need a dedicated server, if your goal is just a place for your students to hang out and discuss school and math then a shared server should be fine for you. You can find cheap hosting, but for every place you find there will be someone who hates the place you've chosen. All I can say is look over the options the hosts provide you and then compare, compare, compare. I've had hosts that I consider horrible while others like them and the host I have now I've no real complaints about but some on my site think they are the worst out there.

As for the forum software goes, there are quite a few out there all with pros and cons. If you are leaning to the free side of things then I'd say phpbb would be your best bet. Its easy to learn and is very well built. If you're going to pay for a forum then I hands down recommend Vbulletin. Its all I use when I'm out to launch a professional site. Hope that helped alittle, there is so much more we can all add but we'd be here hours writing lol.

encoder · 07-27-2007, 07:44 PM

Thanks a lot! That is really good start for me. Ok, so maybe I would just look for a hosting site. So for a start, I should get an internet account where I could pay them. I don't like to advertise but should I have the Pay*** account?

*Sorry about the duplicate thread.*

**KCMO** · 07-27-2007, 07:52 PM

I use paypal about as much as I use my banks debit card. Infact depending on the paypal account you get they have debit cards available through them. Another popular one is moneybookers but its more for international use.

encoder · 07-27-2007, 08:17 PM

I'm currently live in Thailand and I have already applied for a Paypal account and I'm still waiting for the 4 digit code that they have to send me.

Is moneybooker better than paypal when it comes to international dealings. Because if that is the case then I have to apply for a moneybookers account also.

Although the topic is about making a new forum, I hope this inquiry will still be acknowledge. Anyway, I can't make a new forum without any ways in paying the hosting site.

**KCMO** · 07-27-2007, 08:47 PM

Honestly, I have a moneybookers account but I've yet to receive any money through it. Maybe someone else can lend some expertise on it. I think its pretty much the same, moneybookers may hold a bigger percentage though.

encoder · 07-28-2007, 10:56 AM

After I have a Paypal account from which I could pay a hosting company. How will I know that a hosting company has good to offer?

crazyqueen · 10-03-2007, 09:28 PM

You will really need to research the company to find out if it will be able to match what you are looking for. How much space do you think this forum will use, as in how popular do you want it to be? Many hosting company's will have a starter or basic plan that you can begin with, and then if you see you are going over those set limits, you can be bumped up depending on what you need. Try and avoid the places that want to charge you a specific amount, say for example if you go over on your BW that month, and they want to charge you per gig what you went over. Thats just as bad as paying interest on a credit card for food - just silly and a good way to loose your money.

Shop around, ask for reviews of their company's. If a company has no downtime ever, they are lying to you, that is something that can never be guaranteed.

07-27-2007, 09:55 AM	#1 (permalink)
User Profile encoder Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 75 Total Points: 1,131 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	Making A New Forum What should be the plans for making a forum. Here are my specifications for the forum that I would like to create. I hope you guys could help me with this. 1.) Free but Reliable Server (As much as possible for I have no budget for a dedicated server yet.) 2.) Simple and Fast Setup (Math is already a boring subject to my students, I don't want them to get bored again by waiting in my forum) 3.) Easy-To-Use Forum Code (I could read all the books and instructions on how to make a good forum but my real problem is that time is very fast on my side. What could you advise on what kind of forum program I should use.) 4.) Additional Settings (What are the do's and dont's in making a forum?)

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07-27-2007, 07:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
User Profile encoder Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 75 Total Points: 1,131 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	Thanks a lot! That is really good start for me. Ok, so maybe I would just look for a hosting site. So for a start, I should get an internet account where I could pay them. I don't like to advertise but should I have the Pay*** account? Sorry about the duplicate thread.

07-27-2007, 07:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
User Profile KCMO Administrator Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 57 Total Points: 1,791 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	I use paypal about as much as I use my banks debit card. Infact depending on the paypal account you get they have debit cards available through them. Another popular one is moneybookers but its more for international use.

07-27-2007, 08:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
User Profile encoder Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 75 Total Points: 1,131 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	I'm currently live in Thailand and I have already applied for a Paypal account and I'm still waiting for the 4 digit code that they have to send me. Is moneybooker better than paypal when it comes to international dealings. Because if that is the case then I have to apply for a moneybookers account also. Although the topic is about making a new forum, I hope this inquiry will still be acknowledge. Anyway, I can't make a new forum without any ways in paying the hosting site.

07-27-2007, 08:47 PM	#6 (permalink)
User Profile KCMO Administrator Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 57 Total Points: 1,791 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	Honestly, I have a moneybookers account but I've yet to receive any money through it. Maybe someone else can lend some expertise on it. I think its pretty much the same, moneybookers may hold a bigger percentage though.

07-28-2007, 10:56 AM	#7 (permalink)
User Profile encoder Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 75 Total Points: 1,131 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	After I have a Paypal account from which I could pay a hosting company. How will I know that a hosting company has good to offer?

10-03-2007, 09:28 PM	#8 (permalink)
User Profile crazyqueen Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Age: 27 Posts: 25 Total Points: 409 Donate My Zoints Profile My Photos: (0)	You will really need to research the company to find out if it will be able to match what you are looking for. How much space do you think this forum will use, as in how popular do you want it to be? Many hosting company's will have a starter or basic plan that you can begin with, and then if you see you are going over those set limits, you can be bumped up depending on what you need. Try and avoid the places that want to charge you a specific amount, say for example if you go over on your BW that month, and they want to charge you per gig what you went over. Thats just as bad as paying interest on a credit card for food - just silly and a good way to loose your money. Shop around, ask for reviews of their company's. If a company has no downtime ever, they are lying to you, that is something that can never be guaranteed.