Forums software recommendations

OK, this isn't strictly on topic for a Ubuntu forum, but
since there has
been a good discussion related I thought I might get some
good answers
here. It will probably be considered an odd request given my
last post
relating to fora!

Anyway, what forum software do people recommend? I have been
running a
PHPBB based forum, but it needs to be rebuilt on a new
server and I'd
like to consider the options. Ideally it would be Perl based
rather than
PHP, or maybe Python, but I'm not set on any language if the
end result
is good. Another requirement, on the main reason for posting
here, is
that I'd like to include a gateway to a mailing list, such
that posts
via either method get onto the opposing format. Oh, and
import of PHPBB
data would be helpful too 

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Paul Tansom wrote:
> Anyway, what forum software do people recommend? 

Whilst phpBB and vB are the yardsticks by which everything
else is
measured, they're too bloated for my liking.

It's been a while since I last looked at different
offerings, but I did
use PunBB for a while as it was far more streamlined. Of
course it may
have suffered from middle-age spread since then...

Cheers,
-- 
Dave Murphy - http://www.schwuk.com

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On 3/20/07, Paul Tansom <paulaptanet.com> wrote:
> OK, this isn't strictly on topic for a Ubuntu forum,
but since there has
> been a good discussion related I thought I might get
some good answers
> here. It will probably be considered an odd request
given my last post
> relating to fora!
>
> Anyway, what forum software do people recommend? I have
been running a
> PHPBB based forum, but it needs to be rebuilt on a new
server and I'd
> like to consider the options. Ideally it would be Perl
based rather than
> PHP, or maybe Python, but I'm not set on any language
if the end result
> is good. Another requirement, on the main reason for
posting here, is
> that I'd like to include a gateway to a mailing list,
such that posts
> via either method get onto the opposing format. Oh, and
import of PHPBB
> data would be helpful too 
>
> --
> Paul Tansom | Aptanet Ltd. | http://www.aptanet.com/
>
============================================================
========
> Aptanet Ltd. | Registered in England | Company No:
4905028
> Registered Office:
> Crawford House, Hambledon Road, Denmead, Waterlooville,
Hants., PO7 6NU
>
> --
> ubuntu-uklists.ubuntu.com
> h
ttps://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk
> https://wiki.kubuntu
.org/UKTeam/
>
If the software for the newbe, it doen't matter what it is
written in
providing it fits nicely into the add/remove category
(including
sub-directories) with a one click to launch.  Strictly
turn-key
please, and perhaps an icon to put on the desktop for the
tidy-minded..

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Paul Tansom wrote:
> OK, this isn't strictly on topic for a Ubuntu forum,
but since there has
> been a good discussion related I thought I might get
some good answers
> here. It will probably be considered an odd request
given my last post
> relating to fora!
> 
> Anyway, what forum software do people recommend? I have
been running a
> PHPBB based forum, but it needs to be rebuilt on a new
server and I'd
> like to consider the options. Ideally it would be Perl
based rather than
> PHP, or maybe Python, but I'm not set on any language
if the end result
> is good. Another requirement, on the main reason for
posting here, is
> that I'd like to include a gateway to a mailing list,
such that posts
> via either method get onto the opposing format. Oh, and
import of PHPBB
> data would be helpful too 
> 

Simple Machines Forum has caught my eye
http://www.simplemachi
nes.org/

John


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> Simple Machines Forum has caught my eye
> http://www.simplemachi
nes.org/
>

SMF isn't bad at all. Doesn't feel as bloated as some of the
other
offerings out there.

Chris

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** Dave Murphy <daveschwuk.com> [2007-03-21 09:35]:
> Paul Tansom wrote:
> > Anyway, what forum software do people recommend? 
> 
> Whilst phpBB and vB are the yardsticks by which
everything else is
> measured, they're too bloated for my liking.
> 
> It's been a while since I last looked at different
offerings, but I did
> use PunBB for a while as it was far more streamlined.
Of course it may
> have suffered from middle-age spread since then...
** end quote [Dave Murphy]

I've come across that a couple of times. It looks reasonably
good, but
the fact that it was last updated in Feb 2005 doesn't give
me a warm
fuzzy feeling. I like this sort of software to be regularly
updated if
only to show that they are on top of security problems.

I'm considering the UNB at the moment (Unclassified
Newsboard [1]) and
looking around for others to compare. Security is my big
bugbear with
phpBB, I've been suffering a nightmare amount of spam
memberships - 20
to 30 a day sometimes, and on one occaision when I was
clearing some out
I'd had another 5 added by the time I was done! I'm loathed
to use the
graphic verification systems for accessibilty reasons, but
it may yet
come to that - the plugins aren't that easy to work with
though, when
you are updating the base application, not a major hassle,
just annoying
(as is the fact that the graphical customizations vanished
during my
first update and I never got round to putting them back).

-- 
Paul Tansom | Aptanet Ltd. | http://www.aptanet.com/
============================================================
========                                
Aptanet Ltd. | Registered in England | Company No: 4905028  
                                       
Registered Office:                                          
                                       
Crawford House, Hambledon Road, Denmead, Waterlooville,
Hants., PO7 6NU

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ttps://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk
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Paul Tansom wrote:
> OK, this isn't strictly on topic for a Ubuntu forum,
but since there has
> been a good discussion related I thought I might get
some good answers
> here. It will probably be considered an odd request
given my last post
> relating to fora!
> 
> Anyway, what forum software do people recommend? I have
been running a
> PHPBB based forum, but it needs to be rebuilt on a new
server and I'd
> like to consider the options. Ideally it would be Perl
based rather than
> PHP, or maybe Python, but I'm not set on any language
if the end result
> is good. Another requirement, on the main reason for
posting here, is
> that I'd like to include a gateway to a mailing list,
such that posts
> via either method get onto the opposing format. Oh, and
import of PHPBB
> data would be helpful too 
> 

Maybe bbpress is worth a look. It is free software, though
written in
PHP. Made by the same people who developed wordpress. It is
designed to
be a forum for product support as far as I remember. Never
really used
it besides using the wordpress forums.

Dean
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