malloys.org Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 In another posting jimuni tells us he thinks PHPbb is the best bulletin board system around while head guru suggests that Invision is. They could, of course, both be right, each having different ideas of what makes the best bb system. I need to pick one and have been having trouble finding a discussion here (or elsewhere) that characterizes the differences. Although any comments about the differences would be helpful, I'll mention that my site is being built as an extended-family connection site. So, in particular, it would be nice to be able to create photo albums relatively easily and as integrated package feature. A spell checker would be nice, too. As an admin, I'm sure there are things about running a discussion board that are important to me, that I just don't realize, yet. Comments on these sorts of things would be useful, too. Are there systems I should be considering other than thses? Thanks in advance for any comments or ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borfast Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 In short: Invision Power Board has a lot more features (A LOT) than phpBB. I don't like their template sysyem, though... Not that phpBB's template system is much better but I think I prefer phpBB's to Invision's. I wonder why all these webboard software packages have their own template engine when there's Smarty... I guess people have no better ways to spend their time Anyway, the best way for you to find out which one is best for you, is installing both and trying them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Sales Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 I like Invision because theirs alot more control and features with it. Don't feel limited at all, with it either. (Putting it up on my personal site right now, but that goes into my deep dark obsession with changing my layout designs so I won't begin to dig that deep into there.) I've only played with phpBB a little bit, and I wasn't too impressed with first impressions of it. Leason to be learned? Might take a look at both, and see what fits you best. Thumbs Up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twisted Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 only reason i like phpbb is cuz i can actually do a little of my own coding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surefire Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 (edited) For my own site, I have used phpBB and I don't remember why I chose it, but I remember doing extensive research. But I might be leaning towards invision and I'll tell you why. I am involved with a project helping TCH out with their board and hopefully making some useful modifications. In doing so, I have run across several sites that offer a tremendous number of additional modules that you can add to the Invision Board to jazz it up. I haven't looked recently, but I don't recall seeing the same thing for phpBB. PS - I don't think you can go wrong with either. Edited June 22, 2003 by surefire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borfast Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 Just a note on the addons: both phpBB and IPB have lots of addons/mods. I believe the respective websites have links to other sites where you can find lots of goodies. Besides, there's always the good old google to help you search for them But anyway, the availability of addons shouldn't influence your choice, since both BBs have lots available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Don Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 I seem to remember Bill saying IPB was easier on the server. I have tried both, and like the admin part of IPB better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleM Posted June 25, 2003 Share Posted June 25, 2003 I've been using phpbb for a while and am now in the process of setting up a new IBF. I don't have extensive admin usage on IBF yet, but in setting up and configuring, I find IBF to be much easier and a ton more features. Skinning alone is easier. You can skin an entire forum without ever looking at php code - it can all be done through the admin control panel. IBF just realease version 1.2 which has more stuff built in as defaults than previous releases, but I've been working with version 1.1, so I only know what I've read. One of the best features in the default IBF package is the integrated calendar. phpbb does not have this. (unless it was added in version 2) Then there is the mod community. Both have a fairly good amount of mods available, but I've been able to find every mod that I want to add for IBF whereas phpbb didn't seem to have as much (at least at the time I set up my phpbb boards 8 months ago.) only reason i like phpbb is cuz i can actually do a little of my own coding! I do a lot of coding to mod IBF to just the way I like it. Both are written in php and are quite easy to change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-JimE Posted June 25, 2003 Share Posted June 25, 2003 Hi, I prefer phpBB, I just find it easier to use, configure and change coding and find out what and when its going wrong. Also phpBB will release there new forum sometime this year which by the news, might stomp all over invision Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borfast Posted June 25, 2003 Share Posted June 25, 2003 That's one of the things I started hating about phpBB: they take years to release a new version! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-JimE Posted June 26, 2003 Share Posted June 26, 2003 Hi, At the end of the day, its a personnel choice I suppose, so here is what i suggest: Create two dummy subdomains, call them something odd so they dont get in the way of the website. Set up both a phpBB forum and a invision one and play around with them, skin them, make a few posts, do some admin work and then see how you feel about each one. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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