This is Interesting: Free Magazines for Graphics designers and webmasters
Home > Archive > Webmaster forum > December 2005 > Forum Software
You are viewing an archived Text-only version of the thread.
To view this thread in it's original format and/or if you want to reply to
this thread please [click here]
|
|
|
| I am sponsoring a website for a non profit and am looking for forum
software. Understand I am knew to this and learning on the fly.
I have found several freeware and licensed alternatives with lots of
features but I keep reading abut the vulnerability of PHP to attack. My web
developer is most used to asp.net with a mysql DB but also has reservations
about php.
Advice appreciated.
| |
| SpaceGirl 2005-12-14, 8:02 pm |
| Missy wrote:
> I am sponsoring a website for a non profit and am looking for forum
> software. Understand I am knew to this and learning on the fly.
>
> I have found several freeware and licensed alternatives with lots of
> features but I keep reading abut the vulnerability of PHP to attack. My web
> developer is most used to asp.net with a mysql DB but also has reservations
> about php.
>
> Advice appreciated.
PHP is pretty safe to be honest. So long as you keep up to date with
patches I'd go with PHP. I've used PHPBB on several commercial projects.
--
x theSpaceGirl (miranda)
# lead designer @ http://www.dhnewmedia.com #
# remove NO SPAM to email, or use form on website #
# this post (c) Miranda Thomas 2005
# explicitly no permission given to Forum4Designers
# to duplicate this post.
| |
| Krustov 2005-12-14, 8:02 pm |
| <alt.www.webmaster , Missy , missyroospoogiefunk@yahoo.com>
<grcr73ns2kpt.ws7t689p78ff$.dlg@40tude.net>
<Wed, 14 Dec 2005 15:50:53 -0500>
> I am sponsoring a website for a non profit and am looking for forum
> software. Understand I am knew to this and learning on the fly.
>
> I have found several freeware and licensed alternatives with lots of
> features but I keep reading abut the vulnerability of PHP to attack. My web
> developer is most used to asp.net with a mysql DB but also has reservations
> about php.
>
> Advice appreciated.
>
www.whatforum.co.uk has a list of them - but the trick seems to picking
one that isnt as popular or well known as phpbb .
SMF is the flavour of the month and to be quite honest it has more
options that phpbb and does several things better than phpbb .
| |
| John Bokma 2005-12-14, 8:02 pm |
| SpaceGirl <nothespacegirlspam@subhuman.net> wrote:
> Missy wrote:
>
> PHP is pretty safe to be honest.
The sad thing is that many applications written in are not. Also, it's
easy to break things in PHP. Some programs even *require* you to break
things, otherwise they don't work.
> So long as you keep up to date with
> patches I'd go with PHP. I've used PHPBB on several commercial
> projects.
phpBB is notorious for it's security issues. The good thing about that is
that it's often fixed very fast.
I've written a script that I run daily for one of the phpBB boards I
maintain (well, I almost maintain 3, since some friends keep breaking
theirs) which makes a backup:
http://johnbokma.com/perl/phpbb-remote-backup.html
Some people who break into message boards like to drop some tables, or
worse.
--
John PERL SEO tools: http://johnbokma.com/perl/
or have them custom made
Experienced (web) developer: http://castleamber.com/
| |
| BenignVanilla 2005-12-14, 8:02 pm |
|
"Missy" <missyroospoogiefunk@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:grcr73ns2kpt.ws7t689p78ff$.dlg@40tude.net...
>I am sponsoring a website for a non profit and am looking for forum
> software. Understand I am knew to this and learning on the fly.
>
> I have found several freeware and licensed alternatives with lots of
> features but I keep reading abut the vulnerability of PHP to attack. My
> web
> developer is most used to asp.net with a mysql DB but also has
> reservations
> about php.
>
> Advice appreciated.
I used PHPBB exclusively until my ISP mysteriously had issues arise where
PHP didn't work anymore. I switched to Web Wiz Forums, and have customized
them to meet my needs. It's all ASP, and easy to work with, IMHO. I now use
my own customized version of Web Wiz for everything.
BV
www.time2conserve.com
| |
|
| On Wed, 14 Dec 2005 20:54:28 +0000, SpaceGirl wrote:
> PHP is pretty safe to be honest. So long as you keep up to date with
> patches I'd go with PHP. I've used PHPBB on several commercial projects.
Everything I read seems to agree with you re: the patches, SG, thanks.
--
"Psyops is my life"
| |
|
| On 14 Dec 2005 21:18:57 GMT, John Bokma wrote:
>
> The sad thing is that many applications written in are not. Also, it's
> easy to break things in PHP. Some programs even *require* you to break
> things, otherwise they don't work.
>
> phpBB is notorious for it's security issues. The good thing about that is
> that it's often fixed very fast.
>
> I've written a script that I run daily for one of the phpBB boards I
> maintain (well, I almost maintain 3, since some friends keep breaking
> theirs) which makes a backup:
>
> http://johnbokma.com/perl/phpbb-remote-backup.html
>
> Some people who break into message boards like to drop some tables, or
> worse.
Thanks for the link, John. Q?, did you mean prewritten PHP sites? Like this
one?
http://support.phpbbfm.net/index_fm.php
| |
|
| On Wed, 14 Dec 2005 21:18:26 -0000, Krustov wrote:
> www.whatforum.co.uk has a list of them - but the trick seems to picking
> one that isnt as popular or well known as phpbb .
>
> SMF is the flavour of the month and to be quite honest it has more
> options that phpbb and does several things better than phpbb .
The concern I have (thanks for the link) is that 75% of our users will be
on dialup. Is swf any slower when loading?
--
"Psyops is my life"
| |
|
| On Wed, 14 Dec 2005 16:54:28 -0500, BenignVanilla wrote:
> I used PHPBB exclusively until my ISP mysteriously had issues arise where
> PHP didn't work anymore. I switched to Web Wiz Forums, and have customized
> them to meet my needs. It's all ASP, and easy to work with, IMHO. I now use
> my own customized version of Web Wiz for everything.
I Googled for web whiz forums and came up with nothing, do you have a link?
| |
| John Bokma 2005-12-14, 8:02 pm |
| Missy <missyroospoogiefunk@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Thanks for the link, John. Q?, did you mean prewritten PHP sites? Like
> this one?
>
> http://support.phpbbfm.net/index_fm.php
I don't understand the question: if phpBB has a security issue, it's very
possible that spin offs that use the same code base, but add features
(and/or remove) have exactly the same issue.
In this group there is/was a thread on:
http://www.google.com/search?q=phpbb
some crackers use google to find phpbb message boards automatically.
Google blocking this and related queries really makes you wonder (well, it
does make me).
--
John PERL SEO tools: http://johnbokma.com/perl/
or have them custom made
Experienced (web) developer: http://castleamber.com/
| |
| trevor 2005-12-14, 11:36 pm |
|
> some crackers use google to find phpbb message boards automatically.
yup, that happens, but it happens with LOTS of other software as well.
Googlewacking is the term. it's an interesting side-effect of making the
world's information accessible, eh?
it kind of stings to hear that "php is notorious for security issues". it
has been kind of a wild ride, but then, look at the MS side and wonder how
much notariety there is in this universe.
| |
| John Bokma 2005-12-15, 3:22 am |
| trevor <not@your.house> wrote:
> it kind of stings to hear that "php is notorious for security issues".
Why?
> it has been kind of a wild ride,
Yeah, like a joy ride for some.
> but then, look at the MS side and
> wonder how much notariety there is in this universe.
So if MS does it (how do you compare anyway), it's ok?
--
John PERL SEO tools: http://johnbokma.com/perl/
or have them custom made
Experienced (web) developer: http://castleamber.com/
| |
|
| "Krustov" wrote:
> SMF is the flavour of the month and to be quite honest it has more
> options that phpbb and does several things better than phpbb .
Some people think that SMF is better, while others think that phpBB
has more options. There's a discussion going on mostly about the 2 of
them at http://www.forumuniversity.com/camp...hread.php?t=202 .
Lois
--
www.wordsweave.com
| |
|
| On 14 Dec 2005 22:30:07 GMT, John Bokma wrote:
> Missy <missyroospoogiefunk@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> I don't understand the question: if phpBB has a security issue, it's very
> possible that spin offs that use the same code base, but add features
> (and/or remove) have exactly the same issue.
>
> In this group there is/was a thread on:
>
> http://www.google.com/search?q=phpbb
>
> some crackers use google to find phpbb message boards automatically.
>
> Google blocking this and related queries really makes you wonder (well, it
> does make me).
Yikes, enough said there, John, thanks.
| |
|
| On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 01:08:25 -0800, Lois wrote:
> "Krustov" wrote:
>
> Some people think that SMF is better, while others think that phpBB
> has more options. There's a discussion going on mostly about the 2 of
> them at http://www.forumuniversity.com/camp...hread.php?t=202 .
>
> Lois
Appreciate the link, Lois, how's Superman?
| |
|
|
"Missy" <missyroospoogiefunk@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:19eyfpxzdsq2c.11az5k2e71bdp$.dlg@40tude.net...
> On Wed, 14 Dec 2005 16:54:28 -0500, BenignVanilla wrote:
>
>
> I Googled for web whiz forums and came up with nothing, do you have a
> link?
http://www.webwizguide.info/web_wiz_forums/default.asp
| |
| John Bokma 2005-12-15, 6:48 pm |
| Missy <missyroospoogiefunk@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On 14 Dec 2005 22:30:07 GMT, John Bokma wrote:
>
>
> Yikes, enough said there, John, thanks.
Don't let it scare you too much. The good thing is that phpBB is fixed
often. But you have to be ok with installing a new version, it's not that
hard, but things can go wrong. (Like overwriting the config.php... I have
no idea why this is so easy).
Other boards might have similar or even more severe issues, but are less
interesting for people who want to wreak havoc. But still, with a less
known message board you might end up with a cracker.
--
John PERL SEO tools: http://johnbokma.com/perl/
or have them custom made
Experienced (web) developer: http://castleamber.com/
| |
| Missy 2005-12-15, 10:44 pm |
| On 15 Dec 2005 19:21:40 GMT, John Bokma wrote:
> Missy <missyroospoogiefunk@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> Don't let it scare you too much. The good thing is that phpBB is fixed
> often. But you have to be ok with installing a new version, it's not that
> hard, but things can go wrong. (Like overwriting the config.php... I have
> no idea why this is so easy).
>
> Other boards might have similar or even more severe issues, but are less
> interesting for people who want to wreak havoc. But still, with a less
> known message board you might end up with a cracker.
I have a volunteer webmaster and would prefer not to burden him with
security patch upkeeps on a real time basis. There are very reasonable
ASP.net alternatives out there, free, which is where we can star then
migrate if we like something better.
Brother, I wasn't aware that there were so many features available! Thanks
again!
| |
| Missy 2005-12-15, 10:44 pm |
| On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 14:01:14 -0500, BV wrote:
> "Missy" <missyroospoogiefunk@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:19eyfpxzdsq2c.11az5k2e71bdp$.dlg@40tude.net...
>
> http://www.webwizguide.info/web_wiz_forums/default.asp
Interesting BV, if you look hard you find that it has Google Ads and outher
adware in the free version which you can remove.....for $190! Not saying
that's a bad deal but hundreds of people didn't see that little item.
| |
| William Tasso 2005-12-15, 10:44 pm |
| Writing in news:alt.www.webmaster
From the safety of the Aioe.org NNTP Server cafeteria
Missy <missyroospoogiefunk@yahoo.com> said:
> ...
> Brother, I wasn't aware that there were so many features available!
Do you need them all? KISS
--
William Tasso
Save the drama
for your Mama.
| |
| SpaceGirl 2005-12-16, 7:57 pm |
|
Missy wrote:
> On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 14:01:14 -0500, BV wrote:
>
>
> Interesting BV, if you look hard you find that it has Google Ads and outher
> adware in the free version which you can remove.....for $190! Not saying
> that's a bad deal but hundreds of people didn't see that little item.
It looks pretty bad to me - the feature set is pretty limited and you
either have to use an Access database (which is awful!) or SQLServer
(which is expensive). I wouldn't touch this board at all, even if it
written in my personal fave language (ASP).
SMF is great. I was using PHPBB but after this thread started I went
and investigate SMF (Simple Machines Forum) instead and I'm already
using it on a new site. It's fast and seems to have a huge number of
things it can do. Also it seems pretty easy to integrate with other
systems (if you know how to query databases anyway). Installation took
5 minutes, and the design is all XHTML & CSS so it's mega simple to
change how it looks to anything.
xM
| |
|
| On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 00:00:34 -0000, William Tasso wrote:
> Writing in news:alt.www.webmaster
> From the safety of the Aioe.org NNTP Server cafeteria
> Missy <missyroospoogiefunk@yahoo.com> said:
>
>
> Do you need them all? KISS
My middle name is "Quintessentially Needy".
| |
|
| On 16 Dec 2005 05:27:46 -0800, SpaceGirl wrote:
> Missy wrote:
>
> It looks pretty bad to me - the feature set is pretty limited and you
> either have to use an Access database (which is awful!) or SQLServer
> (which is expensive). I wouldn't touch this board at all, even if it
> written in my personal fave language (ASP).
>
> SMF is great. I was using PHPBB but after this thread started I went
> and investigate SMF (Simple Machines Forum) instead and I'm already
> using it on a new site. It's fast and seems to have a huge number of
> things it can do. Also it seems pretty easy to integrate with other
> systems (if you know how to query databases anyway). Installation took
> 5 minutes, and the design is all XHTML & CSS so it's mega simple to
> change how it looks to anything.
>
> xM
That does look good, tons of mods; was their anything that you wish you
could have that was unavailable?
Do you have a forum site I could see?
| |
| Mark Goodge 2005-12-16, 8:00 pm |
| On 16 Dec 2005 05:27:46 -0800, SpaceGirl put finger to keyboard and
typed:
>
>SMF is great. I was using PHPBB but after this thread started I went
>and investigate SMF (Simple Machines Forum) instead and I'm already
>using it on a new site. It's fast and seems to have a huge number of
>things it can do. Also it seems pretty easy to integrate with other
>systems (if you know how to query databases anyway). Installation took
>5 minutes, and the design is all XHTML & CSS so it's mega simple to
>change how it looks to anything.
Can SMF be easily configured to use an existing user database, instead
of maintaining its own? I have a site which already has a requirement
for user registration in order to access certain features, so if I add
a forum to it then I want everyone to be able to use the same login
across the entire site, including the forum, without any changes to
their login or to the user database itself.
Mark
--
http://www.GoogleFun.info - fun and games with Google!
"All the promises we break from the cradle to the grave"
| |
|
| On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 19:21:31 +0000, Mark Goodge wrote:
> On 16 Dec 2005 05:27:46 -0800, SpaceGirl put finger to keyboard and
> typed:
>
>
> Can SMF be easily configured to use an existing user database, instead
> of maintaining its own? I have a site which already has a requirement
> for user registration in order to access certain features, so if I add
> a forum to it then I want everyone to be able to use the same login
> across the entire site, including the forum, without any changes to
> their login or to the user database itself.
>
> Mark
And I would add the same for blogs and galleries, one login for all, once
you have entered either the main site login or the Forum login.
| |
| Mark Goodge 2005-12-16, 8:01 pm |
| On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 16:07:03 -0500, Missy put finger to keyboard and
typed:
>On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 19:21:31 +0000, Mark Goodge wrote:
>
>
>And I would add the same for blogs and galleries, one login for all, once
>you have entered either the main site login or the Forum login.
When we re-engineered a previous site to use a single login for all
protected systems (instead of having a different login for each
section), we called it "Project Mordor":
One username to access all, one URL to find them
One login point to serve for all
And thus to [sitename] bind them
Mark
--
http://www.OrangeHedgehog.com - RSS feeds and Google Adsense tools
"A sky isn't always blue, a sun doesn't always shine. It's
alright to fall apart sometimes"
| |
| SpaceGirl 2005-12-16, 8:01 pm |
| Mark Goodge wrote:
> On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 16:07:03 -0500, Missy put finger to keyboard and
> typed:
>
>
> When we re-engineered a previous site to use a single login for all
> protected systems (instead of having a different login for each
> section), we called it "Project Mordor":
>
> One username to access all, one URL to find them
> One login point to serve for all
> And thus to [sitename] bind them
>
> Mark
lol
--
x theSpaceGirl (miranda)
# lead designer @ http://www.dhnewmedia.com #
# remove NO SPAM to email, or use form on website #
# this post (c) Miranda Thomas 2005
# explicitly no permission given to Forum4Designers
# to duplicate this post.
| |
| SpaceGirl 2005-12-16, 8:01 pm |
| Missy wrote:
> On 16 Dec 2005 05:27:46 -0800, SpaceGirl wrote:
>
>
> That does look good, tons of mods; was their anything that you wish you
> could have that was unavailable?
>
> Do you have a forum site I could see?
nothing public just yet :) we go live first week of Jan. I can show you
the beta in a few days...
--
x theSpaceGirl (miranda)
# lead designer @ http://www.dhnewmedia.com #
# remove NO SPAM to email, or use form on website #
# this post (c) Miranda Thomas 2005
# explicitly no permission given to Forum4Designers
# to duplicate this post.
| |
|
| On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 23:20:36 +0000, SpaceGirl wrote:
>
> nothing public just yet :) we go live first week of Jan. I can show you
> the beta in a few days...
Thanks, would love to see it, BOL!
Btw, I looked around and there are a number of successful SMF forums of all
styles and kinds.
I also see they are struggling a little bit with 1.1, looks like the gold
version is months away once all the mods get updated. SG, can yout tell,
other than the search functions, what is the major, really major,
improvements are to be in 1.1?
| |
|
| On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 22:50:24 +0000, Mark Goodge wrote:
> On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 16:07:03 -0500, Missy put finger to keyboard and
> typed:
>
>
> When we re-engineered a previous site to use a single login for all
> protected systems (instead of having a different login for each
> section), we called it "Project Mordor":
>
> One username to access all, one URL to find them
> One login point to serve for all
> And thus to [sitename] bind them
>
> Mark
LOL
Very creative!
| |
|
|
| Paul Ding 2005-12-18, 6:46 pm |
| On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 15:13:00 +0000, 'My Name <myemail@a_domain.com>'
posted something that included:
>The best forums software anywhere, trusted by the best web pros.
>www.vbulletin.com
It's certainly excellent software, but it comes with a feature many
sites find incompatible: an $85/year license, which does NOT include
full support.
--
If we're losing 40-130 species a day,
How come nobody can itemize them?
And why can't fruitflies be one of them?
| |
| SmakDaddy 2005-12-18, 6:46 pm |
|
"Paul Ding" <lancastir@paulding.net> wrote in message
news:67rbq1dt11m5j041fk66cie2k4ls3sh9u5@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 15:13:00 +0000, 'My Name <myemail@a_domain.com>'
> posted something that included:
>
>
> It's certainly excellent software, but it comes with a feature many
> sites find incompatible: an $85/year license, which does NOT include
> full support.
And the rest use, the rest.
It's the way of the world.
| |
| BenignVanilla 2005-12-29, 6:19 am |
|
"Missy" <missyroospoogiefunk@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:6du2ip2rmaky.n0hdqxal6rj3$.dlg@40tude.net...
> On Thu, 15 Dec 2005 14:01:14 -0500, BV wrote:
>
>
> Interesting BV, if you look hard you find that it has Google Ads and
> outher
> adware in the free version which you can remove.....for $190! Not saying
> that's a bad deal but hundreds of people didn't see that little item.
I am running version 7.9.2 and it has neither Google Ads, nor adware
installed.
BV.
| |
| BenignVanilla 2005-12-29, 6:19 am |
|
"SpaceGirl" <nothespacegirlspam@subhuman.net> wrote in message
news:1134739666.302077.293700@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>
> It looks pretty bad to me - the feature set is pretty limited and you
> either have to use an Access database (which is awful!) or SQLServer
> (which is expensive). I wouldn't touch this board at all, even if it
> written in my personal fave language (ASP).
It's actually a very nice platform to work from. Easy to install, easy to
maintain, and easy to MOD. I am a SQL whore, so don't care about that
limitation.
BV.
|
|
|
| | Copyright 2003 - 2008 forum4designers.com Software forum Computer Hardware reviews |
|