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There are quite a few different message board or forum software out there. Here, I am going to discuss the ones that I either am using or have tested out.

I’m well versed in three forum programs. They are Invision, simple machine and phpbb. They each have their pros and cons. Personal preference; I like the Invision.

Invision

The most current version of invision is 2.3. My belief is that its the most stable of all message boards out there. One of the key features that I like about IPB as Invision is called by people, is the ability to have the ranks located anywhere on the server. All the other ones, the ranks have to be relative to the forum program.

If you are running more than one instance of IPB, you don’t have to keep uploading the same ranks over and over again. You have one place to get them and that save room on your server if you have them located on your server.

Another thing I like about IPB is that its easy to customize. There are a lot of people who have created modifications to the board. The downside of that is that you actually have to do the edits yourself but all modifications have directions on what needs to be done. Its not as hard as it once was though as there is a universal mod that does most of the work, but not all.

The downside of IPB is that this is not a free message board. The current price structure is $150 bucks. In my book, its well worth the price. I own one license and its before they changed their price structure. I own what they called a perpetual license so I get a lifetime of upgrades. The current price structure does not allow that. So if you want upgrades or support, you have to shell out $50 every six months.

Other than that, its one of the best forum softwares I have ever used.

PHPBB

PHPBB is another great board out there. Now with PHPBB3 out there, they are getting close to the quality of IPB, but IPB is still far superior to PHPBB. Before PHPBB3, I could not stand PHPBB, but I do like 3 better than 2.

Okay Compare and contrast. I like how IPB has linking ranks images from anywhere on the internet rather than how phpbb only allows relative paths so there is a rank directory in the forums. I also do like how its really easy to move the forum on your webserver without having to edit the configuration file. IPB, you have to do that but thats no big deal for me. Also I do like that one email may be used for multiple user names. You see it helps me for when I am running a rpg site to have multiple characters. All others do not allow that. The older version of IPB was like that but since 2.0 at least they changed it.

The control Panel is still complicated but better. I would like to see the control panel a bit more like IPB. Setting the ranks are complicated as I rather see the ranks settings should be groups like IPB and have the ability to have Titles also.

Adding mods is still the same between the two, but IPB is a tad easier as they have a universal installer mod.

Simple Machine

Simple Machine has been around for a while. One thing that is good that IPB and PHPBB don’t have is that the mods install its self. In smf, they call it packages. You do not even have to unzip the files. Just leave them as is just like you would do with the themes.

I noticed one thing that smf has that IPB don’t is that there is the ability to have tables in posts. PHPBB don’t have the table capabilities either. Like phpbb, the rank sets have to be in certain directory. In fact before there was a rank modification. Every theme you had to download the ranks to the theme rank directory.

I found phpbb rank system a tad easier for ranks, but smf rank system is the way I like it where it actually has groups and it has where you can have a member title.

In the end, it don’t matter what system I use as they all have their quirks. I can use them all and not have a problem. My feeling is that for a new person, IPB is the way to go as its easy to use. Its worth the money.

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