Ok so I got board and due to some recent discussions within our local Fiero club I got curious (which always seems to get me in trouble) I wanted to see how hard it would be to setup a forum. Something without ads, something with internal image hosting and the ability to host videos as well as even host files. All without any 3rd party email selling, or ads on the site or spam. I already pay for a server and have unlimited bandwidth with my package. I don't have the intention of it being any type of Fiero or even really a public forum. Its just going to be a place for my friends to hang out and chat. Someplace AWAY FROM FACEBOOK. Someplace away from Drama, and if I see 2 of my friends fighting its my choice to click SUSPEND until I have had a chance to chat in person or on the phone with them.

So off I went looking for forum stuff, all the "free forums" out there are ad based, most of the Pay forums don't offer anything fancy. PHPBB software seems to make its money from selling server / hosting packages to people that want to run their software, so I started there. I downloaded the software checked out to see what the install was like, uploaded it to my server and started the install, I had to contact my Server Host to get some of the configuration information, but everything went fairly smoothly.

Now here is where you guys come in, I need some people to create accounts, and start uploading things, posting things and let me know how it is working. I have one issue right now that I can't seem to figure out with another user, every time he posts, I have to authorize it. I can see that being required for a first time post, but I thought that would go away once I approved his first post. Can anyone else offer any suggestions on why it keeps blocking him from making more posts.

I would also like people to let me know how "snappy" it feels. I had an issue early on with it being slow, but have since gotten that issue fixed, or at least I think its fixed.

So please give it a shot and see how it works. Be aware this is very early on, I have not even decided on a colour scheme or even created a logo for the site yet.

So here it is, http://captfiero.com/forum

Let me know how it works for you.

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857GT Part 85GT Part 87GT Part Caddy, 93 Eldorado 4.9, 5spd Dual O2 Custom Chip, Custom Exhaust. MSD Everything Now with Nitrous. Capt Fiero --- My Over View Cadero Pics For Sale $4000, Yellow 88GT 5spd Full Poly Suspension, Lowered 1/2" in front, Corner Carver.

I have been using PHPBB for a few years now to host my forum, averages about 10,000 hits a day and has worked flawlessly other than when my host goes down. Easy to maintain, lots of free support via forums, I keep mine simple with only one Paypal Donate button and no ads. My host has it loaded so all I had to do was set it up.

Check the user group setting in the admin for privileges for the new user group. Probably set to authorize/moderate before posting till they meet a certain post count.

Only problem I have is BOTS attacking the registration. I keep mine setup so I have to approve new users before they have full access to my forum. I changed my registration so they have to answer a question about something on the forum page and it has all but stopped the BOTS now but I still manually approve new users. It's pretty easy to weed-out the BOTS for real users.

www.flowbenchtech.com/forum


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"There is no more formidable adversary than one who perceives he has nothing to lose." - Gen. George S. Patton
http://www.flowbenchtech.com

[This message has been edited by Brucepts (edited 06-15-2014).]

Formatting looks like poo in chrome on *nix.

Cliff doesn't take too kind to people having other Fiero forums and promoting them here. Be careful.

quote Originally posted by avengador1: Cliff doesn't take too kind to people having other Fiero forums and promoting them here. Be careful.

quote I don't have the intention of it being any type of Fiero or even really a public forum. Its just going to be a place for my friends to hang out and chat.

And for some reason some of my extra txt from the above post vanished ( im sure i hit something and erased it... ) but i did something like this years ago and used citadel. Even supports jabber clients if you want to support real time chats.

[This message has been edited by User00013170 (edited 06-15-2014).]

quote Originally posted by avengador1: Cliff doesn't take too kind to people having other Fiero forums and promoting them here. Be careful.

quote Originally posted by Capt Fiero: I don't have the intention of it being any type of Fiero or even really a public forum.

Woops.
Already mentioned.

[This message has been edited by Boondawg (edited 06-15-2014).]

quote Originally posted by Brucepts: I have been using PHPBB for a few years now to host my forum, averages about 10,000 hits a day and has worked flawlessly other than when my host goes down. Easy to maintain, lots of free support via forums, I keep mine simple with only one Paypal Donate button and no ads. My host has it loaded so all I had to do was set it up. Check the user group setting in the admin for privileges for the new user group. Probably set to authorize/moderate before posting till they meet a certain post count. Only problem I have is BOTS attacking the registration. I keep mine setup so I have to approve new users before they have full access to my forum. I changed my registration so they have to answer a question about something on the forum page and it has all but stopped the BOTS now but I still manually approve new users. It's pretty easy to weed-out the BOTS for real users. www.flowbenchtech.com/forum

I will double check the bots stuff, as I actually made the registration section really loose to try and get past the moderated post thing. So I will tighten that back up.
Maybe I'll make registration have to answer a question about me, that way only my real friends will be able to answer it, LOL. Something like who is the forum owners wifes name or what is my favorite car...

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857GT Part 85GT Part 87GT Part Caddy, 93 Eldorado 4.9, 5spd Dual O2 Custom Chip, Custom Exhaust. MSD Everything Now with Nitrous. Capt Fiero --- My Over View Cadero Pics For Sale $4000, Yellow 88GT 5spd Full Poly Suspension, Lowered 1/2" in front, Corner Carver.

nm. wrong link.

looks the same with iceweasel too

[This message has been edited by User00013170 (edited 06-15-2014).]