Freeware/Open Source Bulletin Software
Published by Elana June 30th, 2005 in Tech.I’m working on a new project, and need to evaluate free or open source bulletin board systems. I can’t afford to purchase something right now with the idea I’m working with being rather untried. Optimally, the bulletin board system would allow me to modify it so the color scheme and fonts would fit in with the rest of the website I’m designing. It would also be easy to install and maintain. I’m familiar with PHP and MySQL for the backend, so those would be ideal.
This post will be edited as I gather information to add to what I know about these systems and potentially find new ones. If you have anything to add, let me know with a comment below. I’d appreciate opinions on the systems listed as well as new ones I haven’t found yet.
I was able to find the following systems but would like to know pros and cons of each and maybe there are ones out there I missed.
- phpBB - I don’t know how customizable it is, but I’ve never seen one without the default skin and fonts. I’ve also heard there’s been security issues with this one. However, it’s available with a one-click install from the web host I use.
- I’ve found out phpBB is customizable, although not easily so.
- Security is apparently a huge problem with phpBB and has led to server hacks.
- Security okay if keep software religiously up to date.
- Word of Mouth has people who had software up to date getting hacked too.
- SMF - I don’t know too much about this one. I’ve never used it.
- Seems very customizable, including with PHP Themes, much like WordPress
- May be possible to integrate forum IDs into IDs for Wordpress for commenting on posts
- YABB - Looks like SMF was based on this. Again, don’t know too much about it.
- BBPress - I’m a WordPress user, so this would integrate well (it’s by the same project), but I’ve used it before and it doesn’t seem terribly robust as a forum system.
phpBB only presents security problems if you don’t keep up to date with patching it. Just like any software on the known internet.
phpBB happens to be targeted simply because it is free and popular, and most of the people running it are too lazy to patch it when necessary. I’ve never heard of an up-to-date phpBB install getting compromised.
If you want to see an example of a customized phpBB setup, you can see what they have running over at http://www.bemanistyle.com. (Though user registration is required to actually see any of the forums…)
Another customized phpBB scheme: http://skies.silvertree.org/forums/
I second the comment that the hacking incidents are mostly a result of not patching. Yes, sometimes someone has to be the unfortunate victim of the initial attack that reveals the security hole, but most of the last round of attacks seemed to occur -after- the fix was available. Because all the twits heard what the weakness was and a lot of people didn’t bother to protect themselves. No excuse for that.
I did have one report elsewhere of someone who complained they left phpBB AFTER they were attacked with the most recent patch on it.