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The New Forum Software

FingersMcSteal

FingersMcSteal

Sorceror
Ok it's not quite RunUO related... but is kind of in a way... i thought


Most shards have there own forums setup so i was wondering... how well is this new 'XenForo' software shaping up ???

The reason i'm asking is i'm planning to purchase some decent forum software from someone, just not sure who or what at the moment since i'm still trawling the web for various products. I'm wanting to move away from the phpBB (free) software i currently use due to the amount of SpamBot's that keep trying to register on the forums.

Do you think it's worth spending my hard earned cash on a product thats going to 'hopefully' keep the spam away ??? I know that most forums usually suffer from spam in some way / shape or form so i was just curious how this 'XenForo' software's been going for you guy's at RunUO ???

Thanks for reply's in advance.
 
tass23

tass23

Page
I don't know much about XenForo, as I've never used it personally, but I've always had excellent luck with SMF (Simple Machine Forums). Don't let the name fool you, they are quite powerful, but super easy to use.
 
Vorspire

Vorspire

Knight
SMF has some serious security issues... Spam Bots would be the last of your worries :)
I've since stopped using SMF for this reason, XenForo really does seem to be taking the cake though!
 
tass23

tass23

Page
Security issues? Really? Never been hacked, and never had to worry about a spambot either, not in 5 years (knock wood).
 
shrundowr

shrundowr

Lord
tass23 said:
Security issues? Really? Never been hacked, and never had to worry about a spambot either, not in 5 years (knock wood).
Click to expand...
yeah theres some serious vulnerabilities with it. a few that dont even take skill, script kiddies can bring down a smf forum pretty easy.
 
Iomega0318

Iomega0318

Sorceror
I agree XenForo really does seem pretty fancy, honestly though I have always preferred SMF (I love free stuff lol) and as tass also stated, over the last 7 years the only thing I have ever had to contend with were spam bots.. but it has gotten a lot better and there are some really good mods to help fight them off.
 
tass23

tass23

Page
Well, like I said, in 5 years, no problems. Of course that is with daily maintenance, basically just backing up the forums really. Nothing is 100% secure. All it takes is time and determination to take anything down anymore. :(
 
Iomega0318

Iomega0318

Sorceror
SMF are pretty quick about fixing security flaws, they are about to release 2.0 Final as well.. supposedly it's gonna be awesome lol.. they said by the end of May.
 
Iomega0318

Iomega0318

Sorceror
Very true tass, luckily I am on a Yahoo! hosting plan and they do daily and hourly and weekly backups for me. I also do manual backups as well.
 
tass23

tass23

Page
Yeah, my web host does backups for me too. I like the added ability to do my own as well. Too many web hosts are now offering CPanel in their hosting. Talk about problems, good lord. I couldn't even install SMF at first, I was forced to use XMB or phpBB because CPanel didn't offer a way to install it. That's something else to watch out for too Fingers, the limitations your web host might force on you, unless you're going to be doing the hosting yourself.
 
Iomega0318

Iomega0318

Sorceror
haha I wish I had CPanel lol, only way I can do anything is through a simple file manager or through FTP.. but they have been good to me so it's the only reason I stay with them..
 
shrundowr

shrundowr

Lord
scp via ssh is the best. I'm wary of those automated one click installs due to a past experience where it didnt set permissions correctly on a directory, leaving it exposed

I have Cpanel, one click installs, all the jazz, but I really dont use most of it
 
tass23

tass23

Page
Yeah, that's why I don't like CPanel and I always go back to reduce permissions on folders to the bare minimum. You'd be surprised, or maybe you wouldn't be, on how many times a critical area that is supposed to be secure allows Guests to read/write/execute to that folder when they shouldn't be.
 
FingersMcSteal

FingersMcSteal

Sorceror
I've managed to do a bit of looking round and also checking to make sure things will install and run.

My ISP is already providing my domain server for me, i also use one of their SQL servers for anything database related so thats ok, the only thing i need to check up on is which SQL version they have installed on it now... hopefully v5 apparently if i go with XenForo's software.

After digging round a bit i've also discovered the 3 guy's that write the XenForo stuff were from vBulletin, so i guess they know what there doing as far as development goes.

Looked at Invision Power Board too, although their price is slightly higher again.

If i go ahead and buy a licenced copy it's probably going to be XenForo, they seem quite reasonable price wise. Anyway, thanks for all the comment's but in all honest the SMF software sounds very much like the phpBB stuff, works well if maintained but yeah spam will eventually find a way in.

Found this too while i was looking, handy to see what other software can do / compare to....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Internet_forum_software_(PHP)
 
Iomega0318

Iomega0318

Sorceror
Spam is inevitable and will find it's way in somewhere somehow.. I have used phpBB and that's why I moved to SMF lol, but yeah if you want to pay for it XenForo sounds good. I have always loved IPB too but they are always pricey..

Also your link broke, it excluded the last ")"
 
Vorspire

Vorspire

Knight
Don't get me wrong, I *really* love the concept and design of SMF, but it's that same concept and design that is it's own flaw, kind of like emotions in humans :p
 
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