If you are web designer, chances are you include forums on at minimum some of the sites you manage. If you have not explored PHPBB2 you are lacking out as this kind of message board offers to designers a forum that is well supported, simple to manage, and over all else: free! Let us see why PHPBB2 is a hit with so many web designers.

In contrast to some web designers, I am fairly new to the business. I created my initial forum with MSN groups in 2002 then, six months later, I made the move over to EZBoard. Certain, it did not have all the bells and whistles of vBulletin and other corporate developed boards, but it did the trick for me. That is, until EZBoard was hacked and my livelihood nearly disappeared in moments some two years later!

In search of something different, I considered the move to vBulletin, but I was really frankly not wanting to shell out license and upgrade fees on a regular foundation. At the time of the EZBoard incident, I was running six forums, so I realized that I would ultimately have about that many when I finished my transition absent from EZBoard.

So, why PHPBB2? For three reasons:

one. It is free. Yes, absolutely! Since it is “open source” code, developed by the developers, it is provided as a free download to whosoever will. Think me that is a large attractiveness and, apparently, many designers around the planet feel the same way as over 200,000 people are members of their assistance forum.

two. It can be utilized across platforms. Whether you work in Windows or Linux, IIS or Apache PHPBB2 is usable and fully functionable.

3. Highly modifiable. Open Source extensibility is evident with the incorporation of PHP, HTML, CSS, and MySQL into the forum.

For the novice, PHPBB2 does consider some getting utilized to particularly because you are responsible for installing, keeping, backing up, upgrading, and modifying your personal forum. For your advantage you can entry onsite Flash tutorials which are a great way to stroll your way through the set up procedure as well. As with any software program it is susceptible to outside attacks, so consider care to make certain you frequently back again up your forums and familiarize your self with the security procedures.

In all, PHP message boards really do rock and at a price that can’t probably be beat!

Matt runs two PHPBB2 sites at http://www.aviationemploymentboard.net and http://www.corporateflyer.net