Discussion Forum Software Evaluation - Details | ||||||||
NOTE: This evaluation included software that was found in the following list: http://www.thinkofit.com/webconf/forumsoft.htm Non-Windows software and software that is not available for commercial use, i.e., for educational or private home use only, was not included in this evaluation. Summary and recommendations are available here. |
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Commercial Web Forum Software
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Name
|
Current
Version |
Type
(Flat/Threaded) |
Requirements
|
Positive
Comments |
Negative
Comments |
Price
|
Support
|
Example
|
Active Data Online MessageBoard2000 | 1.0 | Flat | ASP.NET - needs Microsoft .NET framework version 1.1, SQL Server 2000 | Built-in support for Windows authentication | Discussion forum appears inactive | $500 | Email (note License Agreement, Item 3) or support forum | Example |
Active Data Online MessageBoard | 2.3 | Flat | ASP.NET - needs Microsoft .NET framework version 1.1, SQL Server 2000 or MS Access | Built-in support for Windows authentication | Discussion forum is locked | $70 | Email (note License Agreement, Item 3) or support forum | Example |
ASP Message Board (AMB) | 2.2.1.c | Flat | ASP, SQL 7.0 & 2000, Access 97/2000 | Looks great and runs fast | None | $150 for 1 server, $30 per year for upgrades | Support forums, email | Example |
ASP Playground.NET Forum | 2.1 | Both (unique setup) | ASP, SQL Server 2000 Standard or Enterprise edition OR MSDE 2000 w/o Case Sensitivity | Looks very nice and clean, runs fast, has a calendar with recurring events, many slick features | None | $297 until October 15 | Support forums, email | Example |
Carbon Communities | 2.1 | Flat | ASP, SQL Server 7.0 or higher, Access | Generic-looking board, standard features | None | $150 | Support forums, five "Incident Tickets" | Example |
DCForum | 6.25 | Flat | Perl 5.005 or later, CGI, "text-delimited datafiles" | Seems to run fast, nice clean look | We probably want a database instead of text-delimited datafiles | $139 | Email, Support forum | Example Example (DCForum+) |
Discus Pro | 4.00.6 | Flat | Perl 5.005 or higher , CGI | Runs fast, looks good | No buttons to format text in posts (users must learn proprietary format codes) | $149.95 | Email, Support forum | Example Example Example Example |
DiscussionOnTheWeb | Unknown | Flat | ASP, SQL Server | Nothing good to say about it | Extremely simple | Not shown | Unknown | Example Example |
Encore Web Forum | 2.13 | Flat | "Encore Simplex Database," SQL Server optional, Perl, CGI | Very colorful, nice-looking layout, runs fast | None | $160 (includes Simplex Database) | Email, Support forum | Example |
Gossamer Forum | 1.2.0 | Both | Perl 5 (version 5.004 or better), SQL Server or Oracle, | Runs fast, looks good | Display format is rather simple | $200 | Contact form on website, Support forum | Example |
Interactive Web BBS Systems | Unknown | Flat | Perl, SQL (any) | Nothing | Overly simple layout | $199 | Unknown | Example |
Jive | 3.1.4 | Flat | A servlet container that supports Sun's Servlet 2.3 and JSP 1.2 specifications, Java JDK version 1.3.1 or greater (JDK 1.4.2 or greater recommended), A supported database with a robust JDBC driver. | Seems very fast | Limited message formatting options, overpriced | $2500 | $1000/year | Example |
Synthigence Forum Pro | 1.9 | Flat, with links above the thread to read previous threads (weird setup) | "ASP.NET" server, SQL Server or MS Access | Comes with a built in chat program | Limited message formatting options | $99 | Support forum | Example |
Toast Forums | 1.6 | Flat | Windows, IIS | Extensive message formatting options, seems fast | None | $149, $499 with source code | Email, Support forum | Example Example Example |
WebBoard | 6.1 | Flat | Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003, MSDE (included) or MS SQL Server 7.0 (or later), or Oracle Version: Oracle 8.1.5 (8i) and Oracle Client 8.1.5.5 or later | Looks good, runs fast | Overpriced | $2995 Standard, $4995 Premium | Standard $995, Premium $1750 | Example |
Web Crossing | Unknown | Either | CGI | None | Limited message formatting options, message views are in a strange format, overpriced | 100 seats $1695, 200 seats $2995, 500 seats $5995 | Web-based request form, Support forum | Example |
Free Web Forum Software
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Name
|
Current
Version |
Type
(Flat/Threaded) |
Requirements
|
Positive
Comments |
Negative
Comments |
Price
|
Support
|
Example
|
Net.Polemics | 1.32 | Flat | IIS, ISAPI | It's fast | No message formatting buttons | Support forum | Example | |
Snitz Forums | 3.4.03 | Flat | ASP, SQL Server 7/2000 | Fast, versatile, uses NT Authentication | None | Support forum | Example Example Example Example | |
Teemz | 0.62.1 | Flat | CGI, Perl | None | Most support forum questions aren't answered, forum looks very simple | Support forum | Example | |
Venice Web Communities System | Unknown | Flat | Javascript? | None | Forum looks very simple, no changes since 2001? | Support forum? | Example | |
Disqualified forum software (for the reason highlighted in yellow)
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Name
|
Current
Version |
Type
(Flat/Threaded) |
Requirements
|
Positive
Comments |
Negative
Comments |
Price
|
Support
|
Example
|
01forums | 2.0 | Threaded | ASP, SQL Server | None | Extremely simple and limited | $249 | Example | |
AbleBoard | 1.0.0 | Unknown | Runs as an application on a computer's desktop. | Said to be easy to install | Website appears very simplistic | $35 | None | None |
Advansis Forum Server | 3.0 | Threaded | CGI? | None | Discussion forum appears inactive | $795 | Support forum | Example |
aGNeS News Forum | 4.21.1523.0 | Threaded | CGI | Can't find anything good to say about it | No authentication | $250 | Email or ICQ | Example |
Allaire Forums | Website is gone | |||||||
AnyBoard | 9.9.6.2, May, 2003 | Threaded | CGI, Perl | Appears to be fast - maybe because you can only read one post at a time | Too expensive. The style is hard to use, even for a threaded forum. | $3500? $55,000? |
Email or support forum | Example Example Example Example |
ASP-DEV Discussion Forum | Alpha 3? | Flat | ASP? | None | Not a finished product | Support forum | Example Example | |
ASP Fast Forum (formerly Forum 104) |
2.7.4, March, 2003 | Threaded with frames | ASP, SQL Server 7.0/2000 or Access 97/2000 | It looks good and it appears easy to use | There's no way to preview your message prior to posting, the board appears to be slow, you still have to click on one link to read one post | $175, $1195 with source code | Support forum | Example Example |
ASP Forums | Threaded | |||||||
aspThread | Website is gone | |||||||
BoardMaster | Website is gone | |||||||
Board Power | Website is gone | |||||||
Ceilidh (or see the UK site) | 2.70 | Threaded | CGI | Nothing good to say | Very generic looking | 1 forum $179, 2 forums $259, 5 forums $399, etc. | Support forum | Example |
CFBoards | 1.60 | Flat | ColdFusion Server 4.01+, MS Access | Looks okay but rather simple | Support forum appears dead, I don't believe we use ColdFusion | $595 | Support forum | Example |
Chatterbox Forums | 2.0 | Flat | IIS and SQL Server? | Looks fast | Users are complaining about lack of support | Support forum | Example Example | |
Code Project Discussion Boards | Requires an Access database | |||||||
Cold Fusion based forums | I don't believe we use ColdFusion and I couldn't find any forum software for sale. | |||||||
Comment Board Thread-ITSQL |
Unknown | Threaded | ASP, SQL Server 7 or 2000 database | Has a clean and simple look, runs fast | More clicks than usual to read a post, even for a threaded board | £199.99, £99.99 for each additional server | "Free support" - type not specified | Example Example Example |
CommuniWare Enterprise | Didn't see any forum software on their website | |||||||
Crankset | The most recent news item on this website is January of 2001, so it looks like their product may be old. The forum is a plugin, part of a site management software which we don't use or need. | |||||||
CrazyWWWBoard | Website is in (I think) Korean. I can't read Korean. | |||||||
D3E - Digital Document Discourse Environment | This is more of a web publishing tool than a discussion forum | |||||||
DarkBoard | Website is gone | |||||||
Deluxe Portal | It requires mySQL, and we're not allowed to use mySQL | |||||||
Dialogue Forums | Website is gone, domain is for sale | |||||||
DigiPosts | Didn't see any forum software on their website | |||||||
Discuss It! | Didn't see any forum software on their website | |||||||
DiscussionWeb | No forum software on this website | |||||||
DNEWS | Not a discussion forum | |||||||
Dr. B's Virtual Message Board Tool | 3.3.1 | Threaded | Perl version 5.004 or later, CGI | Nothing good to say about it | Seems slow | $399 | Email? | Example |
eForum | 3.02 | Unknown | Javascript? | Could not evaluate this product because there are no example forums shown | Free? | $499 per year | None shown | |
Emaze Forums | Unknown | Threaded | ColdFusion, any SQL database | Simple | I don't believe we use ColdFusion | Unknown | Unknown | Example |
eShare Expressions Forums | Didn't see any forum software on their website | |||||||
EZsite Forum | Unknown | Threaded | ASP, ActiveX component, SQL Server optional | None | Strange layout | $349 | Email? | Example |
Flexiforum | Website is gone | |||||||
ForumX | Website is in Italian with no forum software to be seen | |||||||
fuseTalk | 4.0 | Flat | ColdFusion, Oracle or MSSQL Server 7+ | Runs fast, looks good | I don't believe we use ColdFusion | $289 | Support forums | Example |
He Bulletin Board | It requires mySQL, and we're not allowed to use mySQL | |||||||
Hodohi | No forum software on this website | |||||||
Inchima | No forum software for sale on this site - it looks like a hosting company that builds websites | |||||||
Infora | The main page has the links to the rest of the pages commented out. Latest message in the demo forum is January 27, 2001. Forum is threaded. | |||||||
InterBoard | Website is gone | |||||||
InterMix | Threaded | |||||||
Message Boards | Unable to evaluate (blocked by Websense) | |||||||
Message Foundry | Website is gone | |||||||
Messager | No forum software for sale on this site - looks like a B2B software site now | |||||||
MHonArc | This is a "Perl mail-to-HTML converter," not a discussion group | |||||||
Orchestra | A lot of rhetoric but few facts and no pricing information | |||||||
PHP/FI Webboard | Threaded | |||||||
phpBB | 2.0 | Flat | php, SQL Server 7/2000 | One of the most popular forums in the world | Security problems? | Support forum | Example Example Example Example | |
ProvideTalk | Website and product are in French | |||||||
Remarks | Website is gone | |||||||
Sporum | No forum software on this website | |||||||
TheHUB | Website is gone | |||||||
UBBThreads (formerly WWWThreads) | It requires mySQL, and we're not allowed to use mySQL | |||||||
UBB (Ultimate Bulletin Board) | 6.6.1 | Flat | Perl 5.004 or higher, CGI Access | Fast, slick, many options, this board spawned many imitators | Have to pay for upgrades, security problems? | $199 with one year of upgrades, $475 with 5 years of upgrades, $699 lifetime upgrades | Email, Support forum | Example Example |
UltraBoard | Website is gone | |||||||
vBulletin | It requires mySQL, and we're not allowed to use mySQL | |||||||
W-Agora | Threaded | |||||||
WarpWare BBS | Didn't see any forum software on their website | |||||||
WebBBS for NT | No forum software on this website | |||||||
WebForum | Website is gone | |||||||
Web Forums Server | Unknown | Unknown | Runs as an application on a computer's desktop. | Could not evaluate, no examples shown | $48 | None | ||
WebLines | Website is gone | |||||||
Web+ | Unknown | Threaded | Windows | None | Part of a software suite including email, calendar, address book, et. | $1995 | Unknown | Example (username "demo," password "demo") |
WikiWikiWeb | Although we may want to set up a wiki later, similar to the wikipedia project, this is not the type of discussion forum we're looking for | |||||||
Wildcat! Interactive Net Server | This appears to be a web server, not a discussion forum | |||||||
Worldgroup | This system includes email, a discussion forum, file libraries, chat rooms, auctions, calendar, shopping mall, etc. To get the forum, you have to install the rest. | |||||||
WowBB | It requires mySQL, and we're not allowed to use mySQL | |||||||
YaBB (Yet another Bulletin Board) | 1.3 | Flat | CGI, Perl | Fast and widely used | Security problems? | Support forum | Example Example Example | |
Software removed from consideration
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The following software was not included in the evaluation, for reasons stated in parentheses:
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