Hello
Evaluating software takes time and I'm bit in a hurry, so would appreciate some feedback from experienced users (just a yes/no is enough).
I'm looking for a forum software with the following features:
- Mature, PHP/Mysql-based, open-source, under active development
- WYSIWYG is a plus, but I can live with BBCode provided users are prompted with a pop-up dialog to enter URL's (I don't want non-techies having to type BBCode to include URL's in their post)
- Portal add-on: Forum supports portal add-on so that the webmaster can create posts in the forum that will actually be displayed in the homepage, and only use a single application with a single user database
- Calendar for events: Admins can create posts in the forum that are actually upcoming events for which users can sign up, and a calendar must be displayed in both the homepage and forum so users can see what events are scheduled.
Does it support those features?
Thank you.
Mature? Uh, mh, not really.
PHP/MySQL? Yes.
Open-Source? Somewhat.
Under active development? No. (MyBB 2 will take a long time)
WYSIWYG? No. Some plugin choices, though.
BB-Code with Popup? Yes.
Portal? Yes (simple). Some plugin choices.
Calendar? Yes. Posts as plugin choice.
Better alternatives to MyBB? Each project has its weaknesses, in my own evaluation, MyBB won because it was easy to use and modify. phpBB lost because it had some unexpected behaviour and it was hard to modify. SMF and others lost because they were cumbersome to use and failed some use cases (lots of forums actually could not handle Japanese in posts well). vB and IPB lost because they are not Open Source.
I think that even today, while MyBB is far from perfect, it's still the best choice and I would go with MyBB again. However a huge part of that decision bases on the fact that I can just change whatever code I don't like in MyBB.
Slightly different from above;
(2010-08-04, 02:10 PM)littlebigman Wrote: [ -> ]- Mature, PHP/Mysql-based, open-source, under active development
Been in existance for over 7-8 years, PHPMySQL based, open-source and under active development in terms of bug fixes. As stated, the next major version isn't visible to the public yet.
- WYSIWYG is a plus, but I can live with BBCode provided users are prompted with a pop-up dialog to enter URL's (I don't want non-techies having to type BBCode to include URL's in their post)
No WYSIWYG in MyBB, however the built in system works good.
- Portal add-on: Forum supports portal add-on so that the webmaster can create posts in the forum that will actually be displayed in the homepage, and only use a single application with a single user database
The included portal works or basic features. From your description it should work fine.
- Calendar for events: Admins can create posts in the forum that are actually upcoming events for which users can sign up, and a calendar must be displayed in both the homepage and forum so users can see what events are scheduled.
It isn't displayed on other pages, but there is a calendar. A plugin should be able to help
(2010-08-04, 04:33 PM)frostschutz Wrote: [ -> ]Open-Source? Somewhat.
How couldn't we be more open source?
Thanks guys for the feedback.
(2010-08-04, 07:16 PM)Ryan Gordon Wrote: [ -> ] (2010-08-04, 04:33 PM)frostschutz Wrote: [ -> ]Open-Source? Somewhat.
How couldn't we be more open source?
http://mybb.com/
Look at the title bar
(@frostschutz)
(2010-08-04, 04:33 PM)frostschutz Wrote: [ -> ]Under active development? No. (MyBB 2 will take a long time)
There is progress in the SVN pretty much every day, I consider this to be active.
Other than that, MyBB meets all your requirements (except WYSIWYG editor, though the MyCode editor is fairly good)
I thought open source ment it was free. Last time i checked mybb was free so hence open source or am i wrong
(2010-08-05, 09:07 AM)alan1979 Wrote: [ -> ]I thought open source ment it was free. Last time i checked mybb was free so hence open source or am i wrong
Here is a definition of Open Source:
http://www.opensource.org/docs/osd
It has more to do with the licence and the ability to view the source code of the program than the monetary cost.
I guess active development is open to interpretation. To my mind MyBB is actively developed as we've just released a new version, people will be working on bug fixes for that, and 2.0 is being written. I'd say something isn't actively developed if nothing's been released for a while, nothing's being written, and there was no sign of that changing in the foreseeable future.