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Thoughts on phpBB versus Invision Board For years internet service providers have been standardizing networking so that networks from different manufacturers can communicate with each other. One of the many results of this concept is something easily taken for granted today by internet users: the forum, also know as message boards, discussion boards, or discussion groups. Forums are network communities, a place where people come together on the internet to discuss certain topics. An internet forum is a web application that allows users to hold discussions, often in conjunction with other online communities. Do not confuse internet forums with chat rooms. Chat room users communicate simultaneously with each other, while online forum users post messages that others read, like notes on a bulletin board. These message boards are one good way to promote a user's website by drawing others to it. Internet software programs aimed at building these modern-day bulletin boards are available in many applications today. When searching for internet software to create online forums, users have many options to choose from. There are free software programs, known as open source solutions, and there are commercial varieties. These forums can be used to ask questions, make friends, sell products, or the user can simply promote himself or his website. Users should familiarize themselves with open source solutions. One of the more widely-used of these models is phpBB, which stands for PHP Bulletin Board. PHP is the popular programming language used for web developement. While anything free can be deemed substandard, phpBB as an internet forum provider does not disappoint. Since 2000, it has been the most popular internet software for forums. Any costs associated with phpBB are small fees stemming from whether the user wants to have his site built for him. The usage itself is free. Anyone looking for popular message boards, which are really nothing more than online neighborhoods, would definitely find phpBB to their liking. Do not confuse free with cheap, however. These phpBB software packages do not skimp on their applications. The free bulletin board software is easy to install and administer, has a user-friendly interface, and is easily-modifiable. Modifications, or mods, are enhancements to the product made by the users themselves. Some of the features of phpBB software include free domain names, unlimited webspace, unlimited traffic, and fast support responses. The servers are up more than 99% of the time, there are unlimited emails, unlimited sub domains, and e-commerce packs. Invision Board is a paid forum service made by Invision Power Services, Inc. It allows you to create, customize, and manage your online forum. Invision Power, or IP .Board, named so after Version 2.0, is considered one of the better commercial internet softwares today, Invision Board has been at the forefront of web community solutions for the last seven years. It too was free when it first came out back in 2000, but in 2004 Invision Power ended its free releases for noncommercial users. The versions of Inverse Power Board are 1.3.1, 2.0, and Version 3.0. A large modding community still exists and earlier models, like 1.3.1, are still susceptible to downloading, basically making those earlier products free. Versions from 2.0 and on are on commercial software, and no modifications exist for them. This makes them more secure. Version, 3.0 was released as recently as June of 2009. It includes a new overall design, friendly URLs, and many other enhancements. Invision Power Board is fully-featured and geared to the more serious forum users. Like phpBB, some of IPB's features are free domain names, unlimited web space, unlimited traffic, and fast support responses. Their servers are up over 99% of the time, as well. There are unlimited emails, unlimited sub domains, and e-commerce packs. Other aspects are the IPB installation and forum-optimized servers. Invision Board's range includes forum, blog, and gallery software. The technical advantages for both phpBB and Invision board are similar. Each are capable of creating powerful online discussion systems where visitors converse on a variety of topics. The big difference is security. There is little security for phpBB online software users, and earlier versions of Invision Board, like 1.3.1, contain security holes as well. These holes were closed from Version 2.0 on, however, and are not downloadable today. That's where the security comes in. |
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