What does it takes to start a FORUM?

[Jon855]

If you were going to build and host your own forum, what would you do and why?! I'm thinking of trying to make my own small forum, nothing like the Anandtech in that sense.

The cost involved
The effort
The pain
The Joy?!


Suggestions?

 

[loup garou]

domain name, webhost, 5 minutes time.

 

[InlineFive]

Starting a forum is easy, making it popular is another thing.

 

[PHiuR]

coolness...
your forum would die before it's even started.

 

[RossMAN]

Domain
Web Host
Forum software
People to post

Takes about 1 hour total.

 

[Tylanner]

AT will crush you into real tiny bits.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

The biggest factor is getting people there, building it to become an active community, etc.

Definitely not an overnight thing that some assume it to be!

 

[FoBoT]

not much, the control panels for almost all hosting includes a button to setup a forum

 

[GeekDrew]

PorBleemo is absolutely correct... there are many forums out there that have very few visitors.... popularity is always the problem.

It's otherwise easy.

 

[mdchesne]

DANGER DANGER, WILL ROBINSON! Possible boogie at 10 O'Clock! Trying to steal the monopoly! Set lazers to kill.... *biz biz* Biz biz* *explosion* *death* *Insert opening scene from T3*

 

[DAGTA]

PHPBB is free. There are several other free forum softwares available but phpbb is the best, in my opinion.

You need a host with a database and the ability to run the language needed for the forum software. In the case of phpbb, you probably want mysql and php support.

The hard part is making it successful, especially since there are thousands of forums already in existence.

 

[mchammer]

Originally posted by: mdchesne
DANGER DANGER, WILL ROBINSON! Possible boogie at 10 O'Clock! Trying to steal the monopoly! Set lazers to kill.... *biz biz* Biz biz* *explosion* *death* *Insert opening scene from T3*

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

It's true. I'm just trying to get a site with people's machines, and people don't give a sh!t about new stuff starting out....
Tas.

 

[venk]

the secret ingrediant is love

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: venk
the secret ingrediant is love

So sonz70 could start a good one real quick, right?
Tas.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: GeekDrew
PorBleemo is absolutely correct... there are many forums out there that have very few visitors.... popularity is always the problem.

It's otherwise easy.

Yup, that's exactly it.

To the OP, it is a nice learning experience if you want to learn how to install the scripts, configure a forum, admin a forum, etc.

Let me know if you have any specific questions, I'd be glad to help you out step by step.