Most widely used forum platform?

[Meti]

Which is in your opinion the most widely used forum platform, this thread doesn't split them in different leagues, paid/free doesn't matter, just which one is the most widely used forum platform?

According to Big Boards (BigBoards.com) vB seems to be the leader, take note that Big Boards does only list forums with more than 500000 posts, but there's lots of forums below that postcount.

Which do you think is the most widely used bulletin board system?

- Meti

[vicdigi]

The forums I have come across mostly tend to be vbulletin. It appears that their script is by far the leader although there are many others available, free ones too.

Still, the price of their forum script is fairly cheap and especially so if you are comtemplating starting a serious forum.

PS. The big boards.com website - this website is for boards you put on the wall. :-)

[Meti]

The forums I have come across mostly tend to be vbulletin. It appears that their script is by far the leader although there are many others available, free ones too.

Still, the price of their forum script is fairly cheap and especially so if you are comtemplating starting a serious forum.

I agree, but as a matter of fact, but I have to admit there's a huge population over at phpBB, I think these forum platforms are probably the most widely used forum platforms, not sure if IP.Board would beat phpBB in popularity.

vBulletin is in my eyes a clear winner.

- Meti

[dreamsubmitting]

I only know about VB..is there any other too..

Dilpreet

[Meti]

I only know about VB..is there any other too..

Dilpreet

phpBB (FREE)
SMF (FREE)
IP.Board (PAID)
myBB (FREE)

Probably at least hundreds of others.

Regards,
Meti

[piet]

My favorite is vB.

i like it very much.

[Meti]

My favorite is vB.

i like it very much.

I agree with you, it has lots of options and features available, comes with a very nice and easy to use adminCP. Definitely worth the cash!

- Meti

[temi]

I think phpBB is the most widely used, there are thousands of smaller webmasters who cannot afford vB license, they use phpBB.
Also there are lots of forum hosting outfits that offers free phpBB hosting as a sub domain of their domains so its got to be phpBB.

But when you talk of serious forums, its vB. To some extent (i could be guilty of prejudice here) I don't rate any forum that uses phpBB very highly because I know all the agro that goes with running phpBB, if you have a very busy serious forum,the last think you want to worry about is constant worry about patching up your forum, all this come free with vB and you cannot say the same for phpBB.

I think only an accomplished hacker can run a large forum using phpBB problem free.

[Meti]

I think phpBB is the most widely used, there are thousands of smaller webmasters who cannot afford vB license, they use phpBB.
Also there are lots of forum hosting outfits that offers free phpBB hosting as a sub domain of their domains so its got to be phpBB.

But when you talk of serious forums, its vB. To some extent (i could be guilty of prejudice here) I don't rate any forum that uses phpBB very highly because I know all the agro that goes with running phpBB, if you have a very busy serious forum,the last think you want to worry about is constant worry about patching up your forum, all this come free with vB and you cannot say the same for phpBB.

I think only an accomplished hacker can run a large forum using phpBB problem free.

I agree with you, that's one of the reasons I mentioned phpBB above, I know for a fact that lots of webmasters tend to use phpBB as their forum solution (especially if they don't wish to spend anything on the forum platform).

phpBB2 is a good piece of forum platform as long as you're a coder yourself, I know a friend of mine that runs a huge forum based on phpBB2, huge as in huge (=DP like) and he doesn't have any issues with the platform.

Mainly due to the reason that he's a coder himself, and have basically modified the source code alot, tweaked and even removed/improved some of the functions, phpBB2 is a great platform for coders that don't wish to spend cash on vB.

But, I agree with you temi, if you are serious about your project running vB is a great investment, not only does it save you lots of time, but it is definitely worth the money in the long run, top support whenever you need them.

- Meti

[SkinnerW]

I would probably name VB as a #1 for premium script and SMF with TyniPortal plugin for the free ones.

I have tried few more free scripts (phpBB, miniBB, punBB) but don't know them deep enough to give more detailed feedback, sorry...