My tips for establishing an on-line forum?

[Barry G]

Looking to establish an on-line forum, and looking for any tips with regard to software, 'how to', etc.
The interest area is foster care, am hoping to do it fairly cheaply, as we are all volunteers.
Any help greatly appreciated.

[dales133]

I've got a mate who's run a forum in the states for over 10 years barry.
If you need any help I'm sure he'd be glad to help

[oldmate]

Looking to establish an on-line forum, and looking for any tips with regard to software, 'how to', etc.
The interest area is foster care, am hoping to do it fairly cheaply, as we are all volunteers.
Any help greatly appreciated.

Google pro boards.  You can set up a free online forum there.

Here. https://proboards.com

[Goose]

You have 2 broad options.

You can use a service such as proboards, who will do most of the hard work for you.

Or if you have some IT skills (or someone in your community does), the key steps to DIY are:
 - get familiar with running a forum, plenty written on the web about this
 - pick an available domain name and put together a basic plan for your community, including your budget, theme, rules etc
 - look at the available forum software (such as SMF which runs this site and is free, or vBulletin which is widely used but has a charge etc)
 - look around for web hosting companies that will support the forum you picked
     -- ring the host and ask if they support vBulletin, SMF
     -- check that they are in your budget
     -- look for one that lets you start small and grow to a bigger hosting plan as the site grows
 - register domain and signup with the webhost company to host it
 - install forum software on your site
 - modify and theme your forum to suit your community (alternatively pay for theme to be created just for you)
 - start promoting the forum within your community

Goose

[DannyG]

We started www.ozisuzu.com.au a few months ago and it was quite simple really. The key to a good forum is obviously its members and their participation.

We simply went to a local web hosting company and signed up for a starter account.

This account has 'Cpanel' which has many different types of free forum software on them for you to easily install. We went with SMF which incidentally is the same as Myswag uses.

Once the forum is installed, you easily set it up according to your needs, add a nice pretty theme if you don't like the default colours etc and start inviting members to join up.

I find it is important to keep a forum Family friendly (which clearly yours would be), allow different views to be discussed but don't allow any personal attacks and your half way there.

After a short period of time you will get a lot of members and your forum will start using quite a bit of bandwidth and storage space, especially if you allow photos. When this happens you need to usually start paying more money for a better package 

I hope that helps.

[tk421]

I would add, choose your domain name early and purchase it straightaway.

You'll find there are more and more tools and people out there that monitor domain name searches, and cybersquatters who will get wind of your search and then possible increase the cost.   eg  you want mydomain.com so you search to see if its available. It is, at only $10. You go away have a think, and then come back later to register it,. Low and behold it now costs $100 or $500.  Or someone has surprisingly taken it but will sell it to you for only $5000.

[edz]

Have a talk  with Troopie Pete from   http://www.rivercity4wdclub.net/showthread.php?tid=210 a he is also on here occasionaly

[fishfinder]

We started www.ozisuzu.com.au a few months ago and it was quite simple really. The key to a good forum is obviously its members and their participation.

We simply went to a local web hosting company and signed up for a starter account.

This account has 'Cpanel' which has many different types of free forum software on them for you to easily install. We went with SMF which incidentally is the same as Myswag uses.

Once the forum is installed, you easily set it up according to your needs, add a nice pretty theme if you don't like the default colours etc and start inviting members to join up.

I find it is important to keep a forum Family friendly (which clearly yours would be), allow different views to be discussed but don't allow any personal attacks and your half way there.

After a short period of time you will get a lot of members and your forum will start using quite a bit of bandwidth and storage space, especially if you allow photos. When this happens you need to usually start paying more money for a better package 

I hope that helps.

time for us Toyota owners to load heaps of photos of prados on this isuzu forum

[Bird]

I've setup several over time, there is Vbulletin and SMF are the main 2... SMF is easiest..

just watch your rectum with legalities going onto that area your thinking of...

[Barry G]

I've setup several over time, there is Vbulletin and SMF are the main 2... SMF is easiest..

just watch your rectum with legalities going onto that area your thinking of...

I know what you mean about the legalities Bruce, and of necessity the Admin will be a bit like on another camping web site we know of.  The site won't be for rants like we are all capable of at times, but to help carers organise to fix some of the real problems in the system, such as kids under 7 having no voice and carers not being given the opportunity to speak up for them.

[Hairs]

SMF is easiest..

Yep agree, I have screwed around with a couple and have found SMF to be pretty easy to use.
Good luck with it and I wish you well.
 

[#jonesy]

You might have a lot of hurdles to jump.
Could be all sorts of privacy issues for the kids. Probably can't use names, photos or anything else that may identify them. Might extend as far as what town they came from, particularly for rural areas.

[Barry G]

You might have a lot of hurdles to jump.
Could be all sorts of privacy issues for the kids. Probably can't use names, photos or anything else that may identify them. Might extend as far as what town they came from, particularly for rural areas.

I appreciate your concerns, however it will be a fairly 'close(d)' group.
Certainly no photos or names, primarily organisation to build sufficient focussed activity to achieve change.