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journeyman
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journeyman
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In the last year or more I have had dozens of forums free and paid. I have used SMF, Phpbb, IPB and Mybb and a few others. While those have nothing to do with the success or failure of a forum how do you decide what to base your forum on? What type of research do you do? If any.
Last edited by elijahone; 06/03/2010 7:33 PM.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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I go in and look at what features are offered in the software solution, then I look at their forums and user community.
For example, vBulletin requires you have a license to register on their support community, and to download mods; so they would be no use to me as my members/staff would be unable to post requests there for assistance or mods, etc.
UBB however allows anyone to register, has a pristine support community, friendly atmosphere, etc; so that's how I ended up with my decision way back when...
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journeyman
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journeyman
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Gizmo what do you look for when starting a forum as far as subject matter for the board? I have several interests but forums abound for those interest. People say make the board unique but in many cases a lot of the popular topics have been unique to death there is not but so many ways you can make a popular subject on a forum unique. I have had dozens of forums and all have flopped and I want my approach here to be different than before.
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journeyman
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journeyman
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I think that is a tough question to answer.
I just started a forum in Feb 2010 in an area where there are quite a few other forums. But I had been part of a community on a different board that was sold to a big corporation. For a few years I had thought about starting my own forum, because before the sale we had an absentee owner. People knew who I was, I recruited a few key people to help me get things set up and as my sounding board. Here are my numbers from today: 508 Members 82 Forums 3588 Topics 50391 Posts
I have a nice group of members and mod group that are making things pretty good for a new forum. We are actually showing up on the first page on some searches.
I would say good content is important. Next IMHO is fostering the feel of community, people like to belong to something. Make new members feel welcome. When the forum opened to the public I started making a point if the new member posted in the Intro forum to post a Welcome, Glad to joined post. I still try to keep up with that. Once your membership grows, other members will jump on and do the same thing you are doing, make people feel welcome. I think you have to have a bit more than an interest, I think it helps if it is more of a passion.
What can you offer that the other forums don't? Is it your expertise in an area, Is it your experience in an area, Can you offer a more friendly atmosphere.
How much time are you willing to put into it to get it up and running.
Val
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My board was on UBB.classic when I bought it in 2003, and it just seemed natural to move up to UBB.threads when we outgrew it. I've learned a lot from this support forum, which I only joined a few years ago.
Steve
UBB.classic from 2000-2003 UBB.threads from 2003-present!
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 16,301 Likes: 116 |
Really it just varies...
When we where busy we where technical discussions leading towards gaming, but a rogue moderator purged his forums which where our most popular and we couldn't really recover after a huge infraction, search engine links where always broken, people where always tiffed, etc.
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Joined: Jan 2010
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journeyman
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journeyman
Joined: Jan 2010
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I think that is a tough question to answer.
I just started a forum in Feb 2010 in an area where there are quite a few other forums. But I had been part of a community on a different board that was sold to a big corporation. For a few years I had thought about starting my own forum, because before the sale we had an absentee owner. People knew who I was, I recruited a few key people to help me get things set up and as my sounding board. Here are my numbers from today: 508 Members 82 Forums 3588 Topics 50391 Posts
I have a nice group of members and mod group that are making things pretty good for a new forum. We are actually showing up on the first page on some searches.
I would say good content is important. Next IMHO is fostering the feel of community, people like to belong to something. Make new members feel welcome. When the forum opened to the public I started making a point if the new member posted in the Intro forum to post a Welcome, Glad to joined post. I still try to keep up with that. Once your membership grows, other members will jump on and do the same thing you are doing, make people feel welcome. I think you have to have a bit more than an interest, I think it helps if it is more of a passion.
What can you offer that the other forums don't? Is it your expertise in an area, Is it your experience in an area, Can you offer a more friendly atmosphere.
How much time are you willing to put into it to get it up and running.
Val Putting time into it to get it up and running is not a problem. Finding a niche is the problem.
Last edited by elijahone; 06/07/2010 7:23 AM.
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Former Developer
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Former Developer
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here's what i've found as someone who supports forums.. in other word i don't go out and make my own forums, but come in to help peeps with THEIRS..
the #1 is that the owner (and staff too, but mostly owner) needs to have both a passion for and a keen understanding of the main forums thrust..
if the forum is all about fishing, the member #2 admin should be a passionate fisherman
if it's all about german shepherds, then be an owner of one and know all the ins/outs..
lawnmower equipment
hunting / trapping
camping
simulations / gameplay
etc etc...
each 'niche' or subject needs to be something you know a lot about and are passionate about...
This attitude spills over into the forums.. the new members will sense that... it builds from there..
But to just pick a 'nice subject' and hope it takes off because it's unique won't work if you aren't totally into it..
The effects are synergistic from that point on, from what i've seen... you find a handful of very good members who become part of the staff and let the forum slowly grow from there..
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journeyman
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journeyman
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I see what your saying SD and it makes sense when you stop and think about it. But I really don't have anything I am expert on.
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Just like any business. You need to develop a business case. You need to decide what niche you want to fill and how you will go about filling that niche. I don't think you really need to be a expert per say in the beginning. But it should be something that you have a interest in. Otherwise you will just get bored to death and not invest the time needed to promote your site.
And who says it has to be a forum. It could be anything.
Blue Man Group There is no such thing as stupid questions. Just stupid answers
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journeyman
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journeyman
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Yeah I know. But I prefer forums I enjoy them...creating them is the problem.
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Then you need to sit down and develop a business case. And how to go about it. You may fail several times but one day you will have something that works if you keep working on it.
Blue Man Group There is no such thing as stupid questions. Just stupid answers
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journeyman
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journeyman
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Ruben this is going to sound like a stupid question friend but what is a "business case?"
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Joined: Dec 2003
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If you have ever had to go to the bank for a business loan. They will usually ask you for one. It is really nothing more than. Developing a plan to build your business. What is your business all about. What is your product. What is the targeted customer. Marketing. Budget. Goals.
Just google "how to build a business case"
Building a successful forum site is just like starting a business.
Blue Man Group There is no such thing as stupid questions. Just stupid answers
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Former Developer
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Former Developer
Joined: Apr 2007
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aka "business plan" to some
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Of course, some of us just winged it for fun and it developed from there!
Steve
UBB.classic from 2000-2003 UBB.threads from 2003-present!
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Former Developer
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Former Developer
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i'd wager a guess that MOST of us winged it
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Well me too. But he wanted to know what to do to make a successful site, with past failed sites.
I think most of us will agree, today you no longer have the luxury to just add a forum site and everyone will visit. You have to have something that provides a interest.
Blue Man Group There is no such thing as stupid questions. Just stupid answers
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journeyman
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journeyman
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aka "business plan" to some Thats what I was assuming he mean't just wanted to be sure is all.
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journeyman
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journeyman
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Are we allowed to sell our license? Just considering it is all.
Last edited by elijahone; 06/25/2010 8:21 PM.
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No, you can't sell per the license agreement.
3. License Restrictions. You may not: (a) reproduce or distribute all or any portion of the Software to any third party; (b) remove any proprietary notices from the Software or any copy thereof; (c) sell, assign, rent, transfer, distribute, act as a service bureau, or grant rights in the Software to any other person; (d) export or re-export the Software in violation of U.S. export laws; or (e) use the Software in violation of any applicable law, regulation or ordinance. Further, You may not use the Software or any related services to develop, generate, transmit or store information that: (i) infringes any third party's intellectual property or other proprietary right; or (ii) is illegal.
Blue Man Group There is no such thing as stupid questions. Just stupid answers
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journeyman
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journeyman
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Answers that question. Thanks Ruben....guess I will have to come up with something to use it for.....what I don't know...
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Well I just copied from the license agreement but you can always ask Rick directly.
Blue Man Group There is no such thing as stupid questions. Just stupid answers
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Joined: Jan 2010
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journeyman
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journeyman
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No I trust you no reason not too...I guess I have gotten a little frustrated.............not with the software with myself..
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Former Developer
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Former Developer
Joined: Jun 2006
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We've had people sell their license before. The problem comes when they sell their license but continue to use the software for themselves as well, so it's normally just something we handle individually.
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journeyman
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journeyman
Joined: Jan 2010
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No problem. I would not sell it anyway I spent to long saving every scrap of change I could to buy it. Besides I have used others like SMF, Phpbb and IPB and was just never happy with those. Just having never used UBB I think I get frustrated with it at times but who don't right?
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addict
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addict
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No problem. I would not sell it anyway I spent to long saving every scrap of change I could to buy it. Besides I have used others like SMF, Phpbb and IPB and was just never happy with those. Just having never used UBB I think I get frustrated with it at times but who don't right? LOL I know I have had my share of OH SH**** in my time with it.. However, I can honestly say that in 10 years of using threads until the switch to 7.* I can say that between these forums and Rick, I have never had to look far for my questions (even learned a few tricks in the process). Dunny
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