Forum Software Reviews

From Beehive Forum web site:

Beehive Forum Features:

• Frame-based layout, for easy navigation.
• Reply-to-user posting and e-mail notification.
• Powerful HTML posting, without security risks.
• Extendable user profiles.
• Flexible relationships system.
• Private Messaging system.
• Multiple style options, including dyslexia support.
• Advanced word-filtering facility.
• Comprehensive user permissions.
• Full, easy to use admin tools.

Review Updates

• March 9th, 2010: Review update with Beehive Forum 0.9.1.

From Simple Machines web site:

Simple Machines Forum - SMF in short - is a free, professional grade software package that allows you to set up your own online community within minutes.

Its powerful custom made template engine puts you in full control of the lay-out of your forum and with our unique SSI - or Server Side Includes - function you can let your forum and your website interact with each other. SMF is written in the popular language PHP and uses a MySQL database.

It is designed to provide you with all the features you need while having an absolute minimal impact on the resources of the server. SMF is the next generation of forum software, and best of all it is and will always remain completely free!

Please note that Simple Machines Forum was also known as YaBB SE which was initially a PHP port of YaBB Forum (originally in Perl).

Review Updates

• March 2, 2010: SMF 1.1.1 Review update.
• December 4, 2009: Add an article on How The Simple Machines Upgrade Process Works?.
• April 11, 2009: The review will be updated as soon as the SMF 2.0RC2 release will be out.

From FluxBB website :

FluxBB is a free open source forum application designed to be fast, light and user friendly. Version of FluxBB, currently under development, adds a powerful extension system enabling you to create the forum that you really need.

Since the PunBB rights solding to a commercial company in 2007, FluxBB is now the official fork of PunBB.

Review Updates

• March 1, 2010: Update with FluxBB 1.2.22.

From IceBB website:

IceBB is a powerful, fast, free, and open-source forum solution powered by the free PHP and MySQL. IceBB scales well, no matter how many users or posts, due to its clean and efficient code. It is also fully customizable, with full skin and language support, plus a powerful admin control center.

IceBB also comes with a great community, willing to help you with any problems you encounter, in English, Spanish,or French.

Some of IceBB's features include:

• RSS feeds
• Favorite topics and forums
• Optional calendar
• Optional portal
• Private messages
• Search
• Unlimited subforums
• Redirect forums
• Powerful admin control center
• Inline moderation
• Multi-quote
• Full localization support (language system, full Unicode support)
• Full feature list

Review Updates

• strong class='notice'>February 16, 2010: Update the review with IceBB 1.0rc10

From Yet Another Forum website:

YetAnotherForum.NET (YAF) is a Open Source discussion forum or bulletin board system
for web sites running ASP.NET. The latest version is ASP.NET v2.0 with a Microsoft
SQL Server backend. The full C# source code is available licensed as GPL.

Stable

YetAnotherForum.NET is stable and secure enough for a production environment.

Review Updates

• February 22, 2010: Minor updates.
• February 16, 2010: Update the review with YAF 1.9.4 RC1.

From UBB.threads website:

Community with Ease

Since 1997, thousands of websites have chosen UBB.threads for their community solution. Whether you need a community solution to integrate with your website or you want your community to be your website, UBB.threads is your answer. No matter if you have a small, medium or large site, our software can scale to your needs.

With the integrated Portal and Photo Gallery (UBB.Gallery) you can create your entire website using UBB.threads without the need to buy anything else, and without the need to try and integrate various products for a seemless user experience.

Tons of Features!

• Unlimited Forums
• Integrated Portal
• Integrated Photo Gallery (UBB.Gallery)
• Database Backend
• Fully Templated
• RSS Syndication of content
• Unlimited Subforums
• CAPTCHA*
• many more!

Prices:

• UBB.threads™ Standard License $139
  1 year free access to upgrades / No advanced support included
• UBB.threads™ Silver License $499
  5 year free access to upgrades / 3 hours of advanced support included (via online support ticket system)
• UBB.threads™ Gold License $725
  Lifetime free access to upgrades / 5 hours of advanced support included (via online support ticket system)

Review Updates

• January 1st, 2010: Update the review since UBB.threads has been acquired by Mindraven.