WowBB Review
Last Version | 1.7 (2006). | Released under | Proprietary License. |
---|---|---|---|
Resources |
![]() |
![]() |
|
Company | WowBB. | ||
Price | Free. |
Last Version | 1.7 (2006). | Released under | Proprietary License. |
---|---|---|---|
Resources |
![]() |
![]() |
|
Company | WowBB. | ||
Price | Free. |
WowBB is a commercial forum software, based an unknown forum software with is the ancestor of several others, including UltraBB. WowBB website is proud to announce that it includes many unique features like spell checking, customizations and so on. By the way, this is clearly not unique, as most of forum software supports this kind of functionalities. Anyway, if you are really interesting to know more about it, and if you like pink car and green theme (yes, it still exists today, do not forget to wear your sunglasses!), go to the WowBB features page.
Server Requirements | ||
---|---|---|
Programming Language
Required Architecture and Versions.
|
|
|
Web Servers
How the forum is delivered to users.
|
|
|
Databases
How Forum Data are Stored.
|
|
|
Operating Systems
Systems Supporting this Software.
|
Browser & Client Requirements | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Compatible Browsers
List of Compatible Browsers.
|
|
|||||||
Required Plugins/Technologies
Additional or Basic Requirements from Client Side.
|
HTML, Javascript. | |||||||
Localization
Languages supported by WowBB.
|
Yes.
No.
|
Another LAMP based forum software, like many others. A default Ubuntu server installation and some clicks and your WowBB forum software will be ready in 5 minutes or less.
Compatibility with Smartphones | |
---|---|
Compatible SmartPhones
Compatible Cellphone Brands and Manufacturers.
|
No. |
Application Distribution / Type
How it is distributed / App Store Availability
|
No. |
Forum Threads / Topics | |||
---|---|---|---|
Forum Style | Threaded | Forum Organization |
|
Thread Icons | No | Topic Tags | - |
Hot Topics | - | Unread Topics | Yes |
Hidden Topics | No | Sticky Threads | No |
Related Threads | - | Detect Duplicate Threads | No |
Announcements | - |
Posting Messages / Answers | |||
---|---|---|---|
Message Editing Form
How to Post Messages.
|
|
||
Post Editing Format
Supported Markup Language (HTML, Wiki, BBCode,...).
|
|
||
Spell Checker
Checks typos on posts and topics.
|
Yes | ||
Image Attachment
How Images can be Attached and Displayed in Message Posts.
|
|
||
Embedded Videos
Videos and Media Websites Supported in Message Posts.
|
No. |
Posting Features | |||
---|---|---|---|
Quick Reply Box | Yes | Smileys | Yes |
Attachments | Yes | Syntax Highlighting | No |
Message Rating
|
No | Message Quoting | Yes |
Additional Forum Features | |
---|---|
Poll Creation | Yes |
Private Messages
Users Can Communicate using an Internal Messaging System.
|
Yes |
Instant Messaging
Discuss with Visitors and Members in a Chat Window.
|
No |
Calendar
Topic, Member Birthdays, Events are available from the perspective of a calendar.
|
Yes |
Online Users List
Connected User List (Often Found in the Forum Footer).
|
Yes |
Members List
Search and Consult the List of Members.
|
Yes |
Technical Features | |
---|---|
Bundled Software
Additional Software Available with the Forum.
|
No. |
RSS/Atom Syndication
Posts and Threads Exported to Feeds Aggregators
![]() |
No. |
Friendly URLs
URLs are clear and contain information about the topic (title, message,...).
Highly recommended for SEO purposes.
|
No |
Post by Email
Post Directly From your Email Box.
|
- |
Remote Control
Remote Control from External Software/Websites.
|
No. |
Cache System
Cache pages to optimize bandwidth and load times.
|
No |
Template Engine
It is easier to theme a forum using a known template engine (more docs & examples,...).
|
No. |
The spell checker is a really good idea for people who do not use Firefox browser (which integrates it by default). This is first time a forum software provides this, and this information deserves to be present in this review.
Member Options & Features | |
---|---|
Bookmark Threads
User Profiles Keep a List of Followed Posts and Topics.
|
No |
Email Notifications
Receive Emails When New Messages are Posted in Followed Threads.
|
Yes |
Export private messages
Private Messages can be Downloaded by Users.
|
No |
Payment Subscriptions
Paying Membership Subscription.
|
No |
User Profiles | |
---|---|
User Profile
User Information and Settings.
|
Yes |
Avatars
Pictures of Members, Useful to Easily Identify their Posts.
|
Yes |
Signature
Signatures Added at the Bottom of Each Message.
|
Yes |
Ranks
Tags and Labels Identifying the Members, based on specific criteria (Total Posts Count, Credits, Moderation Level...)
|
Yes |
The flexible template system is really efficient for people who do not have any skills in HTML templating and CSS technologies.
Many features are present by default on WowBB, which avoid you searching plugins to fulfill your requests.
Moderation & Threads Management | ||
---|---|---|
Moderation |
Post-Moderation
The moderation is done afterwards, if an administrator notices a problem or if a member reports something wrong. Each message is therefore directly published.
|
|
Moderator per section | No | |
Global Moderator | No | |
Move Threads
Move Threads from Topics
|
Yes | |
Shadow Topics
When a thread is moved, the previous position is kept in order to inform users of this modification.
|
No | |
Close/Lock Threads
Close/Lock Problematic Threads
|
Yes |
Users Management | |
---|---|
User Groups
Organize and define groups of users, and apply different actions and settings on them.
Common Groups: Guests, Members, Moderators, Administrators,... |
No |
User Registration |
|
Limit Features For New Users
Features are limited if a user has created a small number of posts.
|
- |
Guest Posting | Yes |
Multiple Administrators | Yes |
Send Warnings to Users
Inform users by email or PM that they infringe the board rules, and could be excluded for such behavior.
|
No |
Forum/Section Restricted Access
ACL could be use to determine if a user or a group of users can access (in read only, post message) to some sections
and topics.
|
No |
User Banishment | Yes |
Database Management | |
---|---|
Backup Database
Backup forum datas that you could store somewhere else.
|
No |
Prune Database
Remove old and unused datas from your forum.
|
No |
Restore Database
Restore a backup of your database if the previous install crashed.
|
No |
Administration Tools | |||
---|---|---|---|
Statistics
Statistics about posts count, users, traffic...
|
No |
Error/Notice Log Viewer
Forum Logs could be consulted.
|
No |
Tasks Scheduler
Maintenance tasks are regularly launched and could be scheduled.
|
No |
Mass Mailing
Send an email (newsletters, advertisements, information,...) to all users.
|
No |
Installation & Upgrading | |
---|---|
Installation Method
How this forum software could be installed.
|
Installation Wizard |
Upgrading Method
How this forum software could be upgraded.
|
Upgrade Wizard |
Updates Notifications
The Admin Panel informs you when a new version is released.
|
No |
Forum Migration
Convert an existing forum to WowBB.
|
No. |
Security & Spam Protection | ||
---|---|---|
CAPTCHA
Captcha protects your forum against spam bots.
e.g.,
![]() |
No
|
|
Abnormal Behavior Detection
Detect users or request strange behaviors, and try to process proactive actions.
|
- | |
Words Filtering
Offensing Words are automatically replaced.
|
Yes | |
User Blacklist
Prevent specific user accounts to register (based on email address, name,...) and disable potentially harmful members.
|
No | |
IP Blocking
Prevent access to spam robots and other scripts that could attempt
DDOS or Brute Force attacks on your forum.
|
No |
Secunia Advisories severity affecting WowBB.
Secunia Advisories impact affecting WowBB.
Customization | |||
---|---|---|---|
Plugins
Add new features to your forum installation.
|
No.
|
||
Themes
Modify the style of your forum easily.
|
Yes. | ||
Custom BBCodes | No | Smiley Packs | No |
Custom Thread Icons |
No |
Additional User Profile Fields
Ask more about your members with custom fields.
|
No |
Integration with Applications, Social Networks, Intranet... | |
---|---|
Social Networks
Users can share information from their social network account...
|
No. |
CMS / Blog Bridges
Integration with existing Web publishing tools.
|
No. |
User Accounts Integration
Do users be able to log in with their corporate, Google, Facebook,... accounts?
|
No. |
Content Aggregation
Forum allows to integrate news and content from other website,
using an aggregation protocol (RSS, RDF, Atom,...).
|
No. |
Even if WowBB has many features, most of integration (to a blog, a CMS, or inter-application APIs, like XML-RPC or Web-Services...) features are not present, due to its proprietary license.
Norms & Accessibility | |
---|---|
HTML / XHTML Markup
See W3C HTML Definition.
|
HTML 4.01.
![]()
Click to see if it respects HTML norms.
|
CSS Stylesheets
See W3C CSS Definition.
|
CSS 1. ![]()
Click to see if it respects CSS norms.
|
Accessibility (WAI)
Web Accessibility ensures that the forum is usable by people of all abilities and disabilities.
|
No accessibility. |
UTF-8 Support
Default encoding used to support all locales and countries.
|
No |
Conformance to W3C Norms
Does WowBB correctly follow (X)HTML and CSS norms?
|
No. |
WowBB uses old web technologies like HTML 4.01 and a <table > layout, which is not the best way to custom it using CSS.
Key points and major differences that make WowBB unique:
The Web installer offers a conversion tools allowing a easy migration from an older forum software to WowBB. Currently, migration could be performed from PhpBB 2.0.x and UBB.Threads 6.x Statistics are provided for most parts of the installed forum. A spell checker is present in the post editor. Integrated subscriptions payments for members, if the webmaster want to create a private and lucrative forum. Payments could be done by PayPal or credit card.As we can see below, WowBB, even using a proprietary model (which is rare in forum software world), provides many unique features that will probably make you use it if they are vital for your community.
WowBB can be provided as a zipped package and be installed on your server if you have the skill, or could be simply managed by WowBB, which could host your forum software for a low price. Do not hesitate to consult the WowBB web site to know more about these prices.
Comments (3)
If you are looking for
If you are looking for "cheap" there are better options that are free. The software itself is ok, user friendly. The customer service at wowbb is horrible, they never reply to your queries, they deny in aid and claim its someone elses fault. Their hosting is even worse in 2 years I have been hacked twice and I know its through them as other of their hosting customers have been hacked the exact same way and with the same content! 2 huge thumbs down!
I haven't been able to work
I haven't been able to work this out/ I have some experience but this nut was too hard for my teeth
UltraBB has striked an deal
UltraBB has striked an deal with wowBB taking over WowBB customer base and thus becoming continuation of WowBB. You may want to update your review to cover this