Running a bulletin board

[mirdorr]

I may need to start running a a bulletin board; one that I've been on for a decade, and has existed for over 25 years, is going down.

I figure there's a lot of bulletin board experience around here, since Ayonae Ro has gone through several iterations.

Assuming I have some small amount of Linux knowledge and that I already have a Linux box running an Apache server and MySQL (if it hasn't died, who knows?), what's the best route for easy to use BBS software off my home box? PhpBB? How easy would your recommendation be to install and get up and running?

We have about 20 users and less than 100 posts/day. Any idea on how much bandwidth this will take up?

Is EZBoard something I should consider? Can anyone set up an EZboard? Is there a cost associated with it?

[Sanchek]

Do not use EZBoard.

phpBB is your cheapest alternative (free). I think VBulletin is a bit nicer to use and a lot nicer to administer, but there's a small licensing fee. Around $160 for an unlimited license I think.

That usage would probably be almost no bandwidth, long as you don't stick full screen BMP images on every page or something. Maybe 100-200mb/month. Really depends mostly on how often the people refresh, more than how many posts are made.

[Rybit]

Exactly what Sanchek said. Your cost will be $160 + ($15 x 12 months hosting) = $340 for the first year, which is about $30/month. After that, vBulletin upgrades are $30 a year + (15 x 12 months hosting) = $210, which is about $18 a month.

I'm assuming you won't need a lot of bandwidth for 20 users a day. So I'm estimating your hosting fees to be around $15, but you really can get cheap hosting for $10.

We are connected to six optical fiber networks, but we don't pay a dime except for the vBulletin renewal fees because my brother runs an ISP.

[Moglor]

gotta love having family in high places :)

[mirdorr]

Hmm. $550/year is a bit steep for me. I guess I could afford it, but it's not the route I want to go.

The BBS we have is currently using SMF, and users love it. I have not yet looked at what it would take to install it on my Linux box at home.

[Sanchek]

Ryb's numbers assumed you needed hosting. If you have a server of your own that can support the traffic (roughly the same regardless of what software you go with, probably), then you can obviously avoid that cost.

[Rybit]

Keep in mind any computer with Windows can run an Apache and PHP stack, as well as phpBB and IPB (all free products). The general consensus is anything is better than ezboard.

[Kelraz Bladesinger]

Personally, I prefer phpbb over vBulletin. I found that it is much easier to update and mod out, though honestly you probably don't need any bells or whistles just a place to post. An example of a phpBB board modded out is at www.uberalliance.com/phpBB2/ (http://www.uberalliance.com/phpBB2/). I'm not gonna be able to authorize you, but you can log in as guest/guest and peek around at some of the features. We also have a calendar and a bunch of other nonsense in there you won't be able to see, but you get the idea.

*edit* Naturally, we decided to leave that guild just moments after we finished the board system for a raid guild, but alas :)

[Ibudin]

n00b questin here but can you run a phpBB forum with simply WINXP PRO and using IIS? Iv'e been wanting to start one up but really didn't know how to go about it.

[Sanchek]

Every single one of the phpBBs on our WoW server's guild list got hacked, defaced, and their threads deleted a few weeks ago. Our VB board was safe. For me, that alone was worth the license fee.

Ibudin, you should be able to do that. Just download the PHP and MySQL install for Win32 also. There are a few differences with how PHP works on Win32, but they're fairly subtle and most software works without any changes at all.

[mirdorr]

I'm attempting to set up SMF (from Simple Machines) but my noobness at unix and mysql is slowing me down. Hah.

But it's good experience. I've been meaning to try this for years.

[fildien]

I <3 Unix

What are you having issues with, I'd be happy to try to help.

[mirdorr]

If anyone is interested, I run a Suse box (don't know version off the top of my head) with Apache and now the newest version of SMF. Mysql is 3.23.55-log.

edit - correct version number

[mirdorr]

Well, I got SMF running. I had started mysqld using the user "mysql" after solving a few rights problems last night concerning /usr/share/mysql and some /var/lib directory.

After that, I got stuck when running the "install.php" page. I tried all kinds of things while using the username 'mysql.' Wouldn't work. Also, I don't know if there's a password somewhere in mysql for the user mysql. I attempted to change it last night using the mysqladmin command, but couldn't.

A support person on their BBS suggested I use user 'root' on the install.php page, and that worked right off the bat.

Of course, this means that I now have a forum running using a database that is using the 'root' user, which doesn't make me happy. I have to figure out how to fix that and get it to use the user 'mysql.'

Several people have recommended I get phpadmin or something like that to help with administration chores; I'll have to hunt it down tonight.

[mirdorr]

Have you checked on the perms for your mysql account? Do you know if you have to create one? etc

Not sure if I simply posted in the wrong item or what. I copied this quote from the Windows vs. Linux item.

My guess is that, 1 way or another, you're right. I made the user 'mysql' owner of the apache virtual server directory that contains all the SMF BBS stuff. I also made 'mysql' the owner of some /var/lib stuff pertaining to SMF and the /user/share/mysql directory (I had to figure out/find these directories manually).

I'm sure there's still a rights issue somewhere - I really haven't look at what rights the mysql user has (nor do I know how to do that off the top of my head. I think, however, I won't try to fix anything else until I download phpmyadmin and see what it says.

I'd like to change the unix password of the 'mysql' user and coordinate the php setup with that. I can't remember the su syntax to do the password change, not the syntax to become the 'mysql' user via su. I did get the mysqld program started up on the command line specifying --user=mysql, and mysqld runs, but dunno if there are rights issues there.

Fun stuff!

[fildien]

as root you can change anyone's password by simply typing :

passwd <user>
ex. passwd mysql

to su to another account and become (change enviornment) that user type:

su - <user>
ex. su - mysql

to just su and obtain privys of a user type:

su <user>

As I said unfortunately I am not familiar with mysql, I don't even know how to install or set it up as most of my experience is with Oracle, Ingres, and Cache. However usually when I install a database I create a dB admin account and let that user do the install. That way all of the files and directories get the proper ownership and perms. I wish I could help you more :\ Perhaps this admin tool is just what you need.

[mirdorr]

let that user do the install

In hindsight, that is probably what I should have done.