What is the best modern looking threaded forum module?
December 1, 2011 7:50 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for a forum module that looks nice for a small .com start up I'm working with. A lot of the ones I see, even with themes in place, look antiquated, instead of the threaded, facebook-esque look we're looking for. Could someone point me in the right direction?
The forum module needs to be PHP/MySql. It's for a for profit business, so we'd be willing to buy something. The main thing is that we have a forum that doesn't look like an old fashioned board. Thanks!
The forum module needs to be PHP/MySql. It's for a for profit business, so we'd be willing to buy something. The main thing is that we have a forum that doesn't look like an old fashioned board. Thanks!
Best answer: How about Vanilla? Maybe not as Facebook-y as you'd like right out of the box, but certainly better styled than most offerings out there.
posted by bcwinters at 8:12 AM on December 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by bcwinters at 8:12 AM on December 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
I get what you mean, you don't want something that looks like phBB right?
would you be open to using a hosted solution like disqus?
posted by Ad hominem at 10:12 AM on December 1, 2011
would you be open to using a hosted solution like disqus?
posted by Ad hominem at 10:12 AM on December 1, 2011
Response by poster: I get what you mean, you don't want something that looks like phBB right?
That's it exactly. Too many other forums that claim to be customizable, like VBulletin, just look like phpBB with a coat of paint slapped on it.
posted by unreason at 10:17 AM on December 1, 2011
That's it exactly. Too many other forums that claim to be customizable, like VBulletin, just look like phpBB with a coat of paint slapped on it.
posted by unreason at 10:17 AM on December 1, 2011
Oh man, I know what you mean, I've been looking for a long time and I haven't found it.
I have found some companies that use nicer looking forum software but haven't been able to root out what they use. Fitbit.com has a beautiful one (must be a member to view). Jawbone has a nice one as well: http://forums.jawbone.com/ Jawbone appears to be using: http://www.lithium.com/
But I haven't had much luck finding a nice open source forum that doesn't look like its 10 years old.
Buddypress is the devil, and not mature enough (at least last time I played with it) Vanilla was really cool but its getting very dated looking/functioning as well.'
My next step will probably be to modify phpbb so it doesn't look so forum-y. This mod lets you have recent topics: http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=70&t=544839 which is more interesting that a list of forums. That combined with a new paint of coat and maybe MAYBE it will look better.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 4:53 AM on December 11, 2011
I have found some companies that use nicer looking forum software but haven't been able to root out what they use. Fitbit.com has a beautiful one (must be a member to view). Jawbone has a nice one as well: http://forums.jawbone.com/ Jawbone appears to be using: http://www.lithium.com/
But I haven't had much luck finding a nice open source forum that doesn't look like its 10 years old.
Buddypress is the devil, and not mature enough (at least last time I played with it) Vanilla was really cool but its getting very dated looking/functioning as well.'
My next step will probably be to modify phpbb so it doesn't look so forum-y. This mod lets you have recent topics: http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=70&t=544839 which is more interesting that a list of forums. That combined with a new paint of coat and maybe MAYBE it will look better.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 4:53 AM on December 11, 2011
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posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:12 AM on December 1, 2011