I run a web-site for the Account Planning Group (apg.org.uk) but being a strategist rather than techologist I am a bit clueless on the software front. I am looking for some simple software that will run a discussion form for our members on the site. We should be able to post papers, comment on them and perhaps vote. Can anyone lead me to something easy to use?
Thanks in anticipation
Janet
Janet Grimes Strategy & Planning

On 12:42:45 23 July 2003 janetgrimes wrote:
>... looking for some simple software that will run a
>discussion form for our members on the site.

Janet, I assume you want forum software rather than chat software.

I don't think any of this software comes under the heading of 'simple'. We use vBulletin (www.vbulletin.org) which is a php system. Its quite complex but vey functional.

However first you need to understand what technology your web site host supports. For example if your web site is running on Windows (which I think maybe it is) then you will have access to a different set of solutions than if it is running on Unix. Also you need to understand what databases your host supports. vBulletin for example requires that your host supports MySQL.

Do a search on google for 'forum software' and you will come up with a long list. If you are on windows then try 'asp forum software' to narrow it down a bit.

However if your are hosted on a standard ISP that doesn't support databases or if you don't have the expertise to set one of these monsters up, you may be better off looking into 'groups' on Yahoo or MSN. (e.g. http://groups.msn.com/) I think you can set up your own private forums on those systems but I have never tried it myself.

Good Luck

Bob
http://www.textor.com

Thanks Bob, that's really helpful.
Janet
On 11:56:23 29 July 2003 textor wrote:
>On 12:42:45 23 July 2003 janetgrimes wrote:
>>... looking for some simple software that will run a
>>discussion form for our members on the site.
>
>Janet, I assume you want forum software rather than chat
>software.
>
>I don't think any of this software comes under the heading
>of 'simple'. We use vBulletin (www.vbulletin.org) which
>is a php system. Its quite complex but vey functional.
>
>However first you need to understand what technology your
>web site host supports. For example if your web site is
>running on Windows (which I think maybe it is) then you
>will have access to a different set of solutions than if
>it is running on Unix. Also you need to understand what
>databases your host supports. vBulletin for example
>requires that your host supports MySQL.
>
>Do a search on google for 'forum software' and you will
>come up with a long list. If you are on windows then try
>'asp forum software' to narrow it down a bit.
>
>However if your are hosted on a standard ISP that doesn't
>support databases or if you don't have the expertise to
>set one of these monsters up, you may be better off
>looking into 'groups' on Yahoo or MSN. (e.g.
>http://groups.msn.com/) I think you can set up your own
>private forums on those systems but I have never tried it
>myself.
>
>Good Luck
>
>Bob
>http://www.textor.com

There is also:

Fuse Talk [paid, there is free trial]
http://www.fusetalk.com/

GeekLog
http://www.geeklog.net/

Links / Resources that may interest you include:

E-mint:
- E-mint is an independent group of professionals involved with virtual communities in various ways.
- E-mint is a network for anyone interested in the theory or practice of online communities.

E-Mint began in May 2000 in London. The independent organization is for community professionals or anyone interested in the theory or practice of online communities.

Source:
http://www.emint.org.uk

Online Community Report:

The Online Community Report is a free twice-monthly e-mail newsletter covering news and best ideas in online group collaboration. Articles and features address many venues in which users interact with other users online: online communities, web conferencing, distance learning, knowledge management systems, online auctions, and other topics. The Report should be of interest to anyone building or managing online communities, or interested in successful online group collaboration.

Source:
http://www.onlinecommunityreport.com/

There was a Revolution article not so long ago. It's really hard to digest [you'll see what I mean], but maybe useful.

Revolution Magazine:
COMMUNITIES MASTERCLASS: The Revolution Masterclass on Online communities
June 11, 2003 Philip Smith
http://www.revolutionmagazine.com/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=ViewNewsArticle&ID=182913
http://makeashorterlink.com/?X1D325185

With lots of free/cost effective options, it will be relatively simple to set up and manage.

Regards

Tim Gibbon
Account Director, Elemental PR

timmy_gibbon [MSN & Yahoo! Messenger ID]
E:
W: http://www.elementalpr.co.uk

PR Showcase 2003, London, UK
W: http://www.prshowcase.net

On 12:56:28 5 August 2003 Gary Baker wrote:
>Hi Janet
>
>The most popular discussion forums include:
>
>vBulletin: http://www.vbulletin.com
>phpBB: http://www.phpbb.com
>Invisionboard: http://www.invisionboard.com
>Ultimate Bulletin Board: http://www.infopop.com/products/u-
>bb/
>Snitz: http://forum.snitz.com/
>
>Some are free and some are licenced. vBulletin has a
>number of add-ons as well which may be suitable for your
>requirement of posting papers and commenting on them. All
>the add-ons can be fuond at http://www.vbulletin.org
>
>The standard installation of most of these forums is not
>too difficult, but the add-ons may require a bit more
>effort.
>
>Hope that helps!
>
>Gary
>
>Managed Web
>Website Maintenance & Support
>www.managedweb.com

Hi Janet,

Maybe a bit late now.......but we assessed all the open source offerings (phpbb etc) when we were looking to add discussion to our content management software........we found them all a bit over complicated (front-end) and esoteric (code).....so we wrote our own!

If you are looking to dicuss articles (papers) recommend them, vote on them and link them together by theme (automatically) ete in a members environment (with profiles) etc then here's one we made earlier!! http://via.eshopworks.co.uk/article.php/articleid/4

Interestingly all the content in this site (articles, links, pages, events etc) is also linked by theme / topic (meta data) so all the content is dynamically linked together by topic, or theme....

This is a development site at the moment (why it's full of gobblebegook , and only part populated!), and it's also moderated memebership - so please don't try and join / post (you won't be able to anyway!)

All the page content, discussions, articles are managed in an admin area by non-technical people (real easy). New ones can be added at will (given the correct admin permissions and work-flow, of course)

Interestingly there is also an integrated event booking system on the RTMA site (i notice you do events)....which is also administered within the same system Although it's nowhere near as advanced as the one we did here http://www.resource-alliance.org - which runs off the same WORKSsitebuilder software. We also do the full online booking and integrated payment for events if required. But that's an aside!

....but you'll get the gist of what is possible (and very affordable too!)

drop me a line any of the above is interesting to you.

kind regards

angus

--
Angus Phillipson

On 12:42:45 23 July 2003 janetgrimes wrote:
>I run a web-site for the Account Planning Group
>(apg.org.uk) but being a strategist rather than
>techologist I am a bit clueless on the software front. I
>am looking for some simple software that will run a
>discussion form for our members on the site. We should be
>able to post papers, comment on them and perhaps vote.
>Can anyone lead me to something easy to use?
>Thanks in anticipation
>Janet
>Janet Grimes Strategy & Planning