Phpbb 3.0 Beta 2 - Free Forum Software Have a look at the features...

In the fantastico section of the Xisto cpanel you might have noticed that there is an opportunity of have a Forum installed on your Hosting account. One of the available Forums is phpBB, and last time I checked, the version on the fantastico was something like 2.17. The newest production version is phpbb 2.21 and it includes all the latest fixes and bug squashes.

The 'new' phpbb is version 3.0 Beta 2. This means it is not yet suitable for an actual production environment, but it is solid enough to be made available to user for testing.

Phpbb 3 Beta 2 version has an rather impressive list of features. The full list of them is available here. For those of you running an older version of phpbb or a copy of IPB 1.31 (the last free one), you might want to have a look and download this version as a 'test' Forum to check out the features. The Admin Control Panel is very well structured, at least in comparison to the old version I run on my site. And there are loads of features which make the upcoming phpbb3 look and act a lot like the IPB Forum here at the trap.

Worst part about this new version is that because the DB and Schema are so different from the php2x versions, all the Mods have to be re-written and there will be no Mods available or supported until the Production version is available.

So, if you can live with an out-of-the-box, vanilla flavoured, full featured Forum, this might be for you.

download from phpbb

Mods: you would love the Mod features. Built-in Report Centre, Notes on Members, Warning and Ban Logs reports. {Drool}

Does anybody know of a site where I can see all the features in action of PHPBB?? as i dont wanna install it just to not like it and then uninstall it after wasting both my time and deleting all my forums data now.

Just set up a subdomain & install it there if you want to have a play around & are worried about over-writing stuff.I must admit it looks pretty good, though saying that its about time phpBB did something to try & catch up with IPB.

I have it set up on my Laptop at present, otherwise I could possibly arrange to set a copy up on my site and then let you tour through? I'll see about that later today.

Yes jlhaslip, if oyu could do that, it would be great... I dont want to install it on my site becuase I cannot install forums, it is hard forme to do so I just dont do it.

I have installed in it my site, but I havent launch it out yet and I'm just testing the function out... Its not quite user friendly now and it does requires some knowledge of the php enviornment and how it works... I get some trouble here and there and finally got it fixed out... There's a lot of new features and their new features are working fine and working towards those paid boards like IPB and vBulletin... They just lack of some new layout in their boards but the admin cp really works great for me now and much much more organise than before... (although there're times where I still cannot find some functions of the board)btw, is there any mods or hacks available for phpBB3.0 beta 2 already? I would be eager to test them up!

Im interested in the AdminCP, phpbb have always had pretty crap ones if i do say so myself.Pity about the mods though, not being able to be followed through

btw, is there any mods or hacks available for phpBB3.0 beta 2 already? I would be eager to test them up!

No. Mods will not be available or supported until the final version is released. There will likely be another Beta version followed by a Release Candidate version before the Final version is available for Modding. The Software Developers have been advised to start working on their Mods, but to expect changes still.

I haven't downloaded it yet but I like it already. I like the features and I plan to set it up on my site as soon as I can. I like the idea of the mod center and notes on members. I don't really put mods on my forums so as long as I can edit the skin a bit myself it's fine with me. I'm sure there will be plenty of mods again in no time anyway. Of course my site isn't even really that good yet but hopefully I'll find some free time up the road and I'll be able to put something up.

Well, after I have set it up, and yesterday I went to figure out how the new version works and where all functions are I find that the new version is very cool!! I'll definitely go for this free board instead of InvisionFree now, but the technology of all these forum is rising and the new ZetaBoards is coming to replace IF and I cant really say which is the best board now as both forum software has not been reaching their official release state but phpBB 3 has definitely won my vote now... You should try this new board, their admin cp works like wonder after you get them correctly set up...

You should try this new board, their admin cp works like wonder after you get them correctly set up...

 

It comes set-up with a 'typical' assortment of settings, so I assume you mean "after you get them correctly set up according to your preferences". The Permissions matrix needs to set to your liking and User groups defined, of course. The Forum I would be replacing is a private one, so, no guests allowed. The phpbb Beta 2 will allow you to lock the guests out completely, or let them read/post to specific topics, as you determine.

 

The flexibility includes several different type of Member groups, so that some can create Polls or some can edit their postings, etc. These same attributes can also be assigned on a User level. I am thinking that there is almost "too much" flexibility in the permissions, but if you set them properly at the beginning, it would be good to have the flexibility the Forum allows.

Yea, that is very true... However, if one doesnt set them up according to their preference or get lost somewhere in the middle of it you'll definitely have a hard to keeping up and setting them back... Those permission setting really confuse me sometimes and you have to allow inhert of permission from other forum or they dont set them up for you... It really isnt for those new user now so I mentioned that it isnt that "user-friendly" and might not work for those who wants to set up their forum immediately... It requires days of study before officially opens the board...(Yea, I mean it...)

Wow! It really does have alot of features I can't wait until the official release. When the new mods start coming out it's gonna be so awesome.

I visited a forum and they said it was the phpbb3 series, but i didnt notice any differences, so im nt sure if its something in the admin panel that you get to see or what, does anyone one have any full details on whats new...

The whole feature list is up at the phpBB website itself...

https://area51.phpbb.com/

Mostly the new and difference is at the admin cp and phpBB 3 did not have significant difference in their layout, but rather the technical difference as of better in security and the flexiblilty of the forum...