How to get my forum "out there"

[Buchanan0204]

I meant for OcUK, since they try to avoid potential spammers.

I know that. One guy said you couldn't sign up here without using a work email or an ISP email. You said you had. I agreed with you and said the original comment didn't ring true for said reasons.

 

[SourChipmunk]

I thought I was allowed to post links provided it had nothing to do with computers or pose as competition to OcUK?

I have posted the link in many other threads and nothing was said or done about it.

However, if it's definitely in violation then I'll of course remove the link.

Sorry, I should have elaborated:

You may not promote any website or business you have a financial or other interest in, or use the popularity of this community to help build one of your own. The forums are here to allow people to freely share knowledge, not provide them with personal financial gain, or free advertising.

The "or other" part is the part that is important here, I believe. Only the Dons know for sure.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

Slow down!

Fell for what?
Security for what?
Members link section? (That took me to software)

Slow down!

Fell for what? : Don't advertise
Security for what? : Spam signups
Members link section? : Dude, check out the first thread (The All New Members Website List)

 

[thedoc46]

I know that. One guy said you couldn't sign up here without using a work email or an ISP email. You said you had. I agreed with you and said the original comment didn't ring true for said reasons.

Do you mind if I asked how much it cost to setup? License, bandwidth etc?

 

[Deleted member 77746]

Do you mind if I asked how much it cost to setup? License, bandwidth etc?

A forum can be set up for buttons, couple of quid for a domain, twenty odd quid a year for hosting, which gives around 5k mb a month, free forum software.

twenty few quid

 

[Dave]

That's why ocuk ban such emails, you have to use a work or your ISPs email to sign up with.

Not just hotmail and the like it seems - I sent an email to an old Cambridge University member and found that my cam.ac.uk address apparently has a "greater than 99.9% chance of being mail of spam origin". Seems that the hard financial times has lead to Cambridge spamming their old boys for donations again

 

[The IPB]

I'll sign up as I am a Judo player and enjoy martial arts in general, I'll try and post some interesting videos etc.

 

[Tefal]

I have another concern, someone told me forums get spammed a lot, people putting sex links up etc? Is this true, as I have only seen one or two on OcUK in the last year. Or are the mods on here just really good at removing it quickly?)

there are a fair few spam threads posted on here they get rtm'd an nuked in short order though.

 

[Tefal]

That's why ocuk ban such emails, you have to use a work or your ISPs email to sign up with.

why though, you can make endless o2 emails without begin an o2 customer.

they even ask less questions than google mail iirc.

 

[Swifty55]

http://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/modifications/security-5/

Have a look at those, but phpbb3 as always been useless with security/spam.

Should use SMF/MyBB.

 

[Van Hellseek]

/\ Agree. PHPBB is horrible. Both of those suggestions are better options. Although obviously vB/IPB are the best if you don't mind paying.

SMF+Tiny portal is a winning combo for a free forum.

 

[Swifty55]

/\ Agree. PHPBB is horrible. Both of those suggestions are better options. Although obviously vB/IPB are the best if you don't mind paying.

SMF+Tiny portal is a winning combo for a free forum.

Yeah vB is the ultimate software if paying, but MyBB will probably be his best option for free forums, since it's as close to vB as any forum has got.

 

[Robert1986]

Just what the world needs, another forum.

Forums are a dying breed. Its all about facebook and twitter. You'd be better starting a facebook page about your club and getting people to chat there.

If you're serious about starting a forum, do it right and get vbulletin. Costs about £100+ but its worth it.. well worth it.

btw, theres a forum called sherdog.com. They pretty much have mma covered.

 

[kwerk]

There are services where you pay $1 per X number of posts and people in India or wherever will make fake users and post stuff on your forum to get it going. Pretty common tactic.

 

[Buchanan0204]

Forums are a dying breed. Its all about facebook and twitter.

Sure! If you're twelve!

 

[Buchanan0204]

I'll sign up as I am a Judo player and enjoy martial arts in general, I'll try and post some interesting videos etc.

Cheers. Hope we're not violating any rules by allowing you to sign up.

 

[Buchanan0204]

Do you mind if I asked how much it cost to setup? License, bandwidth etc?

Like someone already said. All you need is a domain and hosting. Prices vary for both.

phpbb3 is free to use.

 

[Buchanan0204]

I appreciate a lot of you don't seem to like phpbb3 and suggested a few others. However after spending a good amount of time setting it all up, I'm very happy with the final result, it looks smart and is practical.

There seems to be a lot of security options to play with to avoid spam. It has a large support community aswel so I've just discovered and don't really plan on recreating another forum using different software.

However I will look into them if I ever need to do another. So thanks for all the helpful comments.

 

[Buchanan0204]

There are services where you pay $1 per X number of posts and people in India or wherever will make fake users and post stuff on your forum to get it going. Pretty common tactic.

Sounds like a plan lol. However anything involving Nigeria/India and the transferring of cash, I'll stick with doing it myself.

 

[Robert1986]

Sure! If you're twelve!

Its true. People use those services now to communicate instead of forums. Only big forums like ocuk survive because its a business, not just a forum someone started with 0 knowledge on what to do with it.

Good luck.