Free BBS... sort of

[Undermind]

I didn't know where else to make this thread, but this seems like as good a place as any, so I just basically wanted to know if anyone here would recommend ezboard for a personal site, if not what is the best free BBS service out there?

[zaphodiv]

On a general note, follow the usuall computer security guidelines.

Create a seperate user account for your forum software. Set file permissions so it can only access the directory containing its database, not the rest of the drive. Don't run your web server software with root/admin privalidges. Use tripwire or a similar program to detect unexpected changes in executable files.
Check for security warning and updated versions at least every couple of months.

IIRC a remotly exploitable hole was found in ezeeboard about a year ago. Script kids were into all the publically accessable machines still running that version about an hour after it was announced on bugtraq.

That isn't really a reason to avoid ezeebaord. The developers may have learned from it and software that has allways been secure is a very rare thing.

[Undermind]

thanks for the good info. So this is not a web based service? it actuallly runs off your machine? ok, I don't know much about it, I was mostly just curious, it looked pretty impressive and like it was very customizeable

[PornMaster]

Another one is YaBB, get it here: http://www.yabbforum.com And it's easy to use!

[nasrules]

invision (www.invisionboard.com) is now widely regarded as the best standalone free forum sys. go to www.invisionfree.com for a free hosted one!!!

zeropaid and utc etc use vbulletin, it has a ton of features but its expensive, www.vbulletin.com

you may also recognise phpbb (www.phpbb.com), it was used in the old dietk forums among others.

[Undermind]

Originally posted by nasrules
invision (www.invisionboard.com) is now widely regarded as the best standalone free forum sys. go to www.invisionfree.com for a free hosted one!!!

zeropaid and utc etc use vbulletin, it has a ton of features but its expensive, www.vbulletin.com

you may also recognise phpbb (www.phpbb.com), it was used in the old dietk forums among others.


Yeah vbulletin was one of the first ones I checked out, then I found out it is like a software package and the makers wanted like a grip of cash, then I said WOAH! I can't afford that kind of commitment right now. Thanks to everyone who posted, I will look into your suggestions and I hope to find something that will work for me

[zaphodiv]

Blah, I'v been posting while half asleep again, I thought you were
asking about forum software to run yourself rarther than a service
run by someone else.

The hole I was thinking of was in EasyBoard 2000, as opposed to
ezboard.com which is a company hosting forums for money.

[Undermind]

Originally posted by zaphodiv
Blah, I'v been posting while half asleep again, I thought you were
asking about forum software to run yourself rarther than a service
run by someone else.

The hole I was thinking of was in EasyBoard 2000, as opposed to
ezboard.com which is a company hosting forums for money.

it's cool man, thanks anyway, I'm actually looking into yabb, it's free right off the bat and is done decent enough (actually pretty good). I checked on that invisionboard and it looks really good, but it looks as if they want some cash, can't blame 'em who doesnt, but I can't pay is all, I think that one guy spamming the forums is using a free service under them, but I'm not sure, and usually free services like that have limits, sorta like trial version stuff or something, and CC just pointed me to another one I will check out, thanks man, I would've thanked you in the PM, but you chose to show your disgust for me by blocking them (Ha Ha j/k man) BTW what's with Gorphon's avatar, what happened to all the lovely lolitas, don't tell me your getting soft on us, I know there's gotta be a reason I just don't know it yet