okay, me and a couple of my friends are thinkin about starting a website, and we need a forum board to go along with it, and we have been looking into two very good looking free boards. Invisionfree, and ZetaBoards. I have a lot of experience with InvisionFree, and i know it very wll. but i have very minimum experience with ZetaBoards. so i was wondering if maybe some people could help me decide which one i should go with? so. short and simple. InvisionFree, or ZetaBoards??
you need to think more of a user friendly board, don't use a forum that not many people use, it will just confuse the users. if you have experience with invision than use that? since is a very used forum will be easy for the rest of the users who navigate ur forums i've never seen how ZetaBoards works so dunno which one is better, just think of the ppl who will frequents your website not just of you.
Never heard of Zetaboards either but I have to admit, it looks smooth. I myself would go with invisionfree because it's most familiar to me, but then again, I'd be tempted to create a forum with Zetaboards as well, simply to test things out. To have a look at the Acp there and see if it's more difficult or easier and to see if it has more or less functions than Ipb. So that's what I would suggest to you. Try out the Zetaboards one, you allready know how invisiofree works, no harm done in checking out the other party
thanks guys. both of you have made a lot of sence. i might wait for a few more people to post, maybe some of them have used ZetaBoards...
Zetaboards is made by invisionfree i belive. Its just the same but this some more IPB features (skin changer,ect) i personally would go with Zetaboards for the skin changing and extra features
Personally I wouldn't choose either. If you like InvisionFree and don't want to look outside those two than stick with what you know, but may I recommend JcinkForumBoards; it sounds like an odd name but imho they're the best free forum provider out there. First plus? They use InvisionPowerBoard version 1.3 EXACTLY the same as InvisionFree so if you're used to the InvisionFree layout and Admin Control Panel it takes very little time to get to grips with JFB. What there is thats different is largely due to the much wider range of features that JFB offers over IF, all completely free and all well integrated so its literally a "Yes/No" option about whether you want to use it (or even view it in the ACP meaning its a lot less cluttered). Also, because they are based off the same source code 99% of all skins and custom codes written for Invisionfree can be used on JFB as they are meaning you have access to everything on some of the largest code sites on the web. So what does JFB have over and above IF or Zetaboards? Well take everything both those providers have and JFB has them all. Take everything GameRenders has, JFB has them all. JFB comes equipped with all the following Mods built in (all fully customisable): * IBStore and Credits system * Reputation System * Custom Mini Profiles (so not only can you have Custom Fields but you can change the entire layout of the mini profile, the bit to the left of a post in a topic, so it looks exactly how you want it) * Arcade system you can add your own games to with High Scores and Competitions * Gallery Plus these (list getting too long lol): Skin Selector for quick installing of some skins; Downloads system; in-built Shoutbox; Custom BBCodes; Unreal Portal; IB Bookie; Lottery System (that integrates with the Store); Affiliates; Army/RPG Mod. That is by no means all the differences. The team behind JFB also provide very good service; their support boards are well maintained by a group of Moderators and members (like myself) who help out pretty quickly and concisely plus if there is anything you want changed or added to the service it is constantly evolving. For example a lot of forum users have been asking to see features that more recent paid forums have, such as the new IPB Registration system and the updated Profiles system (both of which Gamerenders uses). Well in the last few months the team behind JFB have taken these requests and already implemented IPB 2.x style Registration which makes that a whole lot easier for your members, and are currently almost complete of the new IPB 2.3.x style Friends and Profile codes which will make member Profiles a whole lot more dynamic. Security on JFB is also arguably better than IF as there are far more security settings you can enable which don't affect your members at all but keep your Admin account safer, such as individual MySQL backups you can run whenever you want which basically means if anything does happen the JFB team can reset your forum and Security questions at the ACP and elsewhere. You can read more about the service here: http://ipbservice.jcink.com/ But seriously, I was with IF for years then switched to JFB and I would never return. It took me less than a week to get to grips with the expanded ACP and with more recent changes it probably takes even less time and the service and features blow anything else out of the water. PS: Zetaboards is made by Invisionfree (same team) but isn't based off IPB so is very different to use; the ACP is well laid out but a lot of the features are hard to get to know
I am very familiar with Invision, and the coding isnt all that hard since alot of users make codes. I never used Zeta, so I wouldnt know - But since you too are familiar with Invision, I say stick with that and make a nice site.
I'd try Zeta, just because it looks sweet. Honestly though, if you're more comfortable with IPB, then go for that.
He asked for free boards, not so sure about PunBB but the other two are definitely both paid software so yeh...
Although both phpBB and punBB have the added complications of self hosting (unless some of those phpBBFree type websites are still around or starting up again; quite a few died during the rain of IF lol) whereas services like JcinkForumBoards and InvisionFree are pretty much hassle free.
InvisionFree and ZetaBoards are the same company, but i never accually seen a ZetaBoard. So i say go with InvisionFree.
