Forums for your WordPress Site

  • mistermisterx · Member ·

    Using the free WordPress site:

    1. What is the easiest way to incorporate forums into your site?

    2. Can you upload the WordPress download 2.04 to your free WordPress blog? How?

    3. Can you just make forums without using the WordPress download, ie with just the free blog that you create?

    Looking for simple answers to these very embarrassing questions.

    Thank you.

  • timethief · Member ·

    You will have to read the most excellent reference we have for WordPress called the FAQs http://faq.wordpress.com/ and then consult the pink “sticky” threads at the top of the forum.
    The quick answer to your question is that we do not use plug-ins on wordpress.com. The only way to accomodate a forum is to get a domain name and connect through it. If you contact http://patriotsfan.wordpress.com you will see what he has been able to work out and use his contact information to connect with him get more specifics on the how to.

  • cornell · Member ·

    Totally agree with what TT said above, but as I’m in a generous mood, straight answers to your questions follow anyway:

    1. If you’re hosted at wp.com you can’t. All you can do is go to a free forum hosting service and put a link to it in your blog. Bear in mind that these providers tend to disappear without trace or warning and have no guarantee of uptime or customer service AT ALL.

    2. There’s no need. When you sign up to wp.com you get all the software you need. We run Multi User WordPress here which is a different codebase to the downloadable WordPress 2.0.4. If you want to use 2.0.4 and upload it you’ll need to get hosting.

    3. WordPress is not a forum application. It’s a blogging tool. Ok, it’s a blogging tool that allows comments and discussion, but it’s not a forum like what you’re reading now. It’s governed by what the blogger wants to write about. If you want this software it’s called BBPress and is available for download. Again though, you’ll need your own hosting.

    I hope this helps.

    Collin

  • drmike · Member ·

    Actually this isn’t covered in the FAQ directly.

    I think you’re a bit confused. WordPress the software that you get from WordPress.org and WordPress.com are two different beasts, gg. We run here a software called WordPress MultiUser. You can find a list of differences here.

    But to answer your questions:

    1 + 3) No as this is not normal hosting. The software just gives you a blog to post at with no access to the actual files. You best bet for a forum would be to create one at one of the free forum hosting sites and link to it directly. Another solution would be to obtain hosting elsewhere, install the WordPress software there, and obtain a forum and install that. A good option would be to obtain bbpress as it’s made to work along side WordPress. (You can get them to share the user table with a single line)

    2) That would be actually downgrading as WordPress MultiUser is basically running 2.1 code and features for the most part.

    But, as TT suggests, take some time to read over the FAQs. That will probably help as well.

    Hope this helps,
    -drmike

  • nosysnoop · Member ·

    I thought about getting a forum but that would be more work for me that I can’t handle at the moment. But I think if you get a Proboards account, then place that link on your sidebar or on a widget. And this link:

    http://www.phpbb.com/

    I’ve seen those forums used on sites that I visit everyday.

  • patriotsfanblog · Member ·

    I know this is off-topic, but I found invizionfree to have the best message boards.

  • babbler · Member ·

    If you are really cheap, poor or both, you might want to try free forum hosting. But remember, you get what you pay for…

    EDIT: Patriotfan beat me to the punch.

  • cornell · Member ·

    Actually Babbler, I think it was me, but hey ho! ;)

    Nosy – I run (or have run) a few sites using phpBB software and it’s fab. It does mean spending your dosh and getting hosting though. here are free install versions out there, but as Babbler says:

    But remember, you get what you pay for…

    Patriots: I never got on with the Invizion software, can’t say why, just don’t like it.

  • mistermisterx · Member ·

    That is the most amazing response I have ever had in any support forum ever.

    Thank you.

  • nosysnoop · Member ·

    Ugh! That phpbb isn’t like ProBoards where it’s already there and made for you?

  • cornell · Member ·

    Nope phpBB is simply a download that you put on your own site.

    There are sites that offer it like proboards but they tend to be a little bit crappy.

  • drmike · Member ·

    but I found invizionfree to have the best message boards.

    And the most hacked since it’s so far behind the current version.

    phpBB is just the normal WordPress software where one downloads it and hosts it elsewhere. There are free phpbb hosts out there. Best bet would be a quick google search. (Incert disclaimer as I host a couple of them. I’m not involved with any of them though.)

    ProBoards seems to be fair good too as a free forum host. They seem to be a bit jumpy with their AUP/TOS and “shoot first and ask questions later” if there’s an issue though. No warnings or anything.

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