Forums besides PHPbb?

I am going to create a Word Press site.

1.) Can other forums be used with a Dreamhost account other than PHBbb?
Such as, http://buddypress.org/ OR http://bbpress.org/ or http://simplepressforum.com/?

2.) Anyone have any thoughts on the pros/cons of these different forums?

Thanks.

Edited by stanwelks on 10/09/09 07:21 PM (server time).

I use SimplePress. SimplePress is a plugin, whereas bbpress is standalone. A standalone needs some bridging to integrate with WordPress. SimplePress has all that bridging built in since it's a Plugin.

-Scott

Hi Scott,

1. What type of "bridging" are you referring to to "integrate" with WordPress. You mean custom coding?

2. What type of integration takes place between the WP blog and the SimplePress forum?

Thanks!!!!

WordPress already has a facility built in for users and passwords. A plugin takes advantage of this by tapping into that user base. bbpress has its own database with users, passwords, and other data. To make the two installations seem like one, there's something one has to do with bbpress to link the two user/password systems.

I also struggled with getting bbpress to match the templates of my WordPress site. Since SimplePress is a plugin, it exists completely within my current WordPress site and uses the same template system.

-Scott

1.) So this integration is really only an issue if you expect users to login prior to being able to post on the WordPress blog, right? Otherwise, does the integration come into play in any other way?

2.) How does SimplePress compare feature wise? Stability wise? Ease of use?

Thanks!!!!

Bridging allows someone logged into WP to be logged into your forum simultaneously (and vice-versa). The method Scott uses also integrates seamless theme transition between the main WP site and the forum, which can be a real time-saver if you've already spent hours creating/tweaking your own WP theme.

If you're not concerned with users logging in to your main WP, or that the forum skin looks different from your main site, you can forgo bridging entirely and use any forum software you like.




How To Install PHP.INI / ionCube on DreamHost

1.) I was not going to require that people log into my WP site because I figure most people would not want to log in in order to post or comment? Is there a general thought amongst WP developers regarding this?

2.) I am concerned with forum looking just like the rest of the site and was just going to figure out how to customize the skin of the different forums. Are you suggesting that the plugin forum somehow just transfers that look automatically to the forum?

Thanks!

I'm not what anyone would call a WP dev, but from a user's perspective I think if comments are enabled then all I should need do is include my name and email address to have posting privileges (like the DreamHost Status Page). There are nospam plug-ins that keep the bots at bay.

If you take a look at the SimplePress website and click on the forum link you'll get an idea of how easy it is to incorporate a forum into an existing WordPress site. Scott might link you to one of his WordPress+SimplePress sites to give you a better idea too.




How To Install PHP.INI / ionCube on DreamHost

My SimplePress installation is at 4x4freelanders.org

With WP and SP privileges, you can set different permissions for each section of the site. On WP, the user can be effectively a read-only user (Subscriber). On the SP side, that same person can be a poster.

Now might be a good time for you to set up a test site to see how this stuff works. I actually tried bbPress on the above site and it just didn't fit in as well as I'd hoped, so I went with SimplePress.

-Scott