Cheap Forum Software help

[1mAn3rd]

Hi . I would like to know if there a good forum with advertising on it, but very little. I obviously mean a forum with a .com name, such as www.crystalnightteck.com or something like that. Also, please keep it below $10.99/yr. I also would like to be able to edit all of the pictures and such and edit the Headers and Footers. I would mainly like it to be a proboards forum but a .com paid for forum. Here is my forum and I want the paid for forum to look like this:
.:Trantoria Tech:. - Home
Thanks a ton! I'm only in 6th grade =P so I really need help with this because although im young, I am a graphics designer and programmer. I programm using ruby and design using Photoshop Elements 5.0. Well. Thanks if you can help!!!

~1mAn3rd

P.S. I rather it didn't be the same hosting as this forum uses because I've run accross other forums that I think use the same hosting and you cant change the button images because the other forums that I have seen look exactly like this one. All the same . So please, I don't want to use the same forum hosting that this website does unless you are able to edit the Headers, Footers, Main Headers, Main Footers, and I want them to support javascript, html, css, php, and almost everything proboards uses. Thanks again . Also, I want it do be edited like a proboards website, I don't want to have to do all of the HTML, although I know how, but that takes too much time. Thanks

[Strider]

Try PHPBB or SMF.

phpBB • Creating Communities Worldwide
Home of SMF: Free PHP and MySQL forum software

[1mAn3rd]

Originally Posted by Strider

Try PHPBB or SMF.
phpBB • Creating Communities Worldwide
Home of SMF: Free PHP and MySQL forum software

Thanks a ton! Please though explain on how to set up the Home of SMF: Free PHP and MySQL forum software
Thanks. I have no idea about all of this php and MySQL. Please explain how to get an ftp server... and all of the things that it said. Thanks

[bakuryu]

Sign up for a free host at 5gbfree.com Download SMF and upload all the files using a FTP manager. Then just read the readme file and you are done

[1mAn3rd]

Originally Posted by bakuryu

Sign up for a free host at 5gbfree.com Download SMF and upload all the files using a FTP manager. Then just read the readme file and you are done

I still don't get it. What do I use to upload the files to the ftp server? I tried filezilla, and this is what message I get...:

Status: Resolving IP-Address for trantoriatech.5gbfree.com
Status: Connecting to 75.126.154.12:21...
Status: Connection established, waiting for welcome message...
Response: 220---------- Welcome to Pure-FTPd [privsep] [TLS] ----------
Response: 220-You are user number 1 of 40 allowed.
Response: 220-Local time is now 14:00. Server port: 21.
Response: 220-This is a private system - No anonymous login
Response: 220-IPv6 connections are also welcome on this server.
Response: 220 You will be disconnected after 60 seconds of inactivity.
Command: USER trantoriatech
Response: 331 User trantoriatech OK. Password required
Command: PASS ***********
Response: 530 Login authentication failed
Error: Could not connect to server



Also, actually, I changed my mind. If you could, could you tell me how to get a website like this?
Also Strider, this new theme is awesome, but still needs a little but of work. The smilies box is out of it's "rightful" place. Its going out of the grey box. Great job otherwise . I really also like the idea of the button that expands the text area.


Thanks if you could help.

[bakuryu]

you entered an incorrect password. that is why you received login error.

For this forum also the idea is same, get a web host supporting php, mysql, a decent server and bandwidth, then upload/install vBulletin (phpBB is a freeware alternative - however vBulletin just has some good extra features) and your forum is ready.

The rest of the tricks are automatically done like you mentioned the expansion of textarea by vBulletin itself. For the skins you have to install (buy or get a free one) and then make changes to suit your needs.

And you got to buy a domain name too if going for a top level .com/.net/.org domains

[1mAn3rd]

Ok, well, lets say I've got this ftp server all ready to go. It has the name ftp://trantoriatech.5gbfree.com. Now that I have a domain name somewhere out there, and I think I once saw a few places to get a free .com domain name?, but I have a domain name. So now what am I going to do with that domain name? How do I make that link to my php forum that I set up? Also, for future reference, where is the best place that you know of to get a domain name?

[Strider]

Hi,

Just a piece of advice. Before going for a domain, install SMF in your 5gigfree account. Refer the manual/help and try out installing yourself. If you get a doubt use google. Once you are clear with the installation, general usage and setup in the admin panel go for a domain hosting.

I don't think 5Gigfree is offering domain hosting. You can check for free domain & hosting offers at freewebspace.net forums.

Regards...

[nucleusfermi]

And something I also would like to write here, that is never to install any "Flatfile" based forum script as they all are very bad in performance as well as support. Always rely on SQL/Oracle etc. backed scripts.