ID: 427
Category: Computer Ramblings
Added: 25th of April 2026
Views: 128
While the internet has changed with a lot of users heading to sites like Facebook, Reddit & others for general information and chat, there still seems to be a place on the internet for traditional message boards / forums.
I have not used a traditional message board / forum for years, mainly because I didn't think it was going to be of any use. It's actually surprising when you look around, how many are still active and more importantly busy. I recently needed to make an enquiry about the outdoor electrical sockets in our garden, as I wasn't sure if I could run an extension cable from it, so headed to an electricians forum.
What I got was some excellent advice from professionals on the board. I don't think I would have got the same quality responses on Facebook, Reddit or other sites without the thread going off topic.
If you fancy starting your own community Web forum and have access to a webserver with .php and MySQL / MariaDB installed, there are still a few forums you can download and install today.
phpBB is still one the most popular forums and is free to download and install. The requirements for phpBB can be found here
myBB is another popular form and is free to download and install. The requirements for myBB can be found here
On a final note, one thing you should never do is mess around with electrics in your home. Anything outside of changing a light bulb you should always contact a professional.
