8/10/2005 10:30:00 AM|||my moustache|||

I've been running a forum on phpBB, mostly as a test, and to get some forum experience. You didn't know that? It's at forum.mymoustache.com. Nothing special, only two test posts, and I'm just now beginning to really feel comfortable customizing the thing.

It's been relatively straightforward for me, but quite a few people (including potential customers) that have been referred to the site were put off or confused by the interface or just the concept of a forum. Now, these aren't necessarily the most internet-savvy people, but they are somewhat representative of the market we're trying to reach with the new (super secret) site launching in the fall, so I've been looking at ways of simplifying the interface to eliminate what we don't need and keep what we do.

Which, considering I've just now figured out how to change the logo image on php pages, isn't likely to be accomplished by me, at least in phpBB.

Enter Vanilla.



Vanilla is another gpl (open source) forum package, freely available, and one that ditches a lot of the complications inherent in a jack of all trades like phpBB. Vanilla has a very simple interface (example) that actually presents the forum contents in a more usable way than traditional phpBB boards.

At first glance, the first thing I think of is Gmail - clean interface, sharp lines and edges, and tons of accessible information. The interface itself is fully customizable, including strong integration of CSS (with more on the way, evidently).

For users unfamiliar with traditional forums (read: non-nerds), this may be just the ticket; I intend to roll the forum over in the next week, and then we'll see what happens.

|||112368523686670579|||Watch Out phpBB