My thoughts on SMF

[DawnsWebDesigns]

I've used several free boards...so far I've liked phpbb the best.  I've been a member of a vBulletin forum.  I really liked it & have been looking for something free like it.  So far SMF is about it.

I like phpbb because you can have groups & put mods in charge of them.  I also like it because you can make boards private...only allow certain groups & mods on them.  Adding themes/smilies/avatars is easy.  Adding mods is a little rougher.

SMF comes with a couple more features than phpbb.  phpbb don't have a calendar & it don't show peeps birthdays on the board...you'd have to install a mod for that. 

Adding a theme & avatars to SMF was easy...but my theme's posting icons don't show up for some reason.    And I guess I must add smilies in one at a time (no smilie .pak file?).  I have around 160 smilies on my server...that's gonna be a pain in the butt.  But if people actually come to my forum/post things...it'll be worth it. 

I've been trying to install mods.  Ha!    It's a lil rough for the self-taught.  But I've managed a couple/will work on the others.  I'm not adding much...don't want to take any chances/mess anything up.     But I just HAD to have the arcade...& the ability to have google ads...& a chat.  I still want the ability to request subscriptions/donations.  This is all I really wanted/needed.

Thanks for making a great forum.  Thanks to the peeps who create the mods/themes/etc.  I just ask that you please remember there's probably more peeps here like me (self-taught/geek wanna-be's who ain't quite there yet) than educated programmers/coders like you.  I'm a simple old hag who speaks a very simple language (as you can see).  I need directions...& prefer street names versus find a red barn in the dark, take a left, go 2 miles 'til you see a little pond with a big blue whale in it, go right, then go 5 miles 'til you see a sign w/ Dan's Used Cars on it.  I'm probably 1/3 blind...& even more-so in the dark...I get lost all the time.    So again...please keep peeps like me in mind while you're off making your mods/themes & such. 

[OneLung]

...peeps here like me (self-taught/geek wanna-be's who ain't quite there yet) than educated programmers/coders like you.  I'm a simple old hag who speaks a very simple language (as you can see).  I need directions...& prefer street names versus find a red barn in the dark, take a left, go 2 miles 'til you see a little pond with a big blue whale in it, go right, then go 5 miles 'til you see a sign w/ Dan's Used Cars on it.  I'm probably 1/3 blind...& even more-so in the dark...I get lost all the time....

I think I'm falling for her...

[Harzem]

I like phpbb because you can have groups & put mods in charge of them.  I also like it because you can make boards private...only allow certain groups & mods on them.

Groups and group mods feature can be added to SMF via "group moderators" mod. Also, in the next release after 1.1, this will be a default feature.

About the private boards... It looks like you haven't discovered SMF permission system yet You can create much more specific permissions in SMF than phpBB. If you need help creating such type of permissions, just let us know and we will show you how to set these permissions.

[DawnsWebDesigns]

...peeps here like me (self-taught/geek wanna-be's who ain't quite there yet) than educated programmers/coders like you.  I'm a simple old hag who speaks a very simple language (as you can see).  I need directions...& prefer street names versus find a red barn in the dark, take a left, go 2 miles 'til you see a little pond with a big blue whale in it, go right, then go 5 miles 'til you see a sign w/ Dan's Used Cars on it.  I'm probably 1/3 blind...& even more-so in the dark...I get lost all the time....

I think I'm falling for her...

Really.   Just please tell me you're not in your early 20's. 

[DawnsWebDesigns]

Groups and group mods feature can be added to SMF via "group moderators" mod. Also, in the next release after 1.1, this will be a default feature.

About the private boards... It looks like you haven't discovered SMF permission system yet You can create much more specific permissions in SMF than phpBB. If you need help creating such type of permissions, just let us know and we will show you how to set these permissions.

I may get the group moderator mod.  But I no longer have any need for a private board...that was on an old fan site.  Now I only want my board announcements section blocked from others posting/replying there.  I think I've got it.  Thanks for the help.