The phpbb script is ultra versatile because it is open-source, it is possible to create any type of professional community. Robust and maintained since 2000.
What I like about it ?
It is easy to install and maintain.
You can use the script to do many things, like assigning roles (mods or admins), creating roleplay lists, enabling special permissions, sending newsletters to your community and creating your own custom content.
On the other hand, you need to know the basics of HTML and some notions in php, because you will need to create custom extensions if you don’t want to use only the basic script and be able to install extensions created by other modders, you also need to master the use of BBcodes, because they are the ones that give style to your texts. It is customizable beyond what you need, and has many additional options downloadable from the phpBB community forum.
PHPbb comes with a strong CAPTCHA to deal with spams and it has built-in facility to warn, ban and suspend unruly members. Furthermore, with PHPbb, one can send private messages and even files, and view messages in conversational format.
Awesome forum software solution
What I don’t like ?
- Permissions can be complicated to set up for beginners
- The support forum:
1- Rather dead
2- Few updated or viable extensions.
3- Fairly average support. Rather vague or uninteresting answer.
4- Few themes
5- Few modders - Security depends on the extensions you will install.