Is Building A FORUM Such As The GREAT Nairaland Difficult

IS BUILDING A FORUM DIFFICULT?
ARE THERE ANY FEES INVOLVED?
I JUST DREAMT OF A DIVINE SENT IDEA OF A NEW FORUM THAT WILL TAKE NAIJA BY STORM.
BUT I NEED HELP. PLEASE ALL YOU COMPUTER MASTERS OUT THERE,

HOW DO I START A FORUM??

Nairaland initially ran on a free forum called a "simple machines forum" until recently. So, you can install an SMF software on your website and take it from there but first you have to get a web hosting account.

afam4eva: Nairaland initially ran on a free forum called a "simple machines forum" until recently. So, you can install an SMF software on your website and take it from there but first you have to get a web hosting account.

Thanks for your response.

do i have to pay for a web hosting account while creating/designing my site up?
i haven't even started, i'm trying to get all the facts before i start learning how to write it

NwaBiafra:

Thanks for your response.

do i have to pay for a web hosting account while creating/designing my site up?
i haven't even started, i'm trying to get all the facts before i start learning how to write it

Yes, you have to pay for the hosting. Mind you, you don't really have to design anything if you're going to be using SMF or any other free forum out there. You can contact me for the hosting and i will help you install the software on your website.

Interestin. Nwanne m, jisi ike. A journey of a thousand miles has begun wit ur step.

Or better still ask Seun to sell his forum script to you,
smf can really be a pain in the neck - they will nearly
spam you to det.

And those mods don't help either.

is not difficult,it takes only a few months of black coffee.

NwaBiafra: IS BUILDING A FORUM DIFFICULT?
ARE THERE ANY FEES INVOLVED?
I JUST DREAMT OF A DIVINE SENT IDEA OF A NEW FORUM THAT WILL TAKE NAIJA BY STORM.
BUT I NEED HELP. PLEASE ALL YOU COMPUTER MASTERS OUT THERE,

HOW DO I START A FORUM??

No, it is not. But it is detailed work.

<pre> Î alwayz ask myself the same question and dream the same dream as yours, but the processes to go through in creating a forum like site is what i see really difficult cos am a beginer programmer but i dont really see creating a forum like site that will defeat nairaland impossible at all.

I have gat a concept which i hope implementing, will defeat nairaland easily but making it possible is what i keep on researching every munite and i wont stop researching until i find the whole answers. I know where to get the traffic from and the maximum usage of SEO. Anywayz, alwayz bear in mind that it is not only just to creat a nairaland like forum but to creat a forum with a different concept that will be accepted by all. Creating a website the same as facebook is madness and nairaland is the facebook of Nigeria. </pre>

Its hosted on Simple Machines Forum. You can check out http://9jaboys.com, thats also an example of simple machines forum, but it was redesigned anyways.

Peterson1993: <pre> Î alwayz ask myself the same question and dream the same dream as yours, but the processes to go through in creating a forum like site is what i see really difficult cos am a beginer programmer but i dont really see creating a forum like site that will defeat nairaland impossible at all.

I have gat a concept which i hope implementing, will defeat nairaland easily but making it possible is what i keep on researching every munite and i wont stop researching until i find the whole answers. I know where to get the traffic from and the maximum usage of SEO. Anywayz, alwayz bear in mind that it is not only just to creat a nairaland like forum but to creat a forum with a different concept that will be accepted by all. Creating a website the same as facebook is madness and nairaland is the facebook of Nigeria. </pre>

why do you say that?, am curious to know because everyone who has an idea of social networking has the intention of pulling down FB one day

@Ajibel yep. I never said creating a social network is bad. But only bad when you try imitating a paticular popular website. It is always better to come up with a new unique idea for others to emmulate rather than emmulating others..... Why do you think anyone will appreciate your effort when you create exactly like nairaland or facebook. Though creating any other which is not easy though because it has gone through series of editing.... I already have my on idea to come up with but making it possible is what am still researching on.... Just time will tell

Peterson1993: @Ajibel yep. I never said creating a social network is bad. But only bad when you try imitating a paticular popular website. It is always better to come up with a new unique idea for others to emmulate rather than emmulating others..... Why do you think anyone will appreciate your effort when you create exactly like nairaland or facebook. Though creating any other which is not easy though because it has gone through series of editing.... I already have my on idea to come up with but making it possible is what am still researching on.... Just time will tell

I'm also working on mine though it's a social network for a particular niche as am trying to avoid imitating FB and the likes. Good luck on yours

With newer languages and newer forum platforms, it seems to be easier now than when Seun started. The problem is standing head and shoulders above the crowd. I heard of one platform oxwall.org though i haven't tried it myself

you could create your own from scratch use an mvc framework with JavaScript based editors and for the database u create a structure that works for you
category table
user table
posts table
comments table
likes table
share table
etc

a forum like NL is going b a major undertakng to code. With all its features and functions , you shud b lookg at d low thousand hours of man-labour.

Good thinking, good product. Dream and bring it to reality. Do a painstaking research. Goodluck!