Please o! I just need to do my own thing and break the umemployment jinx.Please Seun,no vex o!I'm not trying to get your business,I'm just trying to get mine.I need to know what is involved in setting up a general intrest forum like this.Your contributions are highly appreciated.

Are you web developer? IF YOU ARE NOT, then you will need the following things at below:

RECOMMENDATION TO READ ABOUT FORUM: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_forum

1.) Obtain your own domain name to pay for it once for the first time then next year, you will be BILLED for renewal every year. Domain registrar will provide you DOMAIN/FTP account (username/password). (SERVER NAME, HOST USERNAME/HOST PASSWORD on HTML EDITOR built-in FTP connection software is the same as FTP ACCOUNT)

Some has includes web hosting server package. Some are without hosting server package. If Domain name with hosting server package, BE SURE IT SUPPORTS PHP and MySQL. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE to pay hosting server fee every month or year, OTHERWISE your domain URL will be SUSPENDED or TERMINATED. You lose everything if you don't pay at all. You are the ownership of domain URL address as well as administrator too!!!

Be sure you can afford large file storage (web space) and broadband traffic. NEVER PICK 5MB-15MB hosting server (web space) that will not enough room to upload your FORUM site to be expanded growing members/threads.

2.) Learn how to use web hosting control panel (sometime called Content Management System, CMS) accessing the FILE MANAGER for upload your script or all web pages including photos.

Recommend you ONE-PAGE web page (index.html) using NOTEPAD or any HTML EDITOR software to try then delete it later. Learn yourself some HTML coding basically and practically in order to get the idea how the upload to your web site works.

3.) If you are 100% ready, then GO LOOK AT THE PROVIDED LINKS BELOW to find the basic FREE FORUM SITE you like the best.

After you chose the FORUM SITE to be completed the registration, it will provide you the step by step instruction helping you how to upload them to your web page (domain URL). YOU ARE THE RESPONSIBLE to manage the FORUM at your own times. IT MEANS YOU ARE THE ADMINISTRATOR of this FORUM. You learn how to modify the FORUM looks through FORUM HELPLINE at your own. LEARN BASIC PHP/HTML if you want to add your FORUM ADD-ON/PLUGINS such as "spam-blocker, moderator, curse-blocker, duplicate thread, etc.) for your FORUM.

POPULAR FREEWARE FORUM SITE: http://thinkofit.com/webconf/forumsoft.htm#freeware

POPULAR OPEN-SOURCE FORUM SITE (skilled webmaster/developer): http://thinkofit.com/webconf/forumsoft.htm#opensource

4.) If you want making money using your FORUM, then register GOOGLE ADSENSE yourself to add your URL there. PUT GOOGLE ADSENSE script to your URL---DO NOT TOUCH TRYING TO CLICK YOURSELF, you will be TERMINATED the GOOGLE ADSENSE account. It detects easily. Only people click ADs on your URL, not you.

Good luck to make your effort setting up your own FORUM!!!

Yes it is a nice thing to setup so people can share issues together just like this. setting it up is very easy and cheap as well. first thing to do is to have a target of how many people you will expert to register in your forum. the reason is because you will need a lot iof space to do this. currently nairaland is growing up to 200,000 members. after that you buy a hosting space from Arstech Host http://www.arstechhost.com/plans.htm you will need up to 100MB of space of even more so in the long run you wont have to worry much about space. When you recieve you control panel, inside it, there is file called fantastico, the forum scripts is already in there, what you do is in stall it and choose you dir like www.youname.com/forum. or you redirect the root to the forum. very easy. the script is cutomizable. view an example www.arstechhost.com/forum


But what will aid your success in this is ideas. you will need a lot of creative thinking to come out with so that you will stand out in the competition. also try focusing on an area. lets say forum on job vacancy, sport, ICT, etc.

Goodluck.
Hit me 07031985934

All this long grammer for a simple question?

All it takes is just your hosting and a forum script. Most hosting now comes with this scripts in their cpanel, so you wont even have to look for a forum script.

Just obtain your domain name/hosting from a reliable host, log in to your cpanel, look for site softwares or installer, you will see different forum scripts like YABB,SME,PHBB, etc just chose anyone and install and then you can customise it to your taste.

If you need more help get me via the link below.