Josh, are you sure you want to put time in maturing the current forum script?

A forum script can be as much work as building gpEasy. A forum scirpt is really a CMS but in a different format. If this is true, why re-invent the wheel? I suggest spending time to build a bridge API so that a developer can integrate a ready built, mature forum script then offer it as an addon. The bridge may assume that someday, gpEasy will be connected to a database. Until then, the forum will use its own database connection.

I just see so many issues trying to get this forum mature. Better to spend the time on gpEasy. :)

Yeah, a new forum would be nice - the current one is too "slim" und not really userfriendly (I'm missing a thread abonnement).

I suggest FluxBB, the follower of PunBB ... it's a real slim BB software too and not so overloaded like phpBB or vBulletin. It supports SQLite, MySQL; MySQLi and Postgres.

In the following thread integration of Dokuwiki inside FluxBB is shown

http://fluxbb.org/forums/viewtopic.php?id=3491

Maybe it helps to do the same with gpEasy (like to see it).

My suggestion of an API for creating a bridge, opens up the possibility to integrate your favorite forum script. Yosh would work on creating the API for the bridge and leave development time to gpEast and let go of developing a forum script.

Caps

I know this forum doesn't have a lot of the bells and whistles that other forums have, but it does have a number of advantages. My primary reason for using it is that it was built to integrate with the Themes, Plugins and Services components. I'm sure it would be possible to adapt those areas to use the user authentication of another forum, but I had a hard time finding related documentation.

That said, I will take a closer look at FluxBB. It could certainly still be easier to switch over than to keep adding features to this one.

In the mean time, I just put the finishing touches on thread abonnement. When logged in, you'll see the text "Email Updates To Me" if you aren't following a thread, and "Cancel Email Updates" if you are following it.

Sounds great - would be nice if email update is activeted per default.

As a user of the forum I really missed following by email. Thanks.

As cybermax points out, following all by default would be nice and/or follow topic.

The only other feature I miss in this forum is the ability to search the forum or topic.

Other than that I like the forum, especially the fact that's it's tightly integrated into gpEasy - same theme, no subdirectory, etc. If this forum could strap on similar to the blog plugin then I think it will be just fine. Sure, some additional features for gpEasy's blog & forum and tighter integration will come in time but at it's young age I think they are doing all right.

Database = BAD! I hope gpEasy never turns to a database driven CMS. One thing to use a light DB that's contained within the plugin for certain things but one major reason I switched to gpEasy is the lack of database. If I wanted that headache I've got WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and many others just waiting to give it to me.

Search is definitely another feature I'd like to add. And I'd like to do more with the follow feature: sending posted content via email, more following options.

And just for reassurance, gpEasy will never require the use of a database. I'm not against plugins using databases, but to keep things simple, gpEasy will always be flat-file.

Hi Josh,

So you have decided to move forward with a forum script. Should there be a forum category for this in the near future?

Should there be a forum category for this in the near future?

Are there that many missing features?

A forum category dedicated to the forum script would discuss many topics, not just features By the way, the forum script is advancing nicely :).

So my oppinion is, the forum is nice. Only one thing could be added to it: when I click on "last post date", then it could open the page with that last post - if there is more than one page. Otherwise it's fine.

I may add, there will be many comments about the forum plugin. Can you imagine PBBS or MyBB without a user forum? A forum script is just as complex as a CMS. Why not have a dedicated discussion?

I would like to see where each post has a number within the URL so that you are taken to it directly instead of the beginning of the thread. Threads which has several pages, requires the user who has been notified in an email to go looking to find the response.