OK, so I think one or two here might have a bit of experience of running forums.
Pros and cons?
What software for minimum management maximum fun?
I have no experience of this kind of thing and do enjoy a steep learning curve, so any help will be greatly received.
Is it a huge drain on time?
Benefits?
I’m sure I have a million other questions, I just don’t know what they are yet… 😕

You’re going to need a bigger hamster!

You’re going to need a bigger hamster!

I do believe wrapping them in sellotape can prove to be most effective.
That is what you’re talking about, isn’t it? 😳

I help set up a drawing forum. It’s now integrated into another forum and doesn’t need much moderation as it’s a specific type of drawing with around only 200 regular posters. Biggest issue for us was image hosting since detailed photographs were large files to maintain their integrity. It was fine after teething problems. The software we used is now obsolete, so technical advice I may have is probably irrelevant. Most of the issues that arose were with personal messages however on the latest build (I only mod it) people often private chat via skype.

Most of the issues that arose were with personal messages

I’m not sure I understand what you mean. Are you talking about the general level of insulting/abusing that we openly partake in here or simply a question of privacy?

PhpBB i reckon

Though you might want o have a play with Moodle

PhpBB was naturally my first thought, but good call on Moodle.
EDIT: I think Moodle is too education and e-learning based rather than out and out forum, but thanks.

Dunno. But you’ll need a moderator or two…

I’ll need pics and a 1 on 1 interview, don’t worry you’re always in my mind…

We have one and its on google groups.
Free, easy and requires no effort. Its populated just by good mates, invitation only, so it does not require moderating. I would try that and see how it goes.

something like this?

I help run a large pbpbb3 forum. The biggest headache is keeping ahead of spammers. The forum software is easy to deal with and and loads of skins/extensions are available.

Just watch out for those spammers 🙂

phpbb looks likes the winner so far……. It’s free.
I just need to decide whether it’s going to consume more time than it’s worth.

Cheers all.

phpbb is good software to use. You can turn on textual confirmation to deal with the spammers. Works pretty well.
Just pose an easy question to the person registering and supply the system all the potential answers that a real person would come up with. There’s not been a spammer on the site I used to run since I put that on. That was a number of years ago.
Saying that the forum has died a bit of a death IMO as the chat just isn’t there anymore. It mainly used for ‘I’ll be there’ posts for club rides.
You’ve got to keep it interesting.

You’ve got to keep it interesting.

Surely it’s the users that have to keep it interesting, no? This is the general idea from my pov.

the question/answer thing will slow down spammers but not stop them.

Surely it’s the users that have to keep it interesting

It would be nice…

atp. Should have said the site admins still have to approve the registration. Some info is mandatory and if it looks dodgy they dont get in.

It would be nice…

There’s not much influence from the site owners here and it’s generally interesting and keeps on flowing.
I’d also be looking at trying to have the site self moderating, I’m not sure about the practicalities of this, but having everyone as a member and moderator within a (responsible)professional group.
It fits with a theory of mine.

running a forum….

been there done that for a car club

– it is the not the tech stuff you will have problems with but the crap and arguments on it that you will have to deal with..

– it is the not the tech stuff you will have problems with but the crap and arguments on it that you will have to deal with..

No idea what you’re talking about.