Can the forum software you use affect your members?

Software is a factor, but, if using a remotely hosted service, which remotely hosted service is used really defines how many members you will get. Out of all the forums on Forumer, for example, I only know one that is active and has over 5000 posts. On Forumotion, as far as I know, there are no active forums. I, personally, have no preferences about forum software, but am unlikely to join an incredibly ugly board (badly skinned, MSPaint-level graphics or broken skin).

 

I really don't look on what software the forum is running. If I have reasons to join, I do.
I actually don't even look on how the forum looks. How does it matter?!? If the reasons are still there, I join.

And to the Q "Can the forum software you use affect your members?":
I honestly don't believe people really care. They join if the forum looks cool and active.

 

The responses here are biased in my opinion, just because we are all aware of different type of forum software being admin.
Most of my members do not care and don't bother to ask about it.
The top 4 biggest boards on my niche (we are #2) all use different software. Fusetalk, VB, SMF, phpbb, some custom scripts.
So I don't think they care, at least for the members in our niche. We used to have phpbb but use VB for the past 3 years.

 

Yes. It matters greatly to my members, and to myself.

We are 'set in our ways', for the moment at least. Thread marking type is another huge issue. If people need to go away for an hour and when they come back the threads are all marked read that would not be good, for us at least.

 

yes because if a software is really hard to use members might not post as much, or if a forum looks really ugly it might put off members.

 

That's why every software you can change the looks. Some are just hopelessly ugly.

 

I don't think I ever saw a forum software that I thought looked ugly with it's default theme.
I'd rather say they all looks to much alike. I still have to check the "Powered by.. " in the buttom of many forums to verify what software they are using.

 

I don't think it matters as long as the forum is clean and simple to understand. MyBB, vBulletin, and IPB accomplish this. I can say SMF is the least user-friendly of the popular softwares.

 

If people never learned anything new it'd be pretty sad. Some people are so scared of change. No offense but I can't imagine running SMF

 

Based on what? My users never complained, although a lot of them are members in a lot of other forums.
Actually, SMF has been praised by many of my members.

 

It's my conclusion based on my experiences as a forum administrator and the usage of different software.

If your members like it, then fine. But mine don't.

 

it probably works well for people not well versed in internet software

 

Well, then SMF must be a pretty great software

You make it sound like it doesn't work for advanced users.

 

I join a forum based on interest,the topics of discussion.Software makes no difference to me at all.

I am members in the following forum software:

phpBB2 (I have suggested that he upgrade twice now)
vBulletin 3 forums.
SMF as a user member.
IPB as a lurker since I am banned.
phpBB3

When I consider joining a forum,I never look for the software brand because that is not why I am joining,it is what it is about.

Frankly I think being stuck up the brand and not the quality of the subject matter,is a mistake.

 

+1

What we run as admins, depends on what we like. As users, it's a completely different matter. Most forums can be edited to work with the same features and the same looks. There's really not a lot of differences.

Saying that I don't want to be in a xx forum because they use yy forum software, is nothing but BS.

 

I've gotten so use to forums it personally doesn't matter. However when I was newer to forums I found early versions of SMF annoying, vBulletin confusing, and custom software even more confusing if it's not thought out well.

 

I'm very used to the way vB and phpBB are set up, but there are a lot of other software packages that really confuse me when I go to change my settings. Usually they're free scripts.

I can't name them right now because it's 4am and I have a horrible memory anyway. :p

 

I'm only active on vB powered forums myself as well. Can't stand using anything else LOL. Anandtech.com finally moved from fusetalk to vB YAY!

 

Personally, I can't stand using SMF and phpBB, as well as lots of custom software. MyBB, vBulletin, and IPB are all very user friendly, at least for me.

 

I agree with what some seem to have said. Admins need to choose a forum software that align with their skill set and support the time they have available to devote to the forum. I have poor coding skills, therefore I need a program that requires little to no coding. On the other hand, I have made it so I can devote a good deal of time to my forum therefore I am willing to spend the time hunting down plugins and widgets that make it better(for example).

In the end, the software should work for the admin, not the other way around.