Oolite Bulletins

I want a web site, more or less like this one, the main purpose of which would be to have a phpBB forum. No MediaWiiki, no, um, whatever the trendy blog software is nowadays, just a phpBB forum and a few dozen simple HTML pages off to the side.

The current state of my relevant knowledge is non-existent. I'm not really willing to learn either; "webmaster" might have seemed like a kewl description of their occupation to some people back in 1998, but it's 2015 now. I want a "turn-key solution".

Clues? Pointers? Recommendations?

Addendum: And email. I'd want to be able to create as many @example.com addys as needed. Not just "Get 5 free email addresses when you host your domain here" and a poxy webmail interface.

For almost a decade, I've used 1and1 for my hosting and related service requirements. Never had any dramas, never had any downtime, excellent service, excellent how-to guides online, and very reasonable pricing. I highly recommend them.

And a great many packages, such as phpBB and many others, are available as drop-in, turnkey solutions. (lots of email addy's, with full POP, IMAP and SMTP capabilities, available if you want 'em, too)

https://www.1and1.com/

(Mind you, even with a turnkey setup, SOME degree of learning will be essential, even if only to make sure things are configured the way you want. I've a fair amount of experience in this regard.. I'm happy to answer questions and offer suggestions as necessary)

So you need email, a domain, PHP, one MySQL database and enough bandwidth to cover your needs.

That's a fairly simple shopping list, you should be able to find a cheap hosting package for it.

aegidian.org costs me around £100 a year from namehog.net (donations always welcome and gratefully received), but I have more than I need with it, I'm mostly paying for the bandwidth - they have cheaper deals.

The thing that I find most off-putting is the domain name registration. If I register a domain name and set up a site with host A, then find host B with better hosting, am I disadvantaged because host A controls the domain name? This is the bit that has always bothered me.

As for setting up a site, don't they have a control panel that says "Select the packages you want to install" and you just go MySQL, tick, PHP, tick, phpBB, tick, and wait for it to say "Ready"? If not, then the web hosting industry need to get its act together; it's been more than 20 years since Al Gore invented the commercial interwebs.

Edit: removed profanity

Most hosts have a user interface for web services. The one I use has a system called cPanel, and installing a phpBB bulletin board is a standard operation on it, so you'd be walked through installation by a web-app.

I agree about the domain issue, it's a considerable disincentive should you come across a cheaper deal elsewhere. It really lays on the pressure to get it right first time.

Take your time shopping around and use the ubiquitous customer chat interfaces to ask about the procedures for getting what you want. Hopefully you'll find somewhere that takes your customer experience seriously.

Wildeblood wrote:

The thing that I find most off-putting is the domain name registration. If I register a domain name and set up a site with host A, then find host B with better hosting, am I disadvantaged because host A controls the domain name? This is the bit that has always bothered me.

aegidian wrote:

I agree about the domain issue, it's a considerable disincentive should you come across a cheaper deal elsewhere. It really lays on the pressure to get it right first time.

This is one of the reasons I like 1and1. Even though registered through them, I retain full control of my domain names.

Wildeblood wrote:

As for setting up a site, don't they have a control panel that says "Select the packages you want to install" and you just go MySQL, tick, PHP, tick, phpBB, tick, and wait for it to say "Ready"? If not, then the web hosting industry need to get its act together; it's been more than 20 years since Al Gore invented the commercial interwebs.

That's basically how the 1and1 control panel works.

I have started a new forum site. You should stop by and post a message, on any topic except Oolite, to assist me in setting it up. I would be very grateful.

Wildeblood wrote:

I have started a new forum site. You should stop by and post a message, on any topic except Oolite, to assist me in setting it up. I would be very grateful.

Cool!

(mind you, it would be somewhat easier to stop by your forum if we had a link.. )

Diziet Sma wrote:

Cool!

(mind you, it would be somewhat easier to stop by your forum if we had a link.. )

I wasn't going to post a link until Aegidian said yay or nay. It's generally poor form to post links to other BBs on BBs. There's usually a certain implication when people do that. (Having said that, if y'all want to lure some new space game fans to come here, the Limit Theory forums seem to be self-destructing about now.)

That's a fair point.. I sort of figured you must have had the green light already, otherwise, why mention it?

Anyhow... I'd be happy to check it out if you PM the link to me.

Wildeblood wrote:

the Limit Theory forums seem to be self-destructing about now.)

I see what you mean.. some not very happy campers over there..

Hey, Wildeblood, you can post your link. I have no objection, and I appreciate your restraint.

aegidian wrote:

Hey, Wildeblood, you can post your link. I have no objection, and I appreciate your restraint.

Thanks. Then I re-iterate: I have started a new general-purpose forum site. If you're reading this, you should stop by and post a message, on any topic except Oolite, to assist me in setting it up. I would be very grateful. Post anything*; I need to familiarize myself with all the board's functions and that's a bit hard to do with only two users.

* Almost anything.

Addendum, 30/4/2015: link removed. My very sincere thanks to those who helped out.