# Making A Website



## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

I'm planning on making a webstie for my clan. Can someone help me out because i pretty much no nothing about site making lol. I want it to have a welcome page with news a roster page & forums. It's got to be free. It doesnt have to be GREAT just something nice. Can someone help? My old website which someone else made was made at funpic.org Where should i start? Anyhelp would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

This should help: http://www.erikswan.net/htbawp/

As far as forums I would definitely go with phpBB.

A CMS (Content Management System) might also help you a lot. Check out Drupal or Mambo.


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

Ok i think im just gonna make a forum. Where do i start ? Download the full package at phpbb.com?


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

You need hosting first. Once you have that, yes, just go to phpbb.com and download the latest (2.0.21) full package. Unzip and upload that, and then go to /install/install.php and that will lead you through the installation process.

It's very easy.


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

OK i have no idea what the hell im doing at funpic so can you tell me where to host it & tell me step by step how to upload it.


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

Sorry im webpage illiterate lol.


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

Does php have that techguy sorta format lol? Techguy forums are the best =)


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## GUSMAN (Dec 19, 2001)

I rent a server for a very good price and it comes with nice goodies. One is a content management system called SMF which I use in Concunction with Tiny Portal.

I am in the process of making a website for our clan its here >>http://www.gus-jones.com/CLAN/ its no where near finished yet but the built in forum is very handy, you cant see the clan members part unless you give special permissions which is great for discussing tactics etc.

Here is a site I made for a local swimming club with the SMF as well>>http://www.llandarcy-asc.co.uk The links to the photo gallery and guest book all come with the server. The Theme was free as well.

If you join there is an arcade and a chat room in there which are simple add ons from the smf website. Feel free to join if you want to se them.

Its very easy to use. But I think you might want to think of renting a server as mine has lots of content management sytems free( Drupal, php nuke, joomla, Mambo, Geeklog ) to name a few and also phbb2 if you want just a forum.

Its www.bluehost.com I find them very helpful and any probs you can livechat to the staff to resolve it. I pay $6.95 a month and get 50 gig space and 999 gig a month bandwidth,and 50 sql databases to mention a few things,
Hope it helps

Gus


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

OK.  First, you need to get a host and a web address. It's best if you pay for hosting and pay for a domain name (e.g. www.bkzballa.com), but you can also get hosting and a subdomain (e.g. bkzballa.yourhost.com) for free.

*As far as paid hosts and domain registrars...*
GoDaddy and 1&1 have good domain packages.
1&1 also has very cheap hosting, but the customer service isn't the best.
HostGator also provides great hosting.

*If you are looking for free hosts...*
This page is a really great resource - has all the best free hosts rated by users...
http://www.free-webhosts.com/webhosting-01.php

You can find many without ads and with MySQL and PHP capabilities, which is what you need for the forum. Just sign up for one of those, and they should give you a username and password for a control panel or an FTP username and password.. 

Once you've got hosting, you need to obtain an FTP username and password. You might have gotten one in an email when you signed up, otherwise just look in your control panel.

Once you've got that, go to www.smartftp.com and download the latest version of SmartFTP. Install that, and then put you username and password in and connect to your server. Then just drap and drop the files from Windows Explorer to SmartFTP and it should upload them automatically. After that go to the directory you uploaded it in from your webbrowser and go to /install/install.php to start installing the forum. 

You will need to create a MySQL database which you can do from your hosting control panel. You should get/create a database name, database username, and database user password. Put those into the setup, and you should be good to go.


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

Thanks for the help made it all the way to end. LOL What do i do with the install.php? Double click opens it & there is allot of codes in there.


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

Put those into which setup. I have both the mysql data & user name & password. Where do i use these? LOL.


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

GUSMAN said:


> you have to configure the install folder first
> 
> I have to shoot off out if no one has told you by the time I get bak I will go through it for you
> 
> Gus


Thnx because i really have no idea what the code is for or how to install it lol.


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## GUSMAN (Dec 19, 2001)

I just upped it to my server and it looks a bit easier to do now, have you uploaded the phbb folder to your server or webspace?

Gus


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Using your web browser visit the location you placed phpBB 2 with the addition of install/install.php, e.g. http://www.example.com/phpBB2/install/install.php, http://www.example.com/install/install.php etc.

Fill out all the requested information and hit Submit.

Click the Complete Installation button.


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## GUSMAN (Dec 19, 2001)

The onl prob is its just a forum so I dont think its what you want. I have installed it on my server so take a look and se if its what you want

http://www.gus-jones.com/phpBB2/

I have Pm'd you the user name and pass to give you access to the admin panel. I put the wow theme on to make it look better

Gus


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

A forum can be a website. Look at TSG. 

Plus, you can always build a website around the forum. Just build your site when you want to and add a link to the forum. It's very expandable because the forum would be separate from the site.


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## GUSMAN (Dec 19, 2001)

Yeah before I had smf i did just that, put a button on a website and it linked to the forum, its no difference at all really.

Gus


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

Thanks for your help guys. I guess if you help me i can make a small website & put a link to the forum there. This is a example of how i want the site to look like http://www.danksquad-inc.org/index.php NOT ALL the stuff on that site because it too much =P lol. Just the topics on the left, a small messsage & photo in middle or something, & the link to the forums. Is that hard to make or edit because i would edit it allot. That site has allot of stuff but i would just like a cool template & 5 topics on the left, some news or welcome in the middle with a photo. You know something simple.


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

By the way thanks for that preview GUS, they looked pretty good & with a small site around it it would be good.


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

Is it hard to change the templates at the forums or you do it with admin or something?


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

I'm using IE & I don't see a submit button anywhere?


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

You can change the template on the forums by going here, downloading a theme that you like, and then uploading into the themes directory. After that it will show up as an option in the administrator panel. 

That site that you linked to is built on a Content Management System, but you don't have to do it that way.

I would recommend downloading Nvu here, and then just building a simple page on that (name it index.html). You can open it with Nvu and edit it any time. Then once you're done editing, just drap and drop with SmartFTP. If you edit it, save it, and then drag it again to update it, SmartFTP will ask if you wan't to overwrite the file. Say yes.

As far as setting up phpBB, I can do it for you if you would like to make it easier. 
Just PM me your database info and I should be able to set it up.


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## namenotfound (Apr 30, 2005)

Eriksrocks said:


> This should help: http://www.erikswan.net/htbawp/
> 
> As far as forums I would definitely go with phpBB.
> 
> A CMS (Content Management System) might also help you a lot. Check out Drupal or Mambo.


For someone totally new to all this, I'd suggest Drupal. It has a very easy learning curve. Mambo is a little more complicated to figure out how everything works.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Drupal is good, but IMO just manually building a "site" consisting of a couple HTML pages would be easier than installing and configuring a CMS.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Unless you have Fantastico, which would automatically install all that good stuff for you. Then, even a complete newbie could install and configure most of the options


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

Smart ftp doesnt connect. I don't know if im doing it right but im puting the address & username & password & it still wont connect?


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## GUSMAN (Dec 19, 2001)

I hate smart ftp I use ws ftp pro I find it much easier to use and user friendly

http://www.ipswitch.com/_download/wsftppro.asp

Gus


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

That nvu thing is confusing. I have no idea how to make a template or anything with it.


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## namenotfound (Apr 30, 2005)

I use Filezilla

http://filezilla.sourceforge.net


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## GUSMAN (Dec 19, 2001)

I dont like Drupal Either, It is good but mebbe hard for a first time user. 

For me SMF is the easiest one to use and once you install tiny portal youre away.

As far as a forum goes you can play about with the one I gave you until you are clear about how to install it. take your time

Gus


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

Can someone just tell me where the submit button is to install it? I go to the page & its a whole bunch of text that you cant edit unless you use notepad. Then what do i do while its displaying this text? How do you execute the install?


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

Check this out & tell me what the hell is going on. http://ioclan.zendurl.com/Forum/phpBB-2.0.21/phpBB2/install/install.php


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

GUSMAN said:


> I rent a server for a very good price and it comes with nice goodies. One is a content management system called SMF which I use in Concunction with Tiny Portal.
> 
> I am in the process of making a website for our clan its here >>http://www.gus-jones.com/CLAN/ its no where near finished yet but the built in forum is very handy, you cant see the clan members part unless you give special permissions which is great for discussing tactics etc.
> 
> ...


My old clan site was like that clan site of yours. I want a small site like that clan 1 u have. With stats,shoutbox, news & welcome in the middle & link to forum much like yours. But right now that seems impossible when im have trouble installing a dam forum.... might aswell forget about a site & just stick with a forum...


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

I know what to do. I made a simple site using moonfruit.com & i'll just have a link to the forums =D.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Got your PM - I' currently re-uploading the files because something seems to be wrong with that. 

Should have it done in a couple of minutes.  EDIT: Ran into some problems. Check your PMs.


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## GUSMAN (Dec 19, 2001)

Are you still having problems?

Gus


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

eriksrock is going to upload it for me.


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

So basically i made a site with moonfruit which is easy & now im just going to link it to the forums as soon as eriks uploads it & all done =). By the way eriks how do you change templates on the forums?


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## GUSMAN (Dec 19, 2001)

your main phpbb folder has a folder called "" templates" go to the styes site >http://www.phpbb.com/phpBB/catdb.php?db=2
and download a style you like onto your pc and unzip it

You then have to upload the unzipped folder into the "templates" folder in your phbb folder.(ftp)

Once you have done this log into the forum and go into the admin panel and on the left you will see "styles admin" click "add" and you will see the one you just uploaded so add it.

The in "general admin" click "configuration" down a bit you will see "default style" choose the style you installed but then below this you put a tick in "yes" for "override user style"

At the bottom click "submit" and it will change to that style

Just add as many styles as you want and use the same procedure.

Gus

PS the same applies to avatars but you have to upload them to the "avatars" folder in phbb2 folder


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

I've re-uploaded it, and taking a look at the errors (which are still there), it seems that you're host has some odd restrictions on the PHP function *include()*.

I'm not an expert at PHP so I can't fully explain this, maybe someone can? 

Anyway... 


> We fully support PHP and PERL for users who know programming languages.


That's not really true. 

Unfortunately, this means that it won't work on your current host. 
Bad luck strikes again. 

But since it's free, it shouldn't be hard to sign up for another free host and get ioclan._____.com again. 
Then just upload it to them (you did upload it right the first time) and you should be good.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Well now it looks like you've deleted your install folder without finishing the installation.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

I completely re-uploaded the whole phpBB package to /Forum.  And again the PHP setup on ZendURL seems a bit funky.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

There is no install directory at

http://ioclan.zendurl.com/Forum/phpBB-2.0.21/phpBB2/install/install.php


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

nvm...figured it out

You need to fix the permissions. CHMOD most of the forum directory to 777


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

covert215 said:


> There is no install directory at
> 
> http://ioclan.zendurl.com/Forum/phpBB-2.0.21/phpBB2/install/install.php


That's because it was installed to /Forum/. So it would be /Forum/install/install.php

CHMODing in progress.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

I recognized that. He initially posted a different link


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Still nothing. All docs within /Forum are CHMODed to 777.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

How did you CHMOD them? Did you use an external FTP?


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

If I am reading the errors right I believe that basically PHP is complaining that it isn't able to read/include extensions.inc, which I found a reference to here:

[WEBQUOTE="http://www.phpbb.com/support/documents.php?mode=install#install"]*3.i. Changing the file extension*

If the file extension used to execute PHP scripts on your server is NOT .php but for example .php3 or .phtml you should first rename ALL files ending in .php and change the value of $phpEx in *extension.inc*. In the vast majority of cases this step will be unncessary.[/WEBQUOTE]Or perhaps thats the actual problem we are having here?


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

covert215 said:


> How did you CHMOD them? Did you use an external FTP?


SmartFTP 2.0.997. He only gave me an FTP username and password combo - I don't have any access to any CP. 

I've double checked that all files and folders are at 777.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Oh...then CHMOD should have worked...

See if your host will allow you to make php.ini adjustments to allow .inc files. If not, you are out of luck. .inc files are generally insecure and probably aren't allowed by a free host.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

So bottom line I guess you're going to have to find a new host - I'm sure there are many out there that will work for you because I know many support phpBB. 

I recommend choosing another one from the page:
http://www.free-webhosts.com/webhosting-01.php

Otherwise you could try to file a support ticket, check on the forum, etc. and see what's going on...


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Very odd. According to this page it should work:
http://forums.zendurl.com/showthread.php?tid=15

But they do say that the list is outdated...

I'll continue to hammer away at it and see if I can get it working. 

EDIT: OK, long story short I read through the forums - I guess the regular version doesn't work, then they made a modded version that was supposed to work with ZendURL but I guess that's outdated too now, I don't know if that works or not. Just get a new host.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

You can't run a legit clan site for free...


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Why not? IMO you can...


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

*edit*

My bad. I'm turning into covert.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

lol

i've done it 3 times today


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

How bout this one. http://synced.org/ Should i sign up to that one? All it has is banners which really isnt bad.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

I would recommend www.xenweb.net

Make 5 posts in the forum and you get free, no ads hosting with all the feature of a legit paid host.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

AwardSpace and FreeHostia are also up there.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

AwardSpace takes a while to get approved for


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

Xenweb? Should i do that one or the one i sed or free hostia help me out here which one will most likely work?


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Most people around here like xenweb. A member here, knight_47 is a mod there


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## GUSMAN (Dec 19, 2001)

I didnt have to chmod any files when I used my server it installed in a flash. It auto deleted the install folder as well.I think it must be a prob with the provider. 

Gus


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

If you have xenweb, or any other host who has cPanel, you can use the fantastico feature to automatically install the forum


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Yes, but sometimes hosts don't update Fantastico enough to have the latest version. They might have phpBB 2.0.19, but not 2.0.21, which can pose a security risk. 

But otherwise it is very convenient.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

If you can make five posts on the forum, then yeah, go with xenweb.


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## namenotfound (Apr 30, 2005)

Eriksrocks said:


> Yes, but sometimes hosts don't update Fantastico enough to have the latest version. They might have phpBB 2.0.19, but not 2.0.21, which can pose a security risk.
> 
> But otherwise it is very convenient.


But once you use Fantastico, you could go to phpbb.com and download the most recent files, then upload then using FTP. The hardest part for newbies is setting up the database, but that's taken care of by Fantastico, so doing manual updates if a piece of care. :up:


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Exactly. File management is easy. DB management is a pain in the butt, even with something like phpmyadmin


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

OK i will do xen then. I'll post 5 times & tell you when i have.


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

But seriously is it worth going through all this hassle to get a forum when i can use a 3rd party provider like proboards or something? What advantages do i have because all i really want is just the forum.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

In the long run it's much better when you have control over the database, files, etc. It allows for much more room to upgrade, tweak it and do whatever you want with it. Trust me, if you still have this running in a year and you are on proboards, you'll wish you had hosted it yourself - you probably couldn't get a copy of your database and you'd be stuck. 

Plus, services like those usually have lots of banner ads.


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## namenotfound (Apr 30, 2005)

I agree with Eriksrocks that in the long run having your own hosted forum is preferred, but if you want a freely hosted forum from a forum hosting site, I'd recommend http://clicdev.com


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

OK i had someone make me some forums. He uploaded them & installed invision board. It looks good. www.ioclan.zor.org & click on forums. I like the template & the forum itself is good.


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## namenotfound (Apr 30, 2005)

bkzballa said:


> OK i had someone make me some forums. He uploaded them & installed invision board. It looks good. www.ioclan.zor.org & click on forums. I like the template & the forum itself is good.


I'm pretty sure that's an illegal pirated board. Just look at the copyright.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

bkzballa said:


> OK i had someone make me some forums. He uploaded them & installed invision board. It looks good. www.ioclan.zor.org & click on forums. I like the template & the forum itself is good.


Yeah, that's probably a pirated copy. If you didn't pay for it, it's pirated. That means that you could get sued or severely fined if you are reported or if Invision Power Services finds out.

It also means that we cannot provide any support beyond this point if it is pirated. Did you buy a license at this website?
https://www.invisionpower.com/customer/order.php?shop_cat=1,3,4

I would recommend taking that down to avoid any possible legal action. You can either buy a license at the link above (for $70 - $185) or upload a free forum such as phpBB.


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

I didnt. My friend did it for me online. I dont know if its pirated or not. I understand u cant help me if its pirated but i have no idea. Don't call the internet police =(.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Unless you paid $175, it is pirated. I would get rid of it or stop advertising your site. Personally, I would get rid of moonfruit and get a host with fantastico that can install either phpbb2 or smf forums for you


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Did your friend pay anything? If not, it is pirated. (And it most likely is.) As covert said, personally I would get phpBB2, and if you can, use a different free host without lots of ads. 

e.g. Xenweb, FreeHostia, etc.


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

I said i have no idea, he just set them up & gave me pass. NO i did not pay for them because i didnt set them up! I'll ask him asap.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

I would take your site down in the meantime.


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## bkzballa (Oct 13, 2005)

He took the forum down.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Smart move.


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