[Dagon]

For my database class I have to create and modify a forum.
Here's the assignment...
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The project is to learn/modify database using in forum. Before modifying the database for your own purposes, you need to understand the current database.

1) you need to chose a platform. So far to make think easier for you, I recommend to use Window 2000 or NT to host your project. Furthermore I recommend the host must support ASP or JSP, MS Access or MS Query, etc...

2) find a free web hosting.

3) find a free forum sofware. Since you are recommend to work on JSP or ASP, you should concentrate your search and investigation on one of the two above. try ASP and find the freeware at http://forum.snitz.com/
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How difficult is this going to be?
The instructor besides teach some SQL has given us NO help.

I know a little SQL, NO ASP but everyone seems to be going the ASP with snitz route.

What database should I use? Snitz comes with ACCESS 97.

Any free web hosting suggestions (needs to support ASP or JSP, MS Access or MS Query, etc... )


I've got till monday to finish, any advice?

[Cluster]

Personally I wouldnt' use any of that software. I'd go with linux, use mysql and use PHP instead of ASP.

As for setting up the forum stuff, might wanna send this skip's way, he may have some answeres for ya if he's not busy.

[Dagon]

Would that be easier than ASP, snitch?

Remember this isn't really going to be real life high traffic forum with , just got to pass the mustard with the teacher and believe me when I say I'm a newbie with this stuff.

[Ploaf]

I remember checking the phpBB forum and some of them were using free dB hosting(MySQL) and some of the sites may have had some sort of free site hosting as well. phpBB is free, uses MySQL. It can set up your db on it's own once you have a place to put it. phpMyAdmin can be used to access and edit the db. Finding a free host that will allow scripts to run may be a bigger challenge than the rest of it.
I don't know about asp since I've never used it for this.
Anyway. Here is the link http://www.phpBB.com/

It could be that the teacher only knows MS and asp and snitz and the recommendation is just what everyone else used.

[Yodums]

PHP all the way for forums. Every forum I saw uses PHP, at least the good ones (You would want that wouldn't you!)

The forum Ploaf mentioned isn't bad. For the game I play (Planetarion), our forum is that...

[Ploaf]

Here is a host that claims to offer free space with php and MySQL support. http://www.spaceports.com/

also there is a phpBB2, but it is beta. It looks better and is faster than phpBB1 too.

http://phpbb.sourceforge.net/phpBB2/

edit- I'm not exactly sure but I think that there may also be a freeware version of the vBulletin software which runs this site. It's also php and MySQL based.
Since you have until Monday you could create one Snitz forum, especially given that they offer at least some resource on finding a free host, and one php type of forum. This will open up your options. These forums aren't too difficult to set up usually. Setting up multiple forums with different hosts can also help you in the event that one of the hosts isn't capable of getting your db access setup for you right away.

One more thing. If you choose a php based forum make sure to upload all php files as ascii text. Do not allow the ftp client to choose or it may upload the pages as binaries. This can save you quite a bit of time.

[Newbie_Doo]

This should be in Programming Tips and Tricks, which just happens to be Skips yard to play in. Moving it there.

N_D

[Krieger]

I have not used PHP, but I have used ASP. Other than it's from Micro$oft, there is is nothing wrong ith it. It works great, It's fast when used correctly, if you know VB or VBA you pretty much know ASP. It connects to almost any database software( I've connected To Oracle, Sqlserver, Access, and a host of others. ) I think the teacher recommended it because it would be easy for the students to learn. I could write a very generic forum using it in a couple of days. Not to knock the other languages because I've never used them( I'd like to at some point ), I doubt they are as easy to learn. but that's just my 2 cents.

[AMD'er]

the catch is when using ASP and a personal webserver software package, make sure you are running 98SE or something of that sort. Coldmiser and I had a similar DATABASE assingment last fall and we both were running XP Pro. We wanted to use Personal Webserver to complete the assingment and wanted extra credit buy accessing our project from a nonlocal machine. But to our amazement about mid way with the assignment we found out that Personal Web Server didn't run on XP. And then we could find (same type of software) that would run on XP and communicate with the ASP pages.

BTW Do any of you know what can be used (WEBSERVER SOFTWARE) that will run on XP?

[XWRed1]

You're not supposed to use PWS with Win2k or XP. You're supposed to use IIS (Internet Information Server). It comes with the OS, is the real deal enterprise solution from MS, and can do a hell of alot more than PWS.

[Krieger]

XWRed1, I was about to make those exact same remarks before I read your comments. Also for any of you that have it, a copy of PWS from 98se will run on ME. I've done it. But Using IIS is the best choice if you are using the NT kernal. Like XWRed1 said it's much more powerful.

[Dagon]

Thanks for the help so far guys..

I used phpBB...

Spaceports sucks though, they won't allow e-mail in their cgi-bin server(no forum registration) and so far i've had "too many connections" errors all day.

I had another host lined up, but we will see how fast I can get that going...