Reply To: My impressions so far
It’s the same issue with all forum software, and blogging software for that matter.
In my experience most people do not want a minimalistic forum and that is why you will find thousands upon thousands of people asking which forum can integrate with WordPress. Check any forum and you will find hundreds of people looking for ways to integrate that forum software into their wordpress.
The ones that use BBPress are the ones that are content with what comes out of the box and I would say we are a very large minority!
With the decline in forum usage in the last 5-10 years I would say that functionality is what makes forums stay alive. If you look at IPB and VBulletin they are still the most used forum software despite the fact that they cost money.
The reason for that is the features that can satisfy every need a user could possibly have. Its constantly being developed and has many large modifications from a core group of dedicated developers.
I think that with some modifications to the core so that the basic functionality can easily be added, perhaps by adding a plugin storage with key plugins that can be added or removed as the user need it. I don’t think regular users will spend time looking for a BBPress plugin to give new post indicators and go through the hassle of installing Buddypress for more functionality. Instead I believe in the setup that Buddypress have with core modules you can turn on or off as you need them.
I DO believe that BBPress have a great potential to be one of the largest and most used forum software in the world. It has a great integration with WordPress. It has lots of features and a strong community of plugin developers. And it’s very fast.
I just think it need a lower learning curve and a more approachable attitude 🙂
