bbPress.org

Hello,

My name is Matt Conway, just joined the site. I would like to know how easy it is to run a bbPress forum. The only thing I’ve ever used before is iWeb; I enjoyed it’s simplicity but I’m not stupid and I know there will be a learning curve.

Our local council here are planning to redevelop the town centre with high rise apartments. There is a lot of local anger about this and I think a forum is the best way to get people talking. I’d like to know: Is it within the bounds of someone with no programming knowledge, but a desire to learn, to set up and moderate a bbPress forum?

I would start as simply as possible, but over the course of time would like to do the following things:

1 – Run the forum from a name I have just registered: http://www.walthamforestforum.org

2 – Make users register before being able to post – add someway to deter spammers

3 – Make it possible for users to add photos

4 – Make it possible for users to vote on issues

5 – Make it possible for users to sign a petition (could be just a link to another petition site)

6 – Make it possible for users to “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” other people’s comments

6 – Start a diary of upcoming local events (maybe best in another part of the site?)

7 – Start a sub-forum that lists local tradesmen, shops etc; where users can add to an accumulated star rating and add comments on the tradesmen’s individual thread

How much of this is possible on bbPress? Should I instead be looking at phpBB?

Thanks, Matt.