[michael3185]

Ouch. I’m pretty savvy at some computer stuff, but not php or css. I’ve been working on two forums for community groups, one of which may grow quite large if it works out as hoped. So, I tested just about every forum package out there. I settled on Vanilla, but had problems with plugins crashing it, and having to hack around for days to try and get something working. Their support is good from a few community members, but there isn’t enough and it often isn’t timely.

I’ve settled with bbPress because I found it very simple to install and set up. My problems were minor, forum members have helped me very quickly indeed, and in a non-geeky manner. I’ve read lots of other posts where people have had WP integration issues, and the help given has been quite extensive. One other thing that I like is the fact that they use it with 100,000 members and 500,000 posts, and it’s still zippy. Also, modifying themes isn’t so bad if you delve into just a few files and play around. I love simplicity as well as my user group, so I created a vanilla clone(ish), which you can get at https://bbpress.org/forums/topic/new-minimalist-theme-available. (Check the posts at the bottom).

If you have some spare time and a nice cup of tea/coffee, click ‘integration’ in the front page tag list and have a good read. I don’t use WP, but I get the impression that many haven’t found it too difficult with a little assistance. There’s an integration plugin too. PS. Read some of your blog; just a body? Nooo…