Hey y'all,
I haven't been around for a while (actually, I'm still not around) -- I moved to Washington state a year ago. I totally love it out here, but I gotta say, I do miss MRP. I'm actually thinking of starting a boardriders' club for folks out here who surf, snowboard, and skate. I wanna copy MRP 'cause I think this site does such a great job of creating a community center. So, if I wanted to set up a similar website, how would I go about doing that?
copying MRP
6 posts • Page 1 of 1
copying MRP
by Rhett Stephens » Mon Jun 28, 2010 5:28 pm
"Now I am certain of success. I go down with the water and come up with the water. I follow it and forget myself. I survive because I don't struggle against the water's superior power. That's all." -- Chuang tse
- Rhett Stephens
- Posts: 13
- City: Charlotte
- State: NC
- Gender: Male
- Class III
Re: copying MRP
by Bob Gallo » Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:23 pm
Hey Rhett,
Getting the word out and the community started is tricky, luckily MRP was already well established as a Yahoo group before I got involved.
From a software/hosting perspective you have several options depending on how involved you want to get:
Google and Yahoo groups are still options. These groups can be setup without any programming experience, just sign in and answer a few questions. This option is completely free.
MRP III is running a heavily modified version of phpBB, free forum software that can be found here: http://www.phpbb.com/ MRP I & II used a modified version of Snitz which is also free and can be found here: http://forum.snitz.com/ phpBB is written using the PHP language, common with Unix hosting, Snitz is written in ASP common with Windows hosting. Functionally they are about the same. In principle, these programs can be installed and administered without programming experience … this is probably true but customizing the software will require at least a basic understanding of the language it is written in.
While the forum software is free, you’ll still need a hosting company. GoDaddy.com is a fairly good deal at about $60/year. They offer both Unix and Windows hosting.
I mentioned that we are running a heavily modified version of phpBB. The biggest change is removing traditional user ID’s and replacing them with real names. It sounds simple but this required changes all over the place. I can give you the modified code but it requires changes to the database that must be made after installation, so I’m not sure it would be possible to install elsewhere.
MRP III also uses a custom skin (the color combinations and look of the site). Making custom skins is a little tricky and requires a fair amount of html/css experience … however … there are a number of skins that can be downloaded and installed without programming experience.
There is a middle option between Google/Yahoo groups and administering your own forum. Companies like AT Forums (http://www.atforums.net/index.hs) offer free phpBB hosting. They install and maintain the software on their own servers, you just answer a few questions and you’re up and running. These companies are usually ad supported, so you’ll have to live with someone else’s banner ad on your site.
If you have any questions just let me know, I’ll provide whatever help I can.
Getting the word out and the community started is tricky, luckily MRP was already well established as a Yahoo group before I got involved.
From a software/hosting perspective you have several options depending on how involved you want to get:
Google and Yahoo groups are still options. These groups can be setup without any programming experience, just sign in and answer a few questions. This option is completely free.
MRP III is running a heavily modified version of phpBB, free forum software that can be found here: http://www.phpbb.com/ MRP I & II used a modified version of Snitz which is also free and can be found here: http://forum.snitz.com/ phpBB is written using the PHP language, common with Unix hosting, Snitz is written in ASP common with Windows hosting. Functionally they are about the same. In principle, these programs can be installed and administered without programming experience … this is probably true but customizing the software will require at least a basic understanding of the language it is written in.
While the forum software is free, you’ll still need a hosting company. GoDaddy.com is a fairly good deal at about $60/year. They offer both Unix and Windows hosting.
I mentioned that we are running a heavily modified version of phpBB. The biggest change is removing traditional user ID’s and replacing them with real names. It sounds simple but this required changes all over the place. I can give you the modified code but it requires changes to the database that must be made after installation, so I’m not sure it would be possible to install elsewhere.
MRP III also uses a custom skin (the color combinations and look of the site). Making custom skins is a little tricky and requires a fair amount of html/css experience … however … there are a number of skins that can be downloaded and installed without programming experience.
There is a middle option between Google/Yahoo groups and administering your own forum. Companies like AT Forums (http://www.atforums.net/index.hs) offer free phpBB hosting. They install and maintain the software on their own servers, you just answer a few questions and you’re up and running. These companies are usually ad supported, so you’ll have to live with someone else’s banner ad on your site.
If you have any questions just let me know, I’ll provide whatever help I can.
-
Bob Gallo - Posts: 34
- City: Matthews
- State: NC
- Gender: Male
- Class II
- Class III
Re: copying MRP
by Angela Siegel » Thu Jul 01, 2010 8:04 am
If you don't have someone as awesome as Bob to help you with those things, have you tried a Ning network? I think those might be free and don't take much knowledge to set up? Not sure. Here's the one I belong to for Tega Cay: http://tegacaytalk.ning.com/ It requires real names. Or at least, that's how Ben set it up. I like MRP a lot better because it's simpler and straight forward, but if you wanted to get it done, I'd check this out.
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Angela Siegel - Posts: 388
- City: Fort Mill
- State: South Carolina
- Gender: Female
- Class III
- Class IV
Re: copying MRP
by Rhett Stephens » Wed Jul 07, 2010 5:37 pm
Thanks a lot. This is really helpful, even if I only understood half of what you're saying 
My brother-in-law is a computer wizard, so I may be able to get him to help me out with this.
Bob, you said that MRP started as a yahoo group. I've set up a few of those, and that's really easy. Do y'all know how that got started, how word got out? How did the website change the group dynamics?
My brother-in-law is a computer wizard, so I may be able to get him to help me out with this.Bob, you said that MRP started as a yahoo group. I've set up a few of those, and that's really easy. Do y'all know how that got started, how word got out? How did the website change the group dynamics?
"Now I am certain of success. I go down with the water and come up with the water. I follow it and forget myself. I survive because I don't struggle against the water's superior power. That's all." -- Chuang tse
- Rhett Stephens
- Posts: 13
- City: Charlotte
- State: NC
- Gender: Male
- Class III
Re: copying MRP
by Rhett Stephens » Wed Jul 07, 2010 5:37 pm
Thanks a lot. This is really helpful, even if I only understood half of what you're saying My brother-in-law is a computer wizard, so I may be able to get him to help me out with this.
Bob, you said that MRP started as a yahoo group. I've set up a few of those, and that's really easy. Do y'all know how that got started, how word got out? How did the website change the group dynamics?
My brother-in-law is a computer wizard, so I may be able to get him to help me out with this.Bob, you said that MRP started as a yahoo group. I've set up a few of those, and that's really easy. Do y'all know how that got started, how word got out? How did the website change the group dynamics?
"Now I am certain of success. I go down with the water and come up with the water. I follow it and forget myself. I survive because I don't struggle against the water's superior power. That's all." -- Chuang tse
- Rhett Stephens
- Posts: 13
- City: Charlotte
- State: NC
- Gender: Male
- Class III
Re: copying MRP
by Rhett Stephens » Wed Jul 07, 2010 5:42 pm
Oops -- sorry for posting that twice. Shows how high tech I am, eh?
"Now I am certain of success. I go down with the water and come up with the water. I follow it and forget myself. I survive because I don't struggle against the water's superior power. That's all." -- Chuang tse
- Rhett Stephens
- Posts: 13
- City: Charlotte
- State: NC
- Gender: Male
- Class III
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