Hey everyone, I'm pumped about PHP5 and its XML capabilities. What I'm not pumped about is the selection of open source forum software. So I'm considering my next project be xForum a PHP5, XML, DOM based forum.

I want the simplicity of a CGI flat forum with the power of PHP/Database solution. Here is a list of invisioned features...

PHP5 Based
XML Functions built around fully W3C compliant DOM
Searches made with xPath/xQuery
Customizable, Simple, visual style system (My main complaint about other forum systems)

XML will be a storage container ONLY! Pages will not be rendered straight from XML, PHP will parse it before the client even touches it.

xForum will not be a portal, or a CMS. It will be extremely easy to tap into the forum's content so that other people can make their own portal around it.

Multi-lingual support may come when everything else has been completed but it is very far down on the list of features.

This board will compete on several different servers. Because the required resources to run the board will be available on all web servers with PHP5 (remember, by the time I get this thing up and kicken, PHP5 should be on a lot of servers) all server inviroments will be supported.

I think that with PHP5 that xForum will be possible. What I need from you is your opinion. Would you consider a forum like this?

What do you mean, "consider a forum?" Do I think it's a good idea? Sure. As a programmer, it makes sense. As a user, I could care less about what's underneath -- what I want is a good place to chat with others about a specific topic. If it offers this, then that's a good thing.

when I ask "would you consider a forum like this?" I'm asking the web designers out there if when faced with the great forum decision would the choose xForum over other forums like UBB, PHPBB, YaBB, or even vBulletin.

Originally posted by a1lostnomad
when I ask "would you consider a forum like this?" I'm asking the web designers out there if when faced with the great forum decision would the choose xForum over other forums like UBB, PHPBB, YaBB, or even vBulletin.

Firstly, there is no YaBB anymore. It's Simple Machines nowadays.

Also, I'd be thinking "what does it cost me?". There are so many excellent free forums out there (PHPBB, SMF etc) that it's really not worth paying for one.

[off topic]

/me scratches head.

Buzz i thought you liked spiderman since when is superman coming out :glare:
[/off topic]

Both from a user and programmers point of view, if its fast, reliable and works i guess that comes into reliable. its great other than that id be the same as Buzz "couldnt care less"

Originally posted by planetsim
[off topic]

/me scratches head.

Buzz i thought you liked spiderman since when is superman coming out :glare:
[/off topic]

Over here in the UK, it's not out until the 15th July: http://www.odeon.co.uk/pls/Odeon/Odeon_general.film_x?FILM=spider-man_2

(do not view that site in anything but IE. It won't work otherwise)

Unless you can offer something which the standard PHP forums can't, what's the point? It's unlikely that you can hope to be as powerful as vBulletin or phpBB without a large team of developers.

As a proof of concept I guess it's a good idea, but then do they ever make it to production?