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phpBB2 fork

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Aled Owen
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Joined: 02 Jan 2009

Posts: 4



PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 7:15 am 
Post subject: phpBB2 fork

Legal or illigal?

I would like to see like something what operates the same as phpBB2 but uses more modern code and a few better techniques.
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Merri
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Joined: 02 Feb 2009

Posts: 63
Location: Kanta-Häme


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:43 am 
Post subject: Re: phpBB2 fork

It is legal to fork as long as you don't call it a phpBB (which is a trademark). The problem is that there are tons of forum software already, thus interest just hasn't been great enough for anyone to take a shot at it yet, to my knowledge.
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Aled Owen
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Joined: 02 Jan 2009

Posts: 4



PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:20 pm 
Post subject: Re: phpBB2 fork

Sounds like a project for the Aled, and anyone caring to help.

After some shizz I'm currently working on though, that'll probably be finished by January however.

Would the project still be able to use subSilver?
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Dog Cow
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Joined: 18 Nov 2008

Posts: 378


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 1:41 pm 
Post subject: Re: phpBB2 fork

A phpBB2 Fork is all talk and no work so far. If anyone wants to do it, then get working and stop making topics about it! Just do it! icon_mrgreen.gif
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Merri
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Joined: 02 Feb 2009

Posts: 63
Location: Kanta-Häme


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:27 pm 
Post subject: ForkBB Project

I got my hands dirty... nothing much done, however I've made many modernization efforts such as going for UTF-8 support. This should be database compatible with an existing MySQL based phpBB2 forum, you just don't have much to see because there is no templating, no pages made... it is just the bare minimum forked & modernized files to get something running out of a phpBB2 database. The only thing the main index.php does is the bare minimum to start user session and then displays all the forums.

Installation: have a database of phpBB2 (ie. make a copy of existing) and edit config.php so that it can access this database.


My own plans on this fork (if I really keep going on with it) would include rewriting the interface & templating from scratch. I'm not really a major fan of the phpBB2 templating system, I'd like to have a PHP based templating. I guess I'd simply create a DOCTYPE based templating, ie. there would be a html401.php, xhtml10.php and html5.php for outputting HTML in those formats. These template files would for the most part take care of giving valid HTML and there would be standardized components for outputting all the forum details. A single CSS file could work for each of these.

One of the things I want to do is to stay as database compatible with phpBB2 as possible. Some changes are done, but for the most part it should always be possible to make an existing phpBB2 running with this fork. There may be new fields and tables, and some fields may be abandoned, but nothing too dramatic.

I'd also like to port some phpBB3 code such as how the topics are marked as (un)read: I guess it is far more efficient than the way keep_unread_mod works, which really decreased the performance of my board a whole lot.

I know not everyone likes these plans and the whole deal of abandoning subSilver and a good part of familiar stuff may hurt, but atleast now something is done to get things rolling.



forkbb_2009-11-10.zip
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Amodinos
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Joined: 21 Oct 2009

Posts: 5



PostPosted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:12 pm 
Post subject: Re: phpBB2 fork

Perhaps consider removing eregi and things like that to make it PHP 5 standards, as with php version 6.0 phpBB2 will stop working without modification.

EDIT: Or have you already icon_wink.gif
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Dog Cow
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Joined: 18 Nov 2008

Posts: 378


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:26 pm 
Post subject: Re: phpBB2 fork

Amodinos wrote:
Perhaps consider removing eregi and things like that to make it PHP 5 standards, as with php version 6.0 phpBB2 will stop working without modification.

EDIT: Or have you already icon_wink.gif

The changes needed to get phpBB 2 working on PHP 6 are trivial. Read here: http://phpbb2refugees.com/viewtopic.php?t=192

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Lincoln's Tomb, Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield ILMac 512K BlogMac GUI
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Amodinos
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Joined: 21 Oct 2009

Posts: 5



PostPosted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:35 pm 
Post subject: Re: phpBB2 fork

One thing you never took into account is eregi, which is to be removed in the final PHP 6. Should be replaced with preg_replace, mainly in the DB file(s).
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Merri
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Joined: 02 Feb 2009

Posts: 63
Location: Kanta-Häme


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PostPosted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 7:10 am 
Post subject: Re: phpBB2 fork

At least the files I have there do not have any calls to eregi. I made the following modification to common.php
Code:
if(function_exists('set_magic_quotes_runtime') === TRUE)
{
   set_magic_quotes_runtime(0);
}



As for Unicode.semantics I assume it is enough that the file encoding has been changed to UTF-8? With a quick peek on the subject this seems to be so.

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Aled Owen
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Joined: 02 Jan 2009

Posts: 4



PostPosted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 12:55 pm 
Post subject: Re: phpBB2 fork

Actually I was considering doing a complete rewrite but keeping the functionality and design of phpBB2. I dunno, just seems easier to me.
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Murmur
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Joined: 20 Aug 2009

Posts: 57
Location: California


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 7:07 pm 
Post subject: Re: phpBB2 fork

Everyone here has a site that could host such a project and most have their own fork-in-progress. That, in itself, is a problem. The 'total project' (whatever it may be) is a large undertaking. Several independent efforts will probably only produce what the particular coder/webmaster wants and not a distributable product.

If would be nice IF.......

1) those willing could combine their efforts in to a releasable product and

2) such product were genetically 'connected' to the phpBB2 base.

So, while any of us could host a project, I would suggest that phpBB Refugees is the preferred place. I base this on the liklihood that Refugees will establish itself as unofficial-but-default home of 2.x with continuing support for that base. As such, it is the reasonable place to create a new generation of the software more suitable for the modern environ.

Consequently, I've been waiting for drathbun to weigh in on the matter. I understand he doesn't want a heavy committment. There's a good chance that most of us have time constraints and that a relaxed development model may be desirable any way. But if he would agree to host the project body in these forums, I think we could make go of it.

If you're looking for someone to take on the task of general organization, I'm willing. I have some experience in project management (hardware though) and a little exposure to small-scale parliamentary procedure. I'm a good, but not expert PHP programmer but have never participated in a collective project such as that proposed. There's the pluses and minuses.

I would suggest this initial forum structure:

Cat: Project X
...Forum: Council (formal debate and voting) view all, post council members, create poll chairman
...Forum: Hash Room (semi-formal, hash things out for proposals, tech decisions, etc) view all, post members and associates
...Forum: Public, registered users
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Merri
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Joined: 02 Feb 2009

Posts: 63
Location: Kanta-Häme


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 8:12 pm 
Post subject: Re: phpBB2 fork

Even so, at the moment we have already had tons of speech and little to no action. Thus I got started with something. I indeed started it on the thought of making something that works for many, not just me. However, there seems to be no interest nor encouragement for me to continue or others to participate. This is a rough road getting this project together.

Also, for me refugees has this far been a kind of disappointment: a silent and very small community, very small if we account how popular phpBB2 was and is still somewhat common. Too many have seem to be against the idea of a fork. Still, I don't know of any other place at the moment.

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Murmur
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Joined: 20 Aug 2009

Posts: 57
Location: California


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:23 am 
Post subject: Re: phpBB2 fork

Well, it can't hurt to try. Worst case: not enough interest and participation, close the fork forums, Refugees remains.

But we have a great piece of software to start with. Dozens of mods to go over for inclusion.

You (Merri) are working on UTF and other things.
I have a simple blocks and modules system and some other stuff.
I'm sure others working on forks and have things they might like to add.

We've talked about updating the DBAL and isolating a document-chain layer. There are a lot of great ideas out there. If they can be collected and hashed and implemented while keeping to KISS then...

it seems very promising to me.

It's true there's not a lot of activity here. But we (the Refugees) haven't made any great attempt to draw people here. Ultimately the fork would be the major draw and, perhaps ironically, generate interest in phpBB2 as a "classic."

It seems inevitable to me that Refugees is conducting phpBB2's funeral - one way or another. There will be new people, I'm sure. But it will all cycle down over time if the site - and this humble group - focus only on phpBB2. The great utility of Refugees may end up being that it was the catalyst for a new branch kept simple and "classic."

(On a funny aside, I had previously referred to a "retro" design goal. Turns out there's a BB2 style called ashRetro. But that's probably overkill. icon_mrgreen.gif )

Here is my proposal in greater detail:

Establish the forums mentioned above. Block posting except in the public forum. Give me 3-4 weeks to create a basic, initial organizational structure (democratic), to suggest (subject to refinement or replacement by the body) a general goal and "mission statement", to suggest (subject...ditto) a programming philosophy and community "character", to suggest reasonable first priorities (generally, "let's get organized" kinda stuff at first).

Given a democratic approach, nothing is set in stone and the evolution would follow the community. Ego's needn't clash without resort to the authority of the body. Disagreements are inevitable, but hopefully each member would understand that when the vote comes in - it's nothing personal. You win some, you lose some.

I would like to see this started here at Refugees. Failing that, perhaps a handful of us could meet at a site setup for the purpose. The drawback there is a break of sorts with phpBB2. An independent effort would, in essence, be an entirely new effort and could not expect to see that trickle of phpBB refugees (little 'r') which phpBB2 Refugees WILL draw.
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Merri
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Joined: 02 Feb 2009

Posts: 63
Location: Kanta-Häme


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 1:56 pm 
Post subject: Re: phpBB2 fork

Because I like action a bit more, I do have a spare domain if it helps. I can either host it on my existing (fast Finnish) host or I can change it to point to other nameserver so a site & forums could be hosted on someone's server while the project matures. But if we actually do get forums here for the fork I see no problem keeping and/or moving it here. However, it has to be remembered that phpBB2 Refugees is as authorative as any other site when it comes to phpBB2. Refugees would be mostly optimal only because it is an established site.


Many of the things I already did do some work for are on the "must be done" list, but many other things are more questionable. There are even some existing phpBB2 systems that are not useful, bans, word censor... that I think could be simply dropped or made available as plugins. Also, I think plugins would be the way to go, easy & troublefree WordPress style as much as possible. Copying good, working ideas is not a bad thing.

Anyway, we need a place to discuss, a single thread here or there isn't going to help if more than one people are going to work on this. And if it comes down to multiple programmers I guess I need to learn SVN...

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SamG
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Joined: 12 Dec 2008

Posts: 48
Location: Beautiful Northwest Lower Michigan


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:05 pm 
Post subject: Re: phpBB2 fork

At the same time ... out of respect for Dave, I'd like to give him one more opportunity to weigh in on this discussion. We can't impose on 'Refugees, IMHO, so we need to know what Dave is thinking. The last thing I remember him saying is that things move slowly here. I'd like to know where his interests currently are in terms of the fork project, Not more discussion, but some clarification of Dave's current view of things.

We had near the beginning floated the idea of moving a fork elsewhere, and it seemed appropriate at that time to let Dave mull things over before taking that step. He had taken some action on domains, IIRC. I think that Dave should, by now, know how he and 'Refugees or his server resources fit into the fork discussion. The fork project isn't lacking in leadership necessarily. It's lacking Dave's decision.

If we don't hear from him soon, I think we can consider ourselves free to part company on the fork project and yet be on good terms with 'Refugees and its community.

Just my opinion, of course. But since I was the cause of all the fork stink here in the first place, and because I have nothing but respect for Dave, I would like us to be sure to extend Dave all reasonable courtesy. Thanks for listening. icon_smile.gif
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