Private discussion forum - software and hosting options.

Forums › Off topic › Private discussion forum - software and hosting options.

OldGeek

989 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 409

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#76033 27-Jan-2011 21:26

A similar thread (started by MooPoo) has prompted me to ask in here about options available for a private discussion group.

I am a franchisee and would like to communicate with the franchisees in the same way that Geekzone forums work - but with a single forum with members (other franchisees) who can participate only by invitation. This group is therefore entirely private.

I have tried using a private group in Google Groups. This works well except for the fact that posting can be via either web browser or email. Thread continuity is lost if posters to a thread use the email method. Geekzone forums allow posting only in a browser with email notifications being used to notify that a post has been made (ie does not include the post text as Google does).

Can anyone suggest options available for this?

TIA.

Ragnor

8279 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 585

Trusted

#431978 27-Jan-2011 21:57

http://37signals.com/ have a couple of services that might interest you. Good way to go if you want a paid top quality professional and supported software as a service system.

If you are tech savvy and want to go the DIY route, there is plenty of free open source forum software... so it would be just a matter of registering a domain, purchasing hosting, installing forum software, configuring forum software and inviting users.

Regs

4066 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 206

Trusted

Snowflake

#431980 27-Jan-2011 21:58

become a geekzone subscriber and host your own private forumon GZ, access by invittion only? :)

Sales Engineer
Snowflake
www.snowflake.com

about.me/nzregs
Twitter: @nzregs

OldGeek

989 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 409

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#432425 28-Jan-2011 21:03

Regs: become a geekzone subscriber and host your own private forumon GZ, access by invittion only? :)

This looks like a starter - but are invitations limited to GZ subscribers or can OTRHERS BE INVITED?

Regs

4066 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 206

Trusted

Snowflake

#432426 28-Jan-2011 21:06

OldGeek:
Regs: become a geekzone subscriber and host your own private forumon GZ, access by invittion only? :)

This looks like a starter - but are invitations limited to GZ subscribers or can OTRHERS BE INVITED?

now that i'm a subscriber its harder to find the links outlining what a subscriber gets :P

i do believe, however, that you only need to be a subscriber to host a forum and that the participants can be any geekzone member

Sales Engineer
Snowflake
www.snowflake.com

about.me/nzregs
Twitter: @nzregs

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80652 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41045

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#432448 28-Jan-2011 21:45

The creator/owner of a private forum must be a subscriber, and must remain a subscriber to keep the forum active. The owner can invite any other Geekzone user to the forum, and revoke access as well. These users do not need to be subscribers.

If the owner's subscription is cancelled forum access is suspended, for everyone. The forum itself and its contents are not deleted though, and if the subscription resumes later it will "automagically" reappear.

Private forums are not moderated, although a forum owner could ask a moderator to look at a discussion and act on it if needed. Obviously the easiest way though is for the forum owner to simply revoke access to the forum if any user is being a nuisance...

Email notifications work as usual: notifications for all post, once a day, once every hour or once only until next visit to the discussion page.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

OldGeek

989 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 409

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#432458 28-Jan-2011 22:06

Thanks Mauricio - and Regs - I will subscribe and start a private forum.