Your favorite phpBB plugins/themes/add-ons

[Punarbhava]

So I just bought myself a domain, and I'm setting up a phpBB for it. (Not linking it, not trying to advertise here). What are some of you all's favorite phpBB features, plugins, and themes? The site the BBS is on is (at least initially) going to be kind of a catch all "whatever I feel like putting on it" kind of thing, and the BBS itself is going to focus on discussion of technology, politics, religion-- at least for now. If I end up with a thousand users and there's another topic they want, well, things can change.

All I wanna know, both from anyone who has run a phpBB and all of you who have used it is: what features are a must for you? What things do you really hate to see on forums? What can I do to make this successful and fun for both me and the users?

[Ariphaos]

MyBB or SMF, personally. SMF is especially attractive for the Sphinx search support for large forum owners.

If you absolutely have to go with phpBB, Stop Forum Spam integration is a must for any forum these days. Anything else really depends on your membership.

As for the rest, well, define 'successful'. If you just want a private place where you can talk with people and control the venue, that's not a high bar. Creating a forum of e.g. sd.net's size and reach these days means a) having something to offer that other places don't and b) taking the time and effort to let people know. Even something in between, it takes hundreds of regulars to make for a self-sustaining community, the threshold seems to be about 300 these days, but can be less if you have something truly unique to offer.

It took four years for my largest forum to pass sd.net in terms of activity. This was possible because I offered something on my forum that people couldn't find elsewhere, and because I spent a lot of time promoting it. A few people apparently have success buying forums, instead, and merging them. I can't really advise on that route, I haven't seen it really succeed, personally.

Edit: Really succeed as in 'take off', so to speak. Buying forums can certainly get you activity, but that doesn't mean it will grow.

[Sarevok]

Be aware of spambots. Despite image captcha spambots come in droves it seems.

[Ariphaos]

SFS reports: 141090 Spammers blocked up until today

A year ago that was barely 30k.

[DarkSilver]

. Even something in between, it takes hundreds of regulars to make for a self-sustaining community, the threshold seems to be about 300 these days, but can be less if you have something truly unique to offer.

I wouldn't say it takes hundreds of people to form a self sustaining community - it all depends on how devoted the users are to the forum.

LibArc has less than 300 total membership, and a core of less than 20 users, but we maintain a steady stream of activity (with the occasional dead spots) for the past six years. While we wouldn't mind more users, there, we're not doing bad without having SDnet level user base. But then again, LibArc was started some six years ago.