Bloggers and Bulletin Board

What is the difference?

[vibgyor79]

I'm developing a "review" website. As I'm sure my visitors will have something to say about the product being reviewed, I have implemented a bulleting board (PHPBB) where users can post comments on the product being reviewed.

Accidently, I discovered <snip> and <snip> (weblog publishing tools)

I checked the features of these two tools and looks like they don't offer anything extra over bulletin board software.

Why do people use weblog publishing tools?
Why are they better than bulletin board software?

[edited by: paynt at 1:19 am (utc) on Oct. 5, 2002]
[edit reason] url [/edit]

[jlr1001]

My first thought is it depends on the amount of interactivity you want to have with your readers. For a review site where you're encouraging a discussion between visitors and between yourself and visitors the fact that message boards allow people to reply to you is ideal. Even better with a script whose coversation threads are highly organized, allowing for a considerable breadth of topics to be discussed at one time.

However, if all you want is to allow readers to view your message, that is you don't want them to have the ability to post a message back for you and others to respond to, then a blog is probably where you'd want to go.

Most scripts can create threads that don't allow anyone but the administrator to post, but setting up a bbs for that one function seems like a waste.

If you also allow for message threads where visitors can post freely, then a message board script is better than a blogger, since, as you pointed out, it can certainly do what a blogger can.

Hope that helps.

-J. L. Reid

[SmallTime]

Most of the major blogging tools have comment systems. Also, which BB's don't have, is the ability to generate a newsfeed (RSS.XML or RDF.XML). They also will notify "recently updated" lists when they are updated via a SOAP ping. That said, they often organized around a calendar, and posts from a couple weeks prior are buried in an archive, although there are starting to be some hacks to track posts by title, etc.

Each tool, BB and Blog, is optimized for their main use, even though they share some similarities.

[vibgyor79]

BB's don't have, is the ability to generate a newsfeed (RSS.XML or RDF.XML).

Yes, but I don't think I will need this capability (sounds too complicated and is probably very difficult to implement!)

JLR: Allright, I see the difference between bloggers and bulletin board software.

But are you sure "blogger" software cannot be misused by reviewers? See Alexa's user reviews for example. At Alexa, I can post as many reviews as I want without much bother. But if you want to post a review on a site that uses Bulletin board software, you will have to register first. This will probably discourage spammers from posting multiple "reviews"

[jlr1001]

Well many boards actually allow you determine whether or not visitors can post to the threads.

But I'd encourage you to have a member-based posting system. Not only will it discourage spammers, though not necessarily, but it will foster a sense of community, which will help focus your review site and reviews. Also creating a community around your site/topic could help your site grow and find an audience faster.

Just a thought.

-J. L. Reid

[jrstark]

I don't require registration on my board, it is an option. I myself hate having to register constantly. I have not had a spam problem, only got a few of those back when I was using a hosted board. The only posts I've deleted since bringing it onsite using Phorum were the test ones.

Registration cuts down on your volume. By giving it as an option people who want to can protect their name. But people who may have a one-time question don't have to go through the extra hassle. Also some people are nervous about listing emails etc. on the big bad internet.

Every step you make someone go through lessens the chances they will continue.