Any downside to using a third-party hosted message board provider?

Such as ezboard?

[HughMungus]

Starting a forum "on" my site. Is ezboard OK? Seems pretty straightforward but is there a downside (other than my site proper not getting the traffic)? TIA

[Jenstar]

The ads are a downside, not to mention the horrendous registering process that I just had to do myself a few days ago.

Why not consider hosting your own message boards? There are many free ones available, such as phpbb, and it would offer even more features than the ezboard ones.

[pleeker]

It's been a while since I've used an ezboard on my hobby site, and the reason is that it didn't offer me enough management tools to set things up how I wanted them, and it was too easy for users to come in and spam the forum, harass other users, etc. Those were the downsides for me. I decided I was getting what I paid for.

[Mohamed_E]

I use one for my site, and there is another one that I visit regularly. Both are often slow. Plus I have the uneasy feeling that either might go belly up at any time.

[henry0]

PHPbb is the answer
I used it a few times
setup in a breeze

[HughMungus]

Thanks everybody.

I'm not hosting my own because it's not that critical and because I don't have root access (or physical access) to the server.

Hmmm...thinking...

[Jenstar]

If you have FTP access, and a MySQL database, you can install phpbb. It is extremely easy to install, and the support at phpbb.com is excellent if you do run into problems.

[HughMungus]

But wouldn't I need access to be able to install mysql. Yes, I am stoopid. :D

[mack]

Another point about having the forum hoted on your own site is search engines will index it as your site.

Might not appear to be that much of a bif deal but think of the possabilities, adsence, other sites linking to yur threads and passing pr.

If I where you I would rather host my own as opposed to using a third party.

Mack.

[Jenstar]

Ask your host to set up a MySQL database for you (they are nearly always included in all but the most basic hosting accounts). You just need your database name and login details, and the phpbb installation will do the rest.

If it is on your own server, you can run AdSense or your own advertising on it, and make it spider friendly so the pages get indexed.

[HughMungus]

Cool. Thanks mack and Jen. I'll check it out. I need to learn some more stuff anyway. Way behind.

[henry0]

since you do not operate your own server be advised that your host has to maintain MySQL
so the added cost in most case runs in the low $10 figure monthly