forum...as an application !

smallhagrid · 01. Feb 2011, 06:37 PM

I need to explain why I ask this first...
As a middle-aged person I can make NO claims of having perfect recall - and it occurred to me that I am usually at or near a PC, so why not try to find some application that would make sort of an organized personal data storage system ?

OK - so what does a person use for such a thing ?

PIMs ?
No way - a poor fit.

Research tools like Surfulator...first flaw - payware - and much too intense and cluttered for what is desired.

A clipboard manager ?
Tried that. What a mess - and discovered portability was needed.

A personal wiki ?
Tried a few, actually - portability was nice too - and found that carrying a stick and having to start the program was...clunky.

OK - so what's the PERFECT portability without carrying stuff...the internet, of course.

I looked high and low and all around and finally realized the very best solution already exists - online - but is made for groups and is difficult to duplicate.

A discussion forum.
Available anyplace there is internet - allows wonderful categories and sub-categoriess - media ? No problem ! Search ? Made for it.

So I got me some free hosting at 000webhost and stuck in a copy of phpBB...

Hmmm....now how to make it for JUST my use ?
Locked it down - minimized every other kind of access and so on.

Then I thought - perfect - but how about if/when it is time to change hosts ?
Uh-oh; hocus-pocus reigns supreme; if a person is not a scripting wizard with great Linux skills, this can be a real problem.

Even asked about it at the phpBB support forum and got told that the hocus-pocus really is quite do-able. (Yeah, right.)

Then it occured to me to look for any sort of application that is like a forum - but minus all the complications and cross-connections implied with hosting, database and so on...and I found:
Nuttin.

So I wonder - is there anything like this already floating around that anyone knows of ?

Thanks !

George · 02. Feb 2011, 07:00 AM

Why do you say it's hocus pocus to change hosts? There is really not much to it. Copy the files, copy the database and reconfigure the access parameters - that's it in a nutshell.

I actually like the idea to use a forum as your personal information manager.

Ritho · 02. Feb 2011, 10:24 AM

Why not just using something like http://www.evernote.com/ ? It can do everything you want, and you can access it online or off.

arto65 · 15. Apr 2011, 01:28 PM

Why not use Bitnami, with whatever forum software you want ?
http://bitnami.org/stacks

Oaken · 05. May 2011, 12:01 PM

You could install and run forum software on your local machine with Xampp freeware which would negate the need for hosting.

01. Feb 2011, 06:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
smallhagrid Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 9	forum...as an application ! I need to explain why I ask this first... As a middle-aged person I can make NO claims of having perfect recall - and it occurred to me that I am usually at or near a PC, so why not try to find some application that would make sort of an organized personal data storage system ? OK - so what does a person use for such a thing ? PIMs ? No way - a poor fit. Research tools like Surfulator...first flaw - payware - and much too intense and cluttered for what is desired. A clipboard manager ? Tried that. What a mess - and discovered portability was needed. A personal wiki ? Tried a few, actually - portability was nice too - and found that carrying a stick and having to start the program was...clunky. OK - so what's the PERFECT portability without carrying stuff...the internet, of course. I looked high and low and all around and finally realized the very best solution already exists - online - but is made for groups and is difficult to duplicate. A discussion forum. Available anyplace there is internet - allows wonderful categories and sub-categoriess - media ? No problem ! Search ? Made for it. So I got me some free hosting at 000webhost and stuck in a copy of phpBB... Hmmm....now how to make it for JUST my use ? Locked it down - minimized every other kind of access and so on. Then I thought - perfect - but how about if/when it is time to change hosts ? Uh-oh; hocus-pocus reigns supreme; if a person is not a scripting wizard with great Linux skills, this can be a real problem. Even asked about it at the phpBB support forum and got told that the hocus-pocus really is quite do-able. (Yeah, right.) Then it occured to me to look for any sort of application that is like a forum - but minus all the complications and cross-connections implied with hosting, database and so on...and I found: Nuttin. So I wonder - is there anything like this already floating around that anyone knows of ? Thanks !

02. Feb 2011, 07:00 AM	#2 (permalink)
George Progradminstrateditor Join Date: May 2008 Location: Frankfurt, GER Posts: 1,253	Why do you say it's hocus pocus to change hosts? There is really not much to it. Copy the files, copy the database and reconfigure the access parameters - that's it in a nutshell. I actually like the idea to use a forum as your personal information manager. __________________ Best regards, George

02. Feb 2011, 10:24 AM	#3 (permalink)
Ritho Foundation Editor Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 1,391	Why not just using something like http://www.evernote.com/ ? It can do everything you want, and you can access it online or off. __________________ The smallest good deed is better than the greatest intention.

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15. Apr 2011, 01:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
arto65 Editor Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 73	Why not use Bitnami, with whatever forum software you want ? http://bitnami.org/stacks

05. May 2011, 12:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
Oaken Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 5	You could install and run forum software on your local machine with Xampp freeware which would negate the need for hosting.