Top Free CGI Forum Scripts
Forums are becoming a popular community element on many Websites. Below you will find what Webmaster Techniques Magazine has identified as the top three free forum CGI scripts:

1) BoardMaster
BoardMaster is a very nice forum that rivals some of the professional "for sale" forums. This CGI forum script is highly customizable and can hold up to 100,000 registered users. Registered users also have profiles that other users can view. In addition, you can use icon images like in some of the more popular "for sale" programs. We are very impressed by this free script and the possibilities it offers to Webmasters looking for a high-quality and highly-customizable forum that users will like. You've found it.

2) DForum Version 1.1
DForum Version 1.1 may not appear as an ultra-cool forum upon first glance. Better look again. Be sure to check out the Dynamic Duo demonstration site to see what some customization can turn your DForum into. It's a great script with an nice graphical interface giving it a very professional look. 

3) RobBoard Version 1.0
RobBoard Version 1.0 offers two different forum styles and is fairly easy to set up. The program is customizable and allows you to ban users and delete messages. While this free script has a lot of room for improvement, it is currently one of the best free CGI forums solutions around.

Note: There use to be a program called UltraBoard that was an exceptional free program that rivaled professional programs costing hundreds of dollars. However, in early 2000 the designer of that program decided to start charging $39.99 for it, making it ineligible for this list where it would have most likely been #1 or #2 in this list had it remained free.

Do you produce or know of a forum program that you think is better than the above three? If so, email cgi@webmastertechniques.com with information on the forum program, including a link. To qualify as a possible candidate for this site, the forum program must be free to everyone. Furthermore, the forum cannot be a "light" version of another forum program that a person must purchase in order to receive all the forum features.

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