NoNonsense Forum is a free, open source, PHP-based simple discussion forum. It favours removing barriers to conversation rather than massaging egos.

It is ideal if you want a discussion platform you can throw up in seconds, is quick and easy to administer, simple to use and works great as a private forum for a team working together.

No Database

All data is just RSS. Starting a new thread creates a new RSS feed. Replying adds an item to the feed.

No hoops to jump through

I just want to talk, I don’t want to go through registration and e-mail confirmation and logging in each time. NoNonsense Forum asks you for a name and password when you post. This name and password forms a unique token, protecting the name from other people using it. Every time you want to post, just use the same name and password to keep the same name. Add new thread input form — user name and password act as a unique token This is not the same as registration because you can have as many different names as you want, you don’t have to pre-register a name and password, and you don’t have to go through e-mail confirmation and a login screen before you can do anything. If your web browser remembers your name and password and fills it in for you, then all you do is type your message and submit. Nothing gets in your way.

Minimal Markup

I wouldn’t have written NoNonsense Forum if I believed that other forum software was doing it right, so likewise I did not opt for normal bbcode. There is no preview function, and I believe that having one just adds hurdles to people posting. What comes out should be exactly what you expect. There should be no black-box that you fear will screw up your text in ways you don’t understand. Want to insert a blockquote? There’s no quote button, just copy and paste and wrap in speech marks. "How now brown cow?" Who knew pink moo? Gives: What’s more, the output blockquote includes quotes so that if you copy and paste this, the quote is maintained. Even when nested. Pre-formatted text / monospace / source-code is also supported in simple fashion: % CSS pre {overflow: auto; margin: 20px 0 0;} pre, code {font: 12.5px/20px Monaco, Consolas, monospace, monospace;} % You can write anything after the first percent sign, it’s useful as a title or specifying the programming language. Again, this just copy + pastes back into the text area and will output the same thing.

Mods and Rockers

There is no “edit” ability. Instead users can append to their existing posts. This allows them to note any corrections without the potential of changing facts, post-facto. Appending and deleting is done by clicking the relevant button on the post and providing the same name and password as was used to create that post. Despite no database, the forum does have the capability for moderators. Add names to a ‘mods.txt’ and they will be given the ability to append / delete any post or thread. Moderators can be set a global level, or only within sub-forums by creating a ‘mods.txt’ in sub-forums. (A sub-forum is just a folder) A sign-in is provided for moderators (via HTTP auth), they will have to suffer the woes of logging-in :)

Access control

You can set a forum or its sub-forums to be locked according to two different policies: Threads: Only moderators or members can start new threads, but anybody can reply. This could be used as, for example, a kind of blog / news system where by only site staff can post the news, but the public can comment on it. Posts: A read-only forum. Only moderators or members can start threads and replies, the public can read only. This would be typical of an archive or announcements sub-forum. Just create a ‘locked.txt’ in the forum / sub-forum with the desired mode “ threads ”, “ posts ” or “ private ” written within. Create a “members.txt” file with the names of users you want to be able to post / access the locked forum. Moderators (“mods.txt”) will always be able to post in any locked forum as well as use usual moderator capabilities.

Wide Browser Support

There shouldn’t be unnecessary hurdles added by browsers. NoNonsense Forum works out of the box on: IE6, 7, 8, 9+

Firefox 3+

Chrome, Safari

Opera 9+

Text-based browsers And is mobile-optimised too! Now with Opera Speed Dial support: How many forums do you know do this?—Instantly see if there’s new posts / replies each time you open your browser!

Customisable, Hackable