vBulletin hands down. I've been running the software since 2002 and can't stand anything else. I tend to only visit vBulletin forums when I am a member at them.

That's interesting to know, as a forum owner.

I'm also a forum owner. It's just personal preference of mine. I visit one forum that is IPB and the other 15+ are all vBulletn. I'm used to the system and perfer it over others.

Doesn't need one:
Admin CP>vBulletin Options>External Data Provider>Enable RSS Syndication
That is built into 3.5.4 and if I'm not mistaken, was there for version 3.5.0 as well.

I started with phpbb but was unable to figure out their upgrade script and could not get help on the forum...kept getting the *RTFM* and the way they had the manual laid out was just too confused for someone new to php. I've tried SMF but was trying to convert a vb database (didn't have that much money for another license) and it was okay but didn't want to convert. If I had been using SMF from the beginning, it might have been different.

Of them all, I prefer vb. I love the plugin system for the hacks, the support is great from other users. And I have learned to make my own themes. Liz

Pretty much everyone who tried vB tells me that vB is the best if the cost is not an issue.

I work with vB and SMF. vB is nice but pricey.. the free-ness makes SMF the best choice IMO.

I have some experience with phpBB and have to say, I don't care for it as an admin or a user. If there was no SMF and I needed something free, I'd have to go with myBB or something else, anything else!

Since I posted, I reactivated a domain called SouthernladySecurity which had a forum. This time, it has one but mostly for information and to have a place to be the *back door* to MKPortal which doesn't work as a standalone. I wanted someplace to put downloads of security related scripts.

So I chose SMF to be the back end forum for the portal. It's working out very nicely. And is a nice layout. I was able to find a theme to suit me and one I could fix the header on to suit me. SouthernladySecurity is in my signature. Liz

I would prefer to vbulletin.

In my opinion, phpBB is the best forum software. It's easy, full featured, very customizable, and very popular.

Me, personally, I prefer IPB... it is just simplier and also what I am mainly familiar with... I mean, I started all my forum coding with IPB... it would suck to have to learn Vbulletin coding ontop of that... I have administrated VBulletin forums before... but never coded....
Demo : free forum