Best Free Forum software

[zix]

I mean that the placements for the buttons in phpBB is better than SMF.

Yeah, the installation (administration) of SMF is the best.

[dirty nappie]

I tested a few free forum softwares and the one i did prefer was invisionfree; it was very complete and easy to customize

[dojo]

I have used phpBB for more than 1 year for my webmaster forums. Fully modded (by myself) and with a unique looking theme developed from iCGstation. Now I am on VB with the same skin I developed for my phpBB. I hate having to get rid of the phpBB since I really loved my forums. Still a webmaster community on a free script is frowned on and I discovered it the hard way.

I still have 4 phpBBs and I have 3 of them with a unique look. The script is a breeze to mod and the skins are easy to work on. The best script I have ever modded. I hate VB for the horrid template system and the lack of freedom I have as a skinner.

Never used SMF and kinda dislike it. I never considered it as a good script for me, even if feature loaded. I am not looking for features in a forum, I look for FREEDOM to mod it as I like it. And phpBB gives me that freedom. Other scripts are nice, but I never used them and won't do this.

[solidghost]

Why does having a free script for a webmaster forum being frowned on ?
 

[neutron2k]

for ASP developers I reccommend snitz Forums.

[Darksat]

I think SMF with a MOD_rewrite is better than PHPBB
but out of the box PHPBB has a slight lead.
Invasion admin seems really overcomplex to me.

[lsatblu]

I think phpBB is probably the best free software.  I mean, gaiaonline uses them and that site has the largest bulletin board ever.

[Zachery]

My top three:
Phpbb
SMF
Proboards