I would like to start a message board on my website.  Our pages are
hosted on:

OS - Solaris 8 for the Intel platform 
Sendmail - (default Solaris8 sendmail) Sendmail 8.9.3 Sun/8.9.3 
FTP - ProFTPD 1.2.1 
Webserver - Apache/1.3.19 (Unix) 
Shell - (default Solaris 8 bash) bash 2.03 
Perl - perl v5.6.1 
FrontPage Extensions - FrontPage/5.0.2.2510 

I have an account on this machine only and can run CGI and Perl
Scripts but I can not add software to the machine.

What is the best message board system to use?  I noticed a few free
ones that may be interesting but they are hosted by third parties and
I want to be sure to own and control the content.

I require basic message board functionality (posts and replies) the
ability to wrap the whole forum in my template for the proper look and
feel and search capabilities.  What are your recommendations for:

1) A couple of free 3rd party message boards that I can control and
own the content.
2) Two or three inexpensive CGI or Perl Scripts I can load on my
server.

Do you have access to any databases such as mySQL or MS SQL?  Your
best shot is to head over to http://www.hotscripts.com and research
the various offerings they have in Perl and PHP scripts.  phpBB is the
best I have seen in the PHP arena.  As for perl/cgi, there are
literally hundreds to choose from.

Good luck!

THV

I do have access to mySQL.  I will check out your suggestion.

It's a 3rd party one and you have to display a button on it (well, you
can easily delete it, but displaying the small button is awfully
nice), but it is fairly customizable to fit your layout, and you can
delete, add, and edit messages with a  password, and you can limit
profanity (block it) if you wish. I use one at

http://www.bravenet.com/

which lets you edit the look, then copy and paste the code onto your
website.  Here's the greatest trick:

If you are good at HTML, and don't think their product is customizable
enough while you are on their website, sometimes I take the existing
code they give me,  pop it into an editor like FrontPage, and add
content and the looks that I want,  and then put it up on my own page.
 They also have classified ads, chatrooms, polls, e-mail, password
gates, and all sorts of tools for webmasters.  You edit the pages, and
they give you the code instantaneously, on the website.  Its all
automatic.  It's a good, free means that I can think of unless you
want to do the SQL thing and then I suggest just finding a message
board on someone else's page, viewing their source code, and learning
to program your own through their exmple.

There are also all sorts of pay services that are reasonable, if you
are interested.

Anyways, GOOD LUCK!

:) Dexter

While it doesn't fit at all within your requirements, I do like
Phorum, a PHP based BBS system.  Very configurable.