WebBBS is, as the name implies, a Web-based PERL cgi bulletin board. Unlike most other such boards, though, WebBBS stores messages as simple text files and creates HTML pages “on the fly.” – there is no need for a database – you simply have to upload it and can start posting! This means that the message index can be tailored by the user based on date and/or subject (via built-in keyword search capability), and can be viewed as threaded, chronological or “guestbook-style” lists. A wide variety of options are available both to the administrator and to the users, and “behind-the scenes” administrative tasks (editing and deleting of messages, etc.) are a breeze! WebBBS supports automatic quoting of message text and e-mail notification of those who want to know immediately when a new message has been posted (or for the admin to check for spam). It also offers an archive-only option, the ability to run moderated boards, and has cookie support! WebBBS is freeware, but please be so kind to link back to us, if you use this product.

Documentation, Usage and FAQ:
WebBBS Documentation Part 1
WebBBS Documentation Part 2
WebBBS Documentation Part 3
WebBBS Documentation Part 4
WebBBS Documentation Part 5

Compressed Archive – WebBBS download:
All of the below files in one easy download. Take your pick!
webbbs_files.zip

webbbs_files.zip also allready includes:
mods.zip (language mods & more)
perl_calc.zip (PERL Time Calculator)
smilies.zip (Images and Icons for the bulletin board)

Single Files included in the compressed Archive:

* webbbs_basic.pl, webbbs_form.pl, webbbs_index.pl, webbbs_misc.pl, webbbs_post.pl, webbbs_profile.pl, webbbs_read.pl and webbbs_rebuild.pl: These are the “pieces” of the main program file. You don’t actually need to do anything with them; the appropriate segments will be called by the configuration script depending upon what specific action the script is supposed to perform.

* webbbs_settings.pl: The “master” configuration file. In this file, you define the bulk of your configuration settings.

* webbbs_config.pl: This is the specific configuration file for a particular board. In this file, you define those configuration variables unique to the particular board in question. This is also the file that you will execute. (You can easily maintain multiple discussion boards just by keeping separate config files for each. You do not need multiple copies of the main script files.)

* webbbs_text.pl: A simple file containing the text of messages included on various pages by the program. They’re separated to make alteration or translation a bit easier.

* history.txt: The complete version history.

* WebBBS Administrative Script Documentation

* webbbs_admin.pl: This script allows a WebBBS administrator to easily modify, “relink” or delete posts. It also allows administrative posting, even to “read-only” boards, and will flag such posts for special display in the main message index.

* admin_config.pl: The admin script’s version of the configuration file.

* admin_history.txt: The admin script’s history file.

* “smilies” folder: This folder just contains some simple “smily” graphics that you can use, if you like, with WebBBS.

Extras:

* Translated Text Files: These files will allow you to easily set up non-English WebBBS implementations. Simply replace the default webbbs_text.pl file with the translation file of your choice. (Unfortunately, most of the files are less than completely translated; variables added after the translation files were received have been added, but in English.)

o webbbs_text_chinese_simplified.pl, webbbs_text_chinese_gb2312.pl and webbbs_text_chinese_big5.pl: Three different Chinese translations, provided by Hua Lian.

o webbbs_text_dutch.pl: A Dutch translation of the webbbs_text.pl file, provide by Jeroen Hermans.

o webbbs_text_finnish.pl: A Finnish translation, provided by Jouni Petro.

o webbbs_text_french.pl: A French translation, provided by Jean-Jos� Antunez, and updated by Alain Zurcher.

o webbbs_text_german.pl: The “definitive” German translation of the webbbs_text.pl file, provided by Thomas Buchhorn. (This file is based in part upon previous translations by Andreas Jakl and Jan Steinhardt.)

o webbbs_text_italian.pl: An Italian translation of the webbbs_text.pl file, provided by Giovanni Iachello.

o webbbs_text_japanese.pl: A Japanese translation, provided by Dr. Satoshi Oka.

o webbbs_text_portugese.pl: A Portugese translation of the webbbs_text.pl file, provided by Luis Batista, and updated by Luis Teodoro.

o webbbs_text_russian.pl: A Russian translation of the webbbs_text.pl file, provided by Ruslan Klimovich, and updated by Igor V. Nechaev.

o webbbs_text_spanish.pl: A Spanish translation. Originally provided by Raul Elenes Angulo, and more recently updated by Paco Segade.

o webbbs_text_swedish.pl: A Swedish translation. Originally provided by Hans Jones, and more recently updated by Ingemar Laggeby.

* webbbs_archive.pl: This script allows you to easily delete messages or move them to an “archive” forum when they reach a certain age or when the total number of messages on your forum exceeds a defined maximum count. The script can handle an unlimited number of such commands, so you can easily set up “cascading” archives, where for example messages are moved from your main forum to your archive forum after a certain time, and then even later are deleted from your archive forum.

* webbbs_digest.pl: This script works in conjunction with WebBBS to send out “digests” of postings. You can run it however often you like, either manually or via cron. If your BBS is very busy, this is far more efficient than using the basic “as messages are posted” notification scheme built into the WebBBS script.

* wwwboard_converter.pl: This is a simple script you can run to convert your existing WWWBoard messages to the format used by WebBBS. Note that it is, of course, designed to work on unmodified WWWBoard files; if you’ve been using a modified version of Matt’s script, you’ll probably have to adjust the converter to parse your message files correctly.

* frontpage_converter.pl: This is another “converter” script, designed to convert FrontPage forum messages to WebBBS format.

NOTE: WebBBS utilizes the LWP::Simple module. This is part of the standard distribution of Perl, and should be available on your system. If, however, for some reason it is not, you should speak with your system administrators about having it installed or about having the version of Perl on your server updated. WebBBS can be run without the module, if you comment out (or simply delete) the use LWP::Simple; $LWPS = 1; line at the top of the “SSI_Functions” subroutine. However, so long as the module is not available, the script will not be able to process “EXEC” (execute) SSI tags in your header or footer files.