Objective Social Networking Software Reviews

Please post your objective review on any social networking scripts that you have worked with.

You want objectivity?

phpFox is not that great, I would not buy it personaly, I bought it for a client who was too impatient to wait for a better script and I needed to justify the $800 web design fee, but if you take a good look at the code (for the coders out there) you will see that it's very messy and the structure is horrible, what does that translate to you, the admin?
It translate into you spending more time sending fix tickets to support and asking people who will most likely charge you a leg and an arm to fix your script, than actually building your website, DO NOT try to upgrade either without having to check in at the forums for the many bugs you have to manually fix before everything works fine.
The backend (admin menu) is just very primitive and a pain in the ass, it reminds me of phpBB forums, where things are very simple yet very robust and functionless.

One high point in the recent 1.1 release which only gives you half the headaches the first version used to give you and it comes with a semi-robust and primitive vBulletin integration, it costs $300, too expensive for a script that to be honest with you really sucks.

phpFox http://www.phpfox.com full license: $300 includes 1 year upgrades.



Buddy Zone is not great either, although it could be better than phpFox if they ever get the user menu organized and the must-be-just-like-myspace-to-the-teeth attitude and change at least some graphics on their default skin, then it could be at least not as bad as phpfox, but stil very php unfriendly code, hence the very low support from coders and lack of modifications, the community support is... well there isn't, last time I checked their support forum was... empty.

I would not buy buddy zone sorry, just not worth the money, I think the developers could improve upon the current code and make this script much better, it has potential, but as it is right now it just doesn't.

Buddy Zone www.vastal.com/buddy-zone-social-networking-script.html Full license: $399.99




AlstraSoft efriends honestly I won't waste my time writing about it, I will write to words for it: DO NOT.
Reasons: no support, no community modifications, high priced (for a low quality script), waste of money.

AlstraSoft efriends http://www.alstrasoft.com/efriends.htm Price: $280





Dzoic's Handshakes, the underdog really, this script is the best well written of the ones mentioned above and has the most functionality of the rest, sadly it's actually a good script, not a great one though since it has a lot of flaws such relatively little community support, and lack of significant upgrades, for example the first script didn't even have an integrated forum and it was expected for members to spend the extra buck to buy either vBulletin or Invision Power Board (even though phpBB was also an option, one I would not take) Handshakes' lastest version of the script (Handshakes Professional V3.0) actually comes packed with extra features many admins take for granted but if you are serious community manager you will use such as music and videos modules, vBulletin and Invision Power Board integration among others, I would had purchased this one instead of phpFox for my client.
This is the least of all evils.

Dzoic's Handshakes http://www.dzoic.com/ Price: full license $349 includes 1 year of upgrades/support.




Free Myspace Software

There are a couple of scripts out there that replicate the myspace experience and that are open-source and fully developed by the community, these in my opinion are much lower quality but with a A LOT of time and effort could make great social network websites.


Alicia is by far the best one out there, why pay when you can go open source check it out yourself: http://demo.phpizabi.net/





This post to be continued.

 

What can I say - if you have and idea of social network site, and as you all know - idea is the main, and you want to setup it with future improvment - then the best variant - is to write custom script, nothing else

 

True, a custom script will run you for about 1500-2000 but you have control over every aspect of the development.

 

1500-2000 it's only at start, then dedicated server 100 every month + web-master salary + admin salary
but if all is good, 10k monthly income will cover this investments with a head

 

Thank you for the reviews EJRaven. I am testing phpizabi locally and it is indeed a nice open source script. As for phpfox, I'll have to agree. I haven't purchased it yet but I am a member of a site using phpfox.

What do you have to say about Dolphin? IMO It doesn't even merit a review. First the logo policies, second the resource intensive nature, third the obsolete navigation system.

 

The stupid dolphin?

Boonex's Dolphin is not even good enough for me to waste my time on. The navigation system and hidden fees to remove every logo in your website pretty much killed the software's chance for any type of success. I have no further comments on Boonex.

 

Downloaded Alicia

What can I say - some code is encoded with ionCube, but other, what I saw - didn't impressed me... Mix of php and html - first, no OOP and MVC - second. It's only my opinion about code, not about functionality and quality of work

 

Thanks, I found the information very useful. Do you know of any other community site scripts that are open source and worth a try? I’m currently looking for a simple script that will enable me to create a small site that will only contain text and images submitted by the visitors.
Thanks Emperor

 

is this erick or his wife / girlfriend?

 

then try alicia

 

I'm his wife, we do independent work. He is the script type... and me... I run the show lol. Let's hope he doesn't visit this forum now.
As for another free social networking script, I got the links in my laptop I will post it when I get off work.

OK so here is one of the other free network scrips: Around Me.

http://www.barnraiser.org/software_aroundme.php

 

So Alicia has been released now? When I checked back a couple of days ago there was a notice up saying the release date had been put back again.

 

“Aroundme” looks really good, do you know of any live sites using this script.

 

Sorry the script seems to be pre-production, and no websites are currently using the script, or I might be wrong but for the data I collected it seems to be true.

 

I won't get into this to start an argument... but your review and pure put down of PHPFox is fishy to me. Please, share with me your site or your clients site that is supposed to have problems? And you're using 1.1?

I just find it funny that you can even compare Buddyzone with PHPFox... I started out with one site using Buddyzone and purchased PHPFox and even with phpfox at 1.5 it was far better than Buddyzone. Buddyzone is just a terrible, outdated script that will never get close to PHPFox in ANY way - so I'm questioning your review with what you "really" know about PHPFox?

But then again, PHPFox is by far the most popular now...and you were talking about "PHPRaven" which was going to blow away the rest of the SNS', right? Is this what the reviews are about?

Basically, your "review" is a little unfair in my opinion since you're saying "$300" although people can try PHPFox under the $39.99 monthly lease

 

And this thread:
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showpost.php?p=1474274&postcount=21

Is where you're speaking of PHPRaven, which was your name at the time.

 

clenard are you a developer for the phpfox software? Sorry my review was so blunt and honest, I didn't read you complaining about the bad reviews I gave to other scripts, or price posted for the other scripts as well, I take your comments as a sorry attempt to defend your software against an honest opinion.

I really hope the script gets better, I based my opinion on my personal experience. I have no further comments on phpFox.

 

Like I said in my other post... your sad attempts to save yourself from bad reviews are worthless to me.

Do some research before claiming that I'm a developer for PHPFox.

Also, try using scripts longer than an installation before making such bold reviews about software. I have used Handshakes, Buddyzone and PHPFox and helped a friend with E-friends. PHPFox is by far the best - yet your review smashes it... why? You have no real "views" on it other than a paragraph explaining that your view on the "code" sucks.

Good luck to those who take your advice but while you're claiming I'm a PHPFox developer - you're in a ton of threads smashing PHPFox for NO apparent reason other than "it sucks". If you're going to do a "REVIEW" you need to have an unbiased review and give REASONS why you don't like it... in details or don't call it a "review".

 

I wasn't claiming that you were the developer, I was asking you, please see the (?) question mark in my question if it still not clear.

I have actually done more than install the software, but that is very subjective.

Thank you for your advice, I decided that I will create a social network review and resource website actually, and devote a little more time on my reviews.

Thank you.

 

Please dont fight and tell me if alicia is up.

If yes, then how good is it.

for the time she spent writing this review, i give her heads up

I might say a certain service sucks, it might not, reviews are personal opinions , if you have any dont hesitate and share it with DPv's .

Dont defend, just give your reviews.