The best forum system?

[xnoddyx1]

for me its Yabb 2.3.1

[zubair12]

vBulletin is the best forums system.....

[fzlaja]

Simple Machines Forum...

[chisao10]

So, if we were only talking about the free ones....which would you suggest?
SMF?
I have never used a forum, but I want one. I want to be able to skin it how I want, or at least give it my own header image that matches my site's header and choose a color scheme.

Also, which ones are really newbie friendly. I'll be able to learn it, I just don't want to have to spend a year to do it.

[Smith6612]

So, if we were only talking about the free ones....which would you suggest?
SMF?
I have never used a forum, but I want one. I want to be able to skin it how I want, or at least give it my own header image that matches my site's header and choose a color scheme.

Also, which ones are really newbie friendly. I'll be able to learn it, I just don't want to have to spend a year to do it.

SMF has been the first and only free forum software that I've used. Now, I know that I have experience in computers and things like that, but it should be pretty easy to pick up on. It's also pretty powerful when it comes down to it.

[chisao10]

SMF has been the first and only free forum software that I've used. Now, I know that I have experience in computers and things like that, but it should be pretty easy to pick up on. It's also pretty powerful when it comes down to it.

Thanks...I have a pretty good working knowledge of computers too. I'm actually in school for that. I have a pretty limited knowledge of php and MySQL. That's why I was asking. I just wanted something simple to start with.
So SMF is what I'll try out first. If I get used to it, I may try to move on to vBulletin later. I like how the layout is for that one.

[mifuyu]

I think it's vB. ^^

[freedompeace]

vBulletin ftw. Its the most expensive, because its the best.

[redivy]

I had used to think that IPB was the best (very recently, in fact), but I have now realized that vBulletin is very feature-rich, and provides many things that IPB 2.3 or 3.0 provide. The only thing that I do not like quite as much, is that it isn't as slick as the Invision Power Board software.

[csyrpeng]

who can tell me how to use ?