Almost everyone has a MySpace account. It is the largest online social networking web site today. Do you want to create a web site similar to MySpace? Then this script is for you. MyOwnSpace is an open source PHP based script that can help you create a MySpace clone.

MyOwnSpace clones the design and structure of MySpace. It is 100% homemade, written in PHP and MySQL. The web site created by this script looks and functions like MySpace. Best of all it's free. Installation of MyOwnSpace is easy. Download the compressed folder then upload the contents of the "www" folder into your server. After that, just follow the instructions included in the downloaded folder and your web site will be set. You can easily edit the ads, recommends section and the banners by simple PHP manipulation. And because it is open sourced, you can also customize the look and feel of your MyOwnSpace web site by further manipulating the PHP codes.

So if you want to start a social networking web site, MyOwnSpace script is a great starting point for your web site. Your MyOwnSpace web site contains all the features of the original and more. You can add components and do extra customization by tweaking the PHP codes. You have total control of its contents.

MyOwnSpace is free to use under the GPL license. A web server is required. Knowledge of PHP is required.

Go to MyOwnSpace

Do you want to start your own discussion board? Then there's no need for further discussion as to how you'll implement it. There's free software that will help you establish your very own online community. MiniBB is the PHP software that can be the foundation of your online forum.

MiniBB stands for minimalist bulletin board. It has everything that a bulletin board should have. The creators of MiniBB like to leave it the way it is now, simple, fast yet attractive. It will not be loaded with features that are found in other forum software. You install only the features that you are going to use. It is a content oriented board and its main concerns are speed, security and stability.

MiniBB is open source software released under GPL license. The main software package is good enough on its own but if you want to have additional features then you can purchase plugin kits. Or if that's not good enough for you, you can have it customized by the MiniBB programmers for a fee. There's a support forum available for your concerns regarding MiniBB. So if you're looking for simple yet effective forum software, then MiniBB is the script for you.

MiniBB requires a web server with PHP 4.1 or later and MySQL.

Go to MiniBB

Gone are the days when having a bulletin board meant having to shell out hundreds of dollars for software. Say hello to Simple Machines, a free PHP forum software that allows you to setup your own online community without burning a hole in your pocket.

Simple Machines Forum (SMF), is powerful and flexible forum software. Combined with the basic features you will normally find in a forum application, SMF introduces advanced configurations to suit your forum needs. Downloaded as a compressed file, a simple extraction to your web server and minimal setup of your MySQL is all it takes to have your forum up and running. The forum’s design is very much customizable. You can change the layout and design of your site by choosing from the pre-installed skins or from hundreds of downloadable themes. Can’t find one to your liking? You can create your own to suit your tastes. Documentation is adequate, answering simple queries from installation to some of the more advanced options. Need more help? SMF maintains a support team that tries to answer questions. When it’s free and powerful forum software you’re looking for, SMF may just be what you need.

SMF requires a web server with PHP 4.1 or higher and MySQL 3.23.

Go to Simple Machines Forum

It has been estimated that there are already 60 million blogs available all around the ‘Net. That’s quite a number. And that is why software that eases the creation of blogs has been the rage recently. One such software is CoffeeCup Flash Blogger.

What sets CoffeeCup apart from other software is that, instead of creating a whole web page for your blog, it creates a Flash file that contains your entry. Returned as a code, you can save it as a single web page or even incorporate it into an existing page. CoffeeCup is very minimalist. Just download the installer, start the program and you’ll be presented with an interface similar to most blog entry pages. Once you have created your entry, CoffeeCup will produce several files along with your code. These files must be uploaded to your web server. Just copy and paste the code and your blog entry will then be visible.

However, it must be noted that CoffeeCup isn’t strictly freeware. What you can get is a free 30-day trial to test most of the features. If you are looking for a new and easy way to create blogs and willing to shell out cash in the end, then CoffeeCup may just be the software for you.

CoffeeCup is a Windows application and is compatible with 98/ME/2000/XP. Knowledge of copy and pasting HTML code as well as access to a web server are required.

Go to CoffeeCup

Have you ever wondered how they make videos play in a pop up window? Do you wish you could do the same with your videos? Wonder no more; Free Vlog has something for you. They made coding easy for vloggers.

Free Vlog's Video Pop-Up Maker is a good thing for vloggers with no knowledge of JavaScript. It will generate a code that would embed your video in a pop up HTML page. All you need to do is to input your video's URL and its title. A screen capture of the video is also required. Even without saying the magic words, your code is automatically generated as you type in the data. It's that easy. A preview window is provided to let you see how it'll look like. The next step is for you to copy and paste it to your vlog post.

The Pop-Up Maker will also make sure your QuickTime and Windows Media videos will work correctly in Internet Explorer. QuickTime movies will play right away instead of waiting for a few minutes before starting. IE users won't need to activate ActiveX every time they watch a video. So what are you waiting for? Try the Pop-Up Maker for yourself.

Free Vlog's Video Pop-Up Maker works on all browsers. If you have your own server, you can download and install it on it. Basic cut and paste skills are required.

Go to Video Pop-Up Maker

Everybody has an opinion on something. And what better way to present them than by having your very own poll in your site. If it's poll you want, Chipmunk Poll may just be the thing for you.

Chipmunk Poll is a free PHP poll system for your site. It lets you create, edit, and delete choices and polls. To install, just extract the files from the downloaded zip file in your web server. A simple text file will guide you how to fully configure the poll. Once done with the installation, you may now create your poll question and the choice answers as well. Here lies the biggest caveat of Chipmunk Poll as it only allows you a single poll question running at any given time, though the choice answers aren't limited. The interface is bare bones, with no hint of any design. There is almost no documentation, but the simplicity of the software removes the need for it. If you are planning on running just one question for your poll and you need a fast way to do it, Chipmunk Poll is ready to take on the job.

Chipmunk Poll requires a web server with PHP and MySQL installed. Knowledge on basic editing of PHP files and MySQL login details also required.

Go to Chipmunk Poll

The Internet has become a large venue for discussions for almost any topic under the sun. If you want your site to get a piece of the action, you might want to have your own chat program. And if it’s chat programs you are after, give PHP Free Chat a test run.

Free Chat is a PHP script that allows the creation of a chat system in your site. Getting the script running is very simple and only involves copy and pasting a few lines in your source code. No need to setup an SQL server as the chat system uses files to store nicknames and messages.

Worried about bland and rigid designs for your chatroom? The program lets you design your own. You can fully modify how the chat room looks by creating your own CSS style sheets. With the featured AJAX system, gone are the worries of delayed and eye-straining window refreshes. Controlling the chat’s environment is also a breeze since all chat functionalities are customizable. Since it’s an open source program, there’s no need to shell out a single buck.

Whether you want to be a host for lively discussions or you need a chatting system for a collaborative project, the PHP Free Chat will get you up and going in no time.

PHP Free Chat requires a web server with PHP 4 or later installed. Knowledge of copying and pasting lines of code in your site is needed.

Go to PHP Free Chat

Bloggers and web developers know the importance of having backups. From system glitches to server moves, backups can save you tons of work in case anything goes wrong. And so, from the lovers of the popular blog engine WordPress comes this plugin that any WordPress blogger must simply have: The WordPress Database Backup.

The WordPress Database Backup plugin incorporates a backup system in your WordPress engine. Downloaded as a zip file or a tarball, installing the plugin is just a matter of extracting the contents inside your WordPress directory. Once installed, just activate the plugin and the backup option is now part of your blog. The plugin can then be configured based on your preference. You can configure how often the plug-in will automatically create backups. It gives you a choice also what to do with the latest backups. You can choose to save it on your drive, or use an internal email system to send you the latest backups. Low on drive space? You can exclude or include tables in your database that will be backed-up, giving you full control on the size of the backup file. With the The WordPress Database Backup plugin, backing up important tables in your WordPress is just a click away.

WordPress Database Backup requires WordPress 2.0.3.

Go to WordPress Database Backup

Joining the ranks of straight-out-of-the-box software is phpWiki, a multi-user web content collaboration system designed in PHP. phpWiki is usually used for projects that need easy editing and collaboration. Don’t let the humble logo fool you – phpWiki may lack frills and fancy features, but you can be sure that it will get the job done.

Downloaded as a zip file or a tarball, you just need to create a directory in your web server where you extract its contents. Once you have extracted the files, you’re good to go. If you want to enhance its performance, a configuration tool is available the first time you access the wiki via your browser. The configurator will allow you to change the settings for the wiki, like setting up a database program of your choice. Using phpWiki is so fool-proof that even the least technically proficient user can get started very quickly. To edit a page, click on Edit. If you want to save the page, press Save. It’s that simple. Although the documentation for the wiki lacks in details, this will not pose as a major obstacle to fully enjoy the software, given the simplicity offered by phpWiki.

phpWiki runs on Windows and Linux, and requires a web server with at least PHP 4.0.6 installed. Knowledge of basic database manipulation also required.

Go to phpWiki

Setting up a bulletin board for online communities is thought by some as something only experts can do. If you want your own bulletin board service minus the trouble, phpBB might just be what you are looking for.

phpBB is an Internet forum package written in PHP. With phpBB, there’s no need to write any code and the database experience needed is minimal, making it very easy to install. To setup phpBB, you must download the current release either as a zip file or a tarball. Uncompress it in your web server’s directory and once done, you must point to the database software that will handle the data. An install script guides you through the rest of the installation. If you have Fantastico available on your server, then it’s even simpler with a 3-click process. Setting it up is as easy as installing it. Adding sections, posts, managing members and other tasks are done by modifying appropriate menus in the administration panel.

Web 2.0 is all about building an online community. It’s a great way to speed up the transfer of information and create loyal visitors. With proper care, a discussion board can greatly help with customer relations. phpBB enables you to do all these with ease.

phpBB requires a web server that supports PHP and the MySQL database.

Go to phpBB