[McN41R]

I would like to be able to host my own forum. Not really decided whether own server or rented server. I ahve used a free forum and I have hosted my own web page before but I have not hosted a forum.

I just dont know where to start???, so if somebody could give me a shove just to get me going.

I would like my forum to be similar in appearance to this on (so I assume php is fine), but instead of a site map I would like to show "affiliate web sites" and a "searchable database" which the results would again link to various affiliate web pages?

So any advice on:

where to host and possible by the domain name?


What softawre to write and manage a php forum?

How to put a searchable database on the side?


Thanks for the push

Regards
sandy