How to setup a simple forum

For the local computer club I am trying to setup a simple Forum. It would only be accessible by the 650 members. We are about 20 instructors who teach anything from XP for beginners (yes) to Power Point and System Concepts. But there are also such subjects as Photography and Genealogy.
The members are mostly retirees and a lot of single ladies who have to deal with the computer for the first time since they lost their husbands. These people are intimidated by forums like ours and would be better off if they had a simple tool within the confines of the club. The instructors (who they know in person) would then try to answer their questions.
I am looking for a simple engine to setup this forum - and it should not cost too much either. Any suggestions are welcome.

I can not advise you on any details, but the current version of Opera had a web server function in what is called Opera Unite, integrated in the regular browser that permits anyone to setup a website on their own computer, so that there is no server fees or other problems that sometimes occur by using a remote server. The only thing that you would need then is a software program to aid in setting up the forum pages itself, and I think that is also available free, but I can't point to any particular program. If you are reasonably well versed in such things, you could use an opensource program called Amaya, but I imagine that there are simpler program available.

Yeah, php was my "fallback" solution. But I wondered whether there was anything even simpler.

Bare Foot Kid said:

You may want to contact sergiogarcia9 he's had a play with a lot of different BBs lately.

Good idea. Thanks.

If you want to offer the big money, Vbulletin would be the solution. Pretty simple, and also simple to add skins or mods to.

PhpBB is free, and pretty much as good as vbulletin. It is a bit harder adding mods and skins though. There's more template edits than on VB.

Both phpbb and vbulletin is easy to setup, but then again vbulletin is easier with a lot of things.

So, you gotta choose if you want to do the free solution phpbb, which is pretty easy to setup, or vbulletin which is 300 USD (i believe) and a bit easier, and less template editing that on phpbb

Also, if you need help setting it up, i can do it for you. I've setup both phpbb forums, vbulletin forums, wordpress sites etc.

For the free option i'd go with SMF - Home of SMF: Free PHP and MySQL forum software

That one looks pretty good actually Downloading it now, and i'm gonna have a try setting it up.

Thanks for the link, John :)