Yes, most forums out there nowadays are PHP based. I like this forum because of the same fact why you hate it. You can see all the replies at once here without clicking on any links. You can also easily see which replies you have already checked if you have cookies enabled. I can see why you think this is a bad system, but I simply disagree.
: Well please allow me to try to convince you, if I am not crossing any lines.
: Here are some reason why a PHPBB forum like this one: (not solicitation,
: just sake of example) http://www.virtualalex.com/forums
: Threads that are most popular do not fall to the bottom. This is one of the
: most frustration things about this layout. Even the most popular of all
: threads requires more and more scrolling everytime I come back to check
: one it. While in a PHPBB the most recently posted forums rise up. This is
: also a great system for spam and junk like the infamous
: "test-ignore" posts. They would all just fall to the bottom and
: not actually flood anything.
: Threads that are importiant for some people but not others wouldn't take up
: so much space. In this forum (although I may simply be ignorant to a
: conrol) all the messages are expanded, making a popular thread take up
: maybe 30-40 lines of screen space. To a person who isn't interested, it's
: a hassle scrolling up and down to get around such a thing.
: Threads can be strictly catagories to better serve people looking for
: particular information. A "map maping" catagory, general, other
: bungie ect...
: The real I suppose, thats even more importiant than how phpbb is better, is
: how is phpbb worse? Or "why not" rather than why? What do you
: like about this forums format so much more then other forums you have
: seen?
