Using Simpleboard - and Joomlaboard (Fireboard) - as forum component

I've used Simpleboard as my forum component since I started with Mambo. It's the only forum I've used, and it works for me. One good thing is that it's been developed specifically as a Mambo component, so dovetails with Mambo. There are a few quirks, but I'm a happy camper so far.
Since writing this, I've upgraded another site to Joomla!, and switched to Joomlaboard; a few irritating hiccoughs in the switch to Joomlaboard (see below).

Note: Joomlaboard progress now halted; evolved into Fireboard. I'm yet to make the switch; from look at Fireboard info, seems it's in early stages yet, and yet to fully work with OpenSEF - but should be a good step forward.

One oddity: the icons for buttons to add topics, post, edit and so on aren't part of the install - have to instead grab a module with these, install as module - but not publish it. I've seen a few Simpleboard forums that suggest people don't notice about this step, or just don't bother with it.
Another: upgrades are a bit of a faff; have to copy any files upgraded with posts, and replace after upgrade (as they're stored in component sub-folders); and config info is lost so have to again note re forum title, email adress, security etc.

Till recently, I'd only used Simpleboard with my other main site, Hong Kong Outdoors, which runs with Mambo 4.5.0 (though may upgrade before overlong). I'd found a few oddities in using it - to get icons, have to download a set as a module but not publish it; you add forums, and categories of forums in same menu (rather as if you were to use same menu for Mambo sections, and categories). But the integration's near seamless, and it works, plus can look good.

On upgrading this site to 4.5.2, I figured I'd add a forum - who knows, someone, someday, just might post something (you'd be welcme to); plus, I'd used akocomment, but encountered problems with this and Xaneon Extensions, so forums seemed way to go.

I checked info about forums for Mambo. Found that two are specifically for Mambo: Simpleboard, and Loudmouth; Simpleboard evidently most advanced of these. There's also some work underway for importing some substantial forums into Mambo - including Simple Machines, which I'd never even 'eard of, but evidently "big": to me, instructions for this a bit daunting, not sure if worthwhile for me (yet, anyway).

So, installed Simpleboard for this site. Went through some administration, to frontend to have a look - and just a page with an error message. Happily, quick search and found solution for this here on Two Shoes Mambo Factory, home of Simpleboard:
Edit the file simpleboard.php in components/com_simpleboard and change the line 48 to look like this:

} elseif ( $mambo_release == "4.5" && ($mambo_dev_level > "1") ){  

This indeed solved the problem. So now, I have forums (just need forum posters...).

I've since upgraded my other main Mambo site, and was just in time for release of Simpleboard 1.1 RC1, which I installed. This works without the above fix.

Even better with 1.1RC1, Simpleboard produces page titles including forum names (for forums), or thread names (for threads) - which I reckon should be big help with search engine rankings.
But for some odd reason, gives numbers of posts by everyone as 0, listing every poster as Visitor, even though I'm also noted as admin. Posted to tsmf forum about this; seems it's rare problem, but I'm not the only one to experience this.

To Joomlaboard

Having migrated another site to Joomla!, I've just switched the forum software for it from Simpleboard to Joomlaboard.

Replaced the component ok, but then found the Latest 5 module not working (tries to use links inc Simpleboard), nor discussbot. Had to search for answers.
For module, easy enough: just edit three occurrences of simpleboard in php file to joomlaboard.
For mambot, I found Joomlaboard-compatible one at Joomlaboard discussBOT update, tho found I had to remove <pre> (preformatted) tags from link to get it to work.

I'm surprised that no documentation about such changes, that I could find, on tsmf site.
And that Joomlaboard doesn't come in packages with edited files ready to go. I'm clearly not the only one to have encountered such troubles.
(Unless there's a secret plan to push people towards Simple Machines forum, which perhaps popular now, thanks to a bridge component.)

If you have comments, questions, tips, please email me, or post in the Mambo and Joomla forum here.