Security

• Application, database, and security best practices
• Microsoft recommended best practices for password management
• Highly granular permissions allow for control over all user aspects
• Ability to create secure private communities
• Support for anonymous user profiles
• Delegated permissions system
• Auto-login
• Evict online active users to force re-login

Installation and Setup

• Web based Installation Wizard
• Web based administration and management
• Full source (available as separate download)
• 100% Microsoft .NET code (No COM, Java, or other formats)
• Designed for multiple language support

Performance and Scalability

• Designed from the ground-up for multi-server configurations (web farms)
• Proven performance and scalability
• Implements ASP.NET Caching best practices
• Abstract, extendable data layer
• Designed for growth
• Innovative background processing system
• Integrated error reporting
• No dependencies on ASP.NET Session state

Integration

• Full source code (available through separate download)
• Event driven programmable "pipeline"
• Add-on modules for extending capabilities
• Pluggable authentication/authorization stack

Customization

• Theme driven customization
• Use of style sheets (CSS) to drive look-and-feel
• Over 90 ASP.NET Server controls for declarative programming

Content Publishing

• Syndication support using RSS 2.0
• Receive all messages through email
• Email subscriptions to a topic
• Email other members privately
• Message other members via "Private Messages"
• Global administration email notifications

Usability

• Rich WYSIWYG editor (no special codes or HTML knowledge required)
• Extensible base class model for easily supporting any database
• Registration process emails user new password
• Topic rating and sorting
• Sort by date, author, last viewed, date range ...
• Track posts read and unread
• Printer friendly versions of messages
• Specify an icon when posting with a message
• View member actions and where they are online
• Quote messages in posts
• Type emoticons in the rich editor
• Users can login with credentials stored in encrypted cookie
• Users can easily report offensive or objectionable posts to moderators

Personalization

• Online status of members
• Users can upload avatars (automatically resized based on settings)
• Share email address and IM addresses via user profile
• Display most active posts or unanswered posts
• Personalized user signatures
• Users can select custom themes and can override with custom options (in some cases)
• Rate posts

Statistics

• User statistics show online users and frequent posters
• User ranking shows activity of users in the community

System Management

• Single shared user base
• Merge related topics together
• Easily split topics into separate discussions
• Move topics
• Lock topics to prevent further discussions
• Easily pin or un-pin a particular topic
• Edits are tracked and logged
• Full auditing of all actions performed by users, moderators, and administrators
• Customizable ranking options
• Groups and group avatars
• Email forgotten password
• Deleted threads go into a recycle bin and are not immediately removed
• Easily unmoderate user or require moderation on users
• IP, User, and Email address banning
• Moderators receive alerts for posts requiring moderation
• Specify forum auto-delete options
• Edit members
• Rich web based systems configuration

Search

• Highly customized search system for fast searches
• Tunable searching and weighting algorithm
• Search results filter based on user permissions
• Search word highlighting

.NET Developer

• Over 100,000 lines of C# source code
• 90+ compiled ASP.NET server controls
• Forward compatible with ASP.NET 2.0
• Runs on ASP.NET 2.0 unmodified (version 1.1 of Community Server)
• In-depth technical discussion at www.communityserver.org