I try and create my own even though I'm not good with code. I have used both free and paid in the past, but it depends on if you like the theme or not.
I have only had live sites on shared hosting without any issues. That be said none were really huge forums. I do have an unmanaged VPS that I play with time to time mostly to try out different controls panels.
I started on Pro Boards back I believe on Version 1. I tried MyBB and PhpBB but never really liked them so stayed with SMF for a long time. I have tried Woltlab and that was pretty good just had a hard time getting to understand some of the German addons.
T.V I have to say ER and then Law & Order SVU both are great shows.
Movies there are a couple Sleepers was great, all the star wars and natural born killers.
It would be great to retire but that's not going to happen. My goal is the same as every year, being I'm just happy I can get up and go to work and have a decent life.
I started using forums a long time ago when I played Madden online and was running a league, this has to be going back to like 1996 or earlier. From there is just escalated to being on them all the time.
I don't use a lot off addons just some that makes the user experience better or ones that I like to make the forum function better. But I am happy to see them install and work without any complications.
Oh, I do everything on local host before making it the live site I agree with both of you there completely. I still make sure that everything on live works as it's supposed too. Sometimes things get lost/ forgotten when moving. 😇 (I have never forgotten to paste the last line in code)
I am more in hair metal bands from the 80's for the most part, I do like a lot of different styles but ask to play a song and it's probably going to be Guns N roses or Motley Crue.
I always to try start all new topics at first with questions that will hopefully make member engage more, and I try to never ask another question in the same thread.
I have always wanted to use MyBB but for some reason I always went with SMF. It would be great for them to make it more modern and user friendly. I also like their style system for creating. If they could take that and add it the ease of addons and themes like SMF it would be great.