Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

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Leapfrog
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Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Leapfrog »

I am curious as to what the members want in this situation.



Now understand that there is still some discussion going on with this matter among the staff.



We currently are using IPB. Now there are no more costs invovled with running this software for us. There is no yearly renewal fees or anything.



vBulletin has offered, based on the fact that we are a non profit site, to take $75 off the price of a lifetime license for us, normally $160. With vB there is an optional $30 a year fee for upgrading the site. That they won't wave.



In addtion there is the matter of us having the funds needed to pay the $85, plus the annual $30.



Now what are the advantages? Well it depends on who you ask really. I have used vB on my sites. There is a larger modification base and I feel better tech support. I also feel that a site gets more respect if they use vB. However that is just my opionion and is open for dispute.



If your not familair with vB then here are some links where you can look around.



vBulletin.com and vBulletin.org



The second site is where the modifcations can be found.



So I am asking everyone to vote.



Keep in mind that we would still need to raise the funds needed, which right now is $85.



Gah ive tried to adda poll twice, but can't figure out why it won't go.
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by sbloemeke »

I definately am in favor of VBulletin. To me, it is easier to use to start off. I know the moderation tools seemed a lot smoother in VBulletin, and it is a lot easier to access. It's also prettier to look at. And it adds respect to the forum, in my opinion, at least more than IPB.

I suggested a few mods over at my old forum, let me pull them up and update you on them...
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Leapfrog »


I definately am in favor of VBulletin. To me, it is easier to use to start off. I know the moderation tools seemed a lot smoother in VBulletin, and it is a lot easier to access. It's also prettier to look at. And it adds respect to the forum, in my opinion, at least more than IPB.

I suggested a few mods over at my old forum, let me pull them up and update you on them...

[/b]


You do know that at vB forums they would shoot you!



It's vBulletin, not VBulletin!
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mripguru
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by mripguru »

Alicia,



<puts on his systems administrator hat

From a systems administrator perspective, I'd say vB as well - it loads faster and uses less CPU/RAM per user, looks nicer (well, it's more skinnable, anyways), has a more devout fanbase as well as better support (both community and official) overall (many of the forums that I frequent run vB - and we're considering migrating our corporate forum to vB as well from phpBB). Just my $0.02, I hope you don't mind.

</puts on his systems administrator hat



Jonathan M. Slivko

HelpingTeens Hosting Partner



I am curious as to what the members want in this situation.



Now understand that there is still some discussion going on with this matter among the staff.



We currently are using IPB. Now there are no more costs invovled with running this software for us. There is no yearly renewal fees or anything.



vBulletin has offered, based on the fact that we are a non profit site, to take $75 off the price of a lifetime license for us, normally $160. With vB there is an optional $30 a year fee for upgrading the site. That they won't wave.



In addtion there is the matter of us having the funds needed to pay the $85, plus the annual $30.



Now what are the advantages? Well it depends on who you ask really. I have used vB on my sites. There is a larger modification base and I feel better tech support. I also feel that a site gets more respect if they use vB. However that is just my opionion and is open for dispute.



If your not familair with vB then here are some links where you can look around.



vBulletin.com and vBulletin.org



The second site is where the modifcations can be found.



So I am asking everyone to vote.



Keep in mind that we would still need to raise the funds needed, which right now is $85.



Gah ive tried to adda poll twice, but can't figure out why it won't go.

[/b]
.... and then the post was through.



"Murphy's revenge: The more reliable you make a system, the longer it will take you to figure out what's wrong when it breaks."



"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."

-- Douglas Adams, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"



"Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do."

--Isaac Asimov





And Remember: RTFM: Not just an acronym, it's a way of life!
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Leapfrog »

Well I have to say that there is not a snowballs chance in heck I would ever switch GKWC from anything other then vB.



When my hosts/patrtners moved on I bought a vB license for the site so I could keeop it look sharp!
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by mripguru »


Well I have to say that there is not a snowballs chance in heck I would ever switch GKWC from anything other then vB.



When my hosts/patrtners moved on I bought a vB license for the site so I could keeop it look sharp!

[/b]


I'm sure :). I frequent (well, rather, addicted to) a rather large forum (500+ people at any given time) and they use vB and it seems to scale really well for them (they have a cluster with Rackspace).
.... and then the post was through.



"Murphy's revenge: The more reliable you make a system, the longer it will take you to figure out what's wrong when it breaks."



"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."

-- Douglas Adams, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"



"Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do."

--Isaac Asimov





And Remember: RTFM: Not just an acronym, it's a way of life!
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Barbies are Evil »

i'd like to point out that we do not have the number of members we should have before considering a switch to another host thingy, and I think this is jumping ahead about seven steps. and with that said, I am now done in this topic.
TJ[10:13 PM]: no not really..... it's all so.... like wow..... screw steps, you took a fuckin jet pack and strapped it on yourself and rocketed your way forward (thats my big bro)







And I'm going to extremes



Tomorrow I will change



And today won't mean a thing



I'm a bitch, I'm a tease



I'm a goddess on my knees



When you hurt, when you suffer



I'm your angel undercover



I've been numb, I'm revived



Can't say I'm not alive



You know I wouldn't want it any other way



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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Leapfrog »


i'd like to point out that we do not have the number of members we should have before considering a switch to another host thingy, and I think this is jumping ahead about seven steps. and with that said, I am now done in this topic.

[/b]


Well it would be easier to do a switch when the site is slow, then when its busy. Thats why this is coming up now.
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Skye »

Well from what I've seen they're pretty equal. I have been using forum software since BoardPower--that's before vBulletin, IkonBoard, PhpBB, Invision Power Board, etc... ever existed. I'm not really that impressed with comparing them anymore. The way I see it, vB and IPB are feature equal. It's preference in my humble opinion.



http://www.neowin.net/ forums and any vB forum you like, neowin has 6 million + posts, and over 2500 people logged in and the page loads lightning fast. http://www.vbulletin.org, 1300 users logged in, 909, 000 posts. http://www.genmay.com/ vB install, 2500 logged in, 19mil posts. but they distributed it over a dozen servers. http://idolforums.com/ 10 million posts. Its never gone down, never been inaccessible after a live airing. It runs IPB. I hate the show, but they run a massive community. http://www.s2ki.com/forums/ runs IPB, contains millions upon millions of posts and runs fast as lightning.



The point is, almost any well made system in php is inherently scalable. Ive yet to see a study that says vB is consistently faster under same load. They always seemed pretty much dead equal in real world environment. You can find lots of these forums yourself, too, at http://www.big-boards.com/. I think it comes down to pure preference. Alicia clearly is more comfortable with vBulletin, I have historically been more comfortable with Invision Power Board, however, as I've said in the past, I am not closed to the idea of running vBulletin. They're equal systems in their feature sets, their operational speed, etc... vBulletin has always had the larger modding community. IPB is a bit stuck in the snow so far as that goes, but its gaining legitimacy. I don't believe HT would be hurt with vB anymore than it would be hurt with IPB, but it certainly would bring no greater legitimacy to our site to run one system of the other. That is preferential banter at best.



My hesitance is, and remains the cost of vBulletin. We have IPB. We paid for it in 2004. We are grandfathered into their lifetime license system. We do not have to pay $30 a year for updated software revisions, support from their tech support staff and we do not have to worry about security updates either. They are all provided under the grandfathered system. My own hesitation with vBulletin is the $30 renewal fee for support, upgrades, new features, new security releases. Even if we do get donations to pay for this initial "sweet offer" of $75 off the purchase price, there is the continuing financial commitment to the $30 a year. Sure, we could opt to not pay it, nothing is forcing us to pay it, but I will say one thing for forum systems. They are equally troublesome and support does come in handy from the people who got whipped and locked in the room with the tiny refrigerator to make the software you are using. Chances are they can fix it better than any of us can. I sure don't mind having the resource as an administrator. That's my big hold up in this case.
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Leapfrog »

The $30 is only needed if there is a new version of vB avilable.



It doesnt prevent us from installing mods.



For example. We buy this and at the end of the year we are using say vB 3.6.5 and there is no sign of a new version coming withing the next year, then no need to renew.



In fact if tehy didnt have a new version for 5 years, we wouldnt have to pay that $30 for 5 years.



It doesnt prevent us from running the software.



Betetr way to explain.



The $30 keeps our access to the membership area active. Thats the only place u can install new versions of vB. Security updates are available either through the members area, OR via the forums.
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Skye »

The $30 is only needed if there is a new version of vB avilable.



It doesnt prevent us from installing mods.



For example. We buy this and at the end of the year we are using say vB 3.6.5 and there is no sign of a new version coming withing the next year, then no need to renew.



In fact if tehy didnt have a new version for 5 years, we wouldnt have to pay that %30 for 5 years.



It doesnt prevent us from running the software. [/b]
Actually, last I heard the $30 was locked in with access to vBulletin.org.



Cheers.
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Leapfrog »

The $30 keeps our access to the membership area active. Thats the only place u can install new versions of vB. Security updates are available either through the members area, OR via the forums.
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Skye »

The $30 keeps our access to the membership area active. Thats the only place u can install new versions of vB. Security updates are available either through the members area, OR via the forums. [/b]
And to download or view attachments at vBulletin.org, it checks the status of your license with the mothership, vbulletin.com, which is conveniently linked to the members area. :read:
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Leapfrog »

This comes from a friend and former co-admina t GKWC.



[15:13] Marc*****: You can access vB.org without renewing

[15:13] Marc*****: you'll just be stuck with the same old version

[15:14] GNKrAyZeE: what about mods

[15:14] Marc*****: Marc55us2002: You can access vB.org without renewing

[15:14] GNKrAyZeE: so that means we could still upload mods and such

[15:15] Marc*****: yes
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Skye »

This comes from a friend and former co-admina t GKWC.



[15:13] Marc55us2002: You can access vB.org without renewing

[15:13] Marc55us2002: you'll just be stuck with the same old version

[15:14] GNKrAyZeE: what about mods

[15:14] Marc55us2002: Marc55us2002: You can access vB.org without renewing

[15:14] GNKrAyZeE: so that means we could still upload mods and such

[15:15] Marc55us2002: yes [/b]


Coool, but the modders jump ship to newest version immediately.



http://www.forummatrix.org/compare/Invi ... +vBulletin

That tidbit about Access Control Lists (ACLs) has been changed. IPB has it.
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Barbies are Evil »

I honestly don't see the point in paying money to switch to vBulletin, if we don't have to pay any money with IPB.......we could use the money for other things....
TJ[10:13 PM]: no not really..... it's all so.... like wow..... screw steps, you took a fuckin jet pack and strapped it on yourself and rocketed your way forward (thats my big bro)







And I'm going to extremes



Tomorrow I will change



And today won't mean a thing



I'm a bitch, I'm a tease



I'm a goddess on my knees



When you hurt, when you suffer



I'm your angel undercover



I've been numb, I'm revived



Can't say I'm not alive



You know I wouldn't want it any other way



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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Leapfrog »

Yea but all they do is update the mods they already coded for the newest version. So in theroy we would already have any mod we want by then anyway.
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Skye »

I've got to get going.

Let me just state again. It's purely a financial matter for me.
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Leapfrog »

Well there is one advantage, and it is a big one.



vB is more search engine friendly. That would work in our favor.



And before Skye disputes that I have had several agree with that.
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Re: Should We Switch To Vbulletin?

Post by Barbies are Evil »

but there are no costs for us anymore with IPB........so I think it would be cheaper to stay with IPB.....
TJ[10:13 PM]: no not really..... it's all so.... like wow..... screw steps, you took a fuckin jet pack and strapped it on yourself and rocketed your way forward (thats my big bro)







And I'm going to extremes



Tomorrow I will change



And today won't mean a thing



I'm a bitch, I'm a tease



I'm a goddess on my knees



When you hurt, when you suffer



I'm your angel undercover



I've been numb, I'm revived



Can't say I'm not alive



You know I wouldn't want it any other way



Meredith Brooks-Bitch
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