vBulletin expert knowledge sought

[camerman]

I'm looking to replace the existing discussion platform on my magazine site and vBulletin looks the most likely candidate. I haven't yet taken the plunge as I need to be absolutely sure that it can do specifics that are required.

I will an experienced vBulletin developer to assist in a) the verification that it can do the job and if all is well, b) the installation and customisation (setup and presentation styles and options rather than modifying code) of vBulletin on my site. For this, there is a modest budget set aside. I'd be very grateful in hearing from anyone who feels they might fit the bill for this project.

I'm UK-based, but have worked with project partners in all sorts of time zones without problem.

Thanks!

[Billspaintball]

I will an experienced vBulletin developer to assist in a) the verification that it can do the job
what are your exact requirements?

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Hello camerman,

Thank you for your interst in vBulletin.

In the Pre-Sales forum it is best to globally describe your needs, and you will get a generic answer if it seems possible or not.

All our licensed members can make a post in our Service Requests (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/forumdisplay.php?f=30) forum, requesting paid assistence.

[camerman]

1. I need some help in verifying whether vBulletin can do some things that my existing forum does and if it can do some specific things that my existing forum can't. A simple example, one of several: I like a threaded view mode and this is the default on my forum, but vBulletin boards I have seen shows the thread above the selected post instead of underneath - can the thread display be moved to underneath the displayed message? I have several more questions a bit like this that I'd like to discuss with someone.

2. My site has a particular page format and style - I need to know if vBulletin can be 'clothed' to fit into that style. I guess this is something to do with skins but it's also likely to be down to integrating with the CSS on my site, for example.

3. I'd like to make a selected thread visible outside of the forum - within an article page, for example. Can this be done?

4. My existing forum is aimed at people interested in digital photography. I see that image attachments can be uploaded (I need this because not everyone has their own space or the expertise to upload an image somewhere else and then deep-link in their post). I'd also like to be able offer a thumbnail gallery of images attached to posts, linked through to the post showing that image in full.

5. I need some help in understanding VBulletin's search engine optimisation features.

6. Assuming there are no major issues, I'd like to commission someone suitable to assist in the installation of vBulletin, configuration and creation of style templates as necessary for the forum to fit into the site as required.

I'm currently running a couple of Linux servers, with php and MySQL, so I don't envisage a problem there, but some advice on which server to install, future scalability and portability would be good to know.

I hope the above is enough to give a taste for what I need to do.

Thanks!

[Marco van Herwaarden]

First of all, most questions you ask are about standard vBulletin functionality. These are best answered by the official support team at www.vbulletin.com/forum (http://www.vbulletin.com/forum).

(To clarify, vbulletin.com is the official support site, vbulletin.org is a site run by volunteers and aimed at providing modifications that go beyond standard functionality)

Also you can have a look at:
- The admin demo: vBulletin Demo (http://www.vbulletin.com/admindemo.php)
- The documentation: Documentation (http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/)
- Server requirements: system requirements (http://www.vbulletin.com/features.php) (see info block on the left-hand side.
You can also contact sales directly by creating a Sales Support ticket.

1. vBulletin comes with the choice of using Linear (oldest/newest first), Threaded or Hybrid view. This can be globally set in the Admin panel, or by the user.

2. It is very easy to change the looks of a Board. vBulletin comes with a template system, that let's you easily change the looks with mostly simple HTML. It also uses CSS, which can be stored in either the database, or in the filesystem.

3. The current version comes with a (limited) system to export to RSS(2) feeds. For more control you could use one of the Portal systems available, or relative simple use own customized code.

4. vBulletin has the option to show tumbnails for most graphical attachments (alsodepending on the graphical software installed on the server). It has the option to show only thumbnails in a post (clickable for full version), show full size in post if only a single image attached, or to show all images full size.

5. The archive in vBulletin is a SE friendly presentation layer. Optional there are some other ways to improve your SEO. This will all depend on your needs.

6. vBulletin also offers professional installation service, see pricing at www.vbulletin.com (http://www.vbulletin.com), although the basic installation is fairly simple and straight forward. You will find that there are many members offer additional paid services if needed.

About server, vBulletin will run on most servers that have PHP & MySQL. There is a test script available from the Sales FAQ linked above to do a test for your server.

Licensed members will also have access to post in the Server Configuration (http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=14) forum, where you can get assistence to optimize your server configuration.

[camerman]

Thanks Marco.

I was sent here from the VBulletin.com forum :)

Fundamentally, I would like to strike up a relationship with someone interested in helping me, as a newbie, with vBulletin and, eventually, carry out some paid work. This strategy worked very well when I needed assistance with my site's content management software and the person I ended up working with gets a fairly regular number of projects as a result.

So if anyone is interested, please get in touch via email :)

[Marco van Herwaarden]

It happens more that people are send here from vbulletin.com. This will also depend on the questions asked, if they have the idea that you are asking for functionality beyond the scope of standard vBulletin, you will be send here. But reading your list now, most can be done with standard vBulletin.

For different kind of reasons we unfortunatly don't offer requests for (paid/free) help to unlicensed members, but you are free to ask for someone to assist you after your purchase of vBulletin.

Edit: Could you please link us to the Pre-Sales thread you started at vbulletin.com where they sent you here?

[camerman]

OK Marco - I'm 'imager' on the vBulletin.com forum, see:

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1129538#post1129538

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Reading that thread, i think it was wrongly understood what you have been asking for. My personal guess is that this is because you started by asking for a specific solution (ie. "I will require an experienced vBulletin developer"), instead of stating what your goals are.

If you would have posted the questions you did in this thread, you would probably have been responded that no developer was needed for most of your points, but that they could be done with standard software.

Now they just read that you are looking for a developer and send you here.

[camerman]

Fair enough, Marco.

I'm really trying to get across that I need to correspond with someone who is an expert in vBulletin to a) assure me that all the requirements are achievable with vBulletin and that he or she would be able to do the technically demanding work in implementing the requirements - for a fee. Alas, nobody has come forward yet. I'm ok on the conceptual side and understand technical strategies and terms, but not in the 'getting hands dirty' side with databases, CSS, etc. So I need some assistance in both the pre and post licence purchase stages and also maintenance over the longer term.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

I fully understand your problem.

Unfortunatly we have had a lot of people running vBulletin without a license, trying to get support or hire assistence using our Pre-Sales forums. Therefor our current procedures don't allow specific answers to a lot of questions in Pre-Sales, or Service Request (ie. request for paid assistence) made by users who don't hold a valid license.

I will, to get you the answers you need before purchase, sent you an email in a couple of minutes. You can reply with all the questions you still have unanswered, and i will try to answer them if i can. Please allow 24-hours for a reply from me.

[camerman]

Thanks again Marco - that makes sense and I'm sorry if anyone might have suspected me to be trying to get vBulletin on the cheap :) I'm running a respectable commercial site, so there is no danger of avoiding licences where required.

Thanks again for your offer of help - I have just sent you an email in reply to yours.

Nobody else has yet got in touch - maybe these last few posts will encourage someone to after all.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Nobody thought that you are trying to get things cheap.

Will see if i can reply to that mail today.

[camerman]

Hi Marco, did you get my email from earlier this week?

Thanks!