Brand Free Version - Removing the Branding

[Maplewoods]

I have the Brand Free version of vBulletin 3.0.9 which should allow you to remove the "vBulletin" brand name from being displayed.

The standard "official" instruction to remove the Branding (which purchasers must do themselves, although they paid for it), will only remove the branding from the standard user forum footers.

Does anyone know how you can remove the branding from the following examples:

"vBulletin 3.0.9 Moderator Control Panel"
(all users who are moderators, will see this one)

"Admin Control Panel (vBulletin 3.0.9)"

Thanks

[Borgs8472]

Just out of interest, why would you want to do this? To convince other admins you were running a unique piece of software not vbulletin? :/

[Zachery]

I have the Brand Free version of vBulletin 3.0.9 which should allow you to remove the "vBulletin" brand name from being displayed.

The standard "official" instruction to remove the Branding (which purchasers must do themselves, although they paid for it), will only remove the branding from the standard user forum footers.

Does anyone know how you can remove the branding from the following examples:

"vBulletin 3.0.9 Moderator Control Panel"
(all users who are moderators, will see this one)

"Admin Control Panel (vBulletin 3.0.9)"

Thanks

You would have to go though each phrase that contaned the word vBulletin and remove it.

[Maplewoods]

Just out of interest, why would you want to do this? To convince other admins you were running a unique piece of software not vbulletin? :/

Good question!

There are many types of Forum Software available. For those of use who who are very familiar with VB, it is a dead giveaway anyway and most of us can immediately recognize that it's vB.

If you are running a Gaming or other very Popular type Forum, it wouldn't matter that much, because there are most likely, thousands such Forums, already.

However if you have a very unique and original idea or subject that your Forum is about, which would undoubtedly spark a lot of completion from people who will want to copy your unique idea, - at least it may slow them down a little. If and when they may choose to "copy", what you are doing, they will likely be using, "Other" inferior Forum Software.

The purpose is, to slow down a little the average user (99.99% who are not that familiar with every type of Forum Software), who may want to compete.

vB Charges a lot $ for this option, if it didn't serve any purpose, no one would pay the $ for the Brand Free Version.

You would have to go though each phrase that contained the word vBulletin and remove it.

I one tried a "Gloabl Search and Replace" and it messed up parts of the entire forum, because the word "vBulletin" is often used to call Databases or other files that make various parts of vB work.

Then after reinstalling the entire vB all over again, (Today) I am now doing it much more carefully. I did find many of them, but not the 2 I am asking about.

To play it safe, I searched for the text and phrase "vBulletin", then I Changed one at a time to a capital V "VBulletin", to see if I got the right one.

Unfortunately nothing turned up yet.

[Reven]

I thought removing the branding was an infringement of copyright law...?

[Maplewoods]

I thought removing the branding was an infringement of copyright law...?

If you pay vB extra for this, they allow you to do it. It is one of the options on the vB purchase page, as follows:

"$120.00 Branding Free Option
This allows you to remove all vBulletin/Jelsoft branding from this vBulletin Forum installation "

I thought removing the branding was an infringement of copyright law...?

Also, although you have to pay them $120 for this privilege, you don't actually "get any software" which is "Brand Free".

All you get for $120 is "permission" to remove it.

The vB web purchasing page

http://www.vbulletin.com/order/index.php?step=1

(select "1" for 1 copy of leased or owned and then click "continue")

states that it entitles you to remove "All" branding of the name "vBulletin" and "Jelsoft", but in fact, the "official instructions", only removes a very small part of it and leaves it in many other places.

Plus you have to do all the "work" of removing it, yourself.

[Borgs8472]

Whilst I'm not going to buy the branding free option myself, I see you point of view with this. You should take your case to vb.com and make them design this hack for you.

However:

The purpose is, to slow down a little the average user (99.99% who are not that familiar with every type of Forum Software), who may want to compete.
But 99.99% of users are not admins, I ask again, why do you need to hide this fact from your admins?

[Maplewoods]

[But 99.99% of users are not admins, I ask again, why do you need to hide this fact from your admins?[/QUOTE]

Same reason as for users.

While admins are a much smaller part of the population but they are the type, much more likely, to set up a board of their own

(since they know how to run it and maintain it and they enjoy pouting time into it and so they are an even bigger risk).

[Quillz]

Some people choose to use branding free simply because they'd prefer not to have a copyright message on their board. People do it for different reasons; I don't see why people are so weirded out by it.

[Zachery]

Good question!

There are many types of Forum Software available. For those of use who who are very familiar with VB, it is a dead giveaway anyway and most of us can immediately recognize that it's vB.

If you are running a Gaming or other very Popular type Forum, it wouldn't matter that much, because there are most likely, thousands such Forums, already.

However if you have a very unique and original idea or subject that your Forum is about, which would undoubtedly spark a lot of completion from people who will want to copy your unique idea, - at least it may slow them down a little. If and when they may choose to "copy", what you are doing, they will likely be using, "Other" inferior Forum Software.

The purpose is, to slow down a little the average user (99.99% who are not that familiar with every type of Forum Software), who may want to compete.

vB Charges a lot $ for this option, if it didn't serve any purpose, no one would pay the $ for the Brand Free Version.



I one tried a "Gloabl Search and Replace" and it messed up parts of the entire forum, because the word "vBulletin" is often used to call Databases or other files that make various parts of vB work.

Then after reinstalling the entire vB all over again, (Today) I am now doing it much more carefully. I did find many of them, but not the 2 I am asking about.

To play it safe, I searched for the text and phrase "vBulletin", then I Changed one at a time to a capital V "VBulletin", to see if I got the right one.

Unfortunately nothing turned up yet.

I said phrase not file.

[Borgs8472]

Same reason as for users.

While admins are a much smaller part of the population but they are the type, much more likely, to set up a board of their own

(since they know how to run it and maintain it and they enjoy pouting time into it and so they are an even bigger risk).
Fair enough. I personally wouldn't consider running a site where there was a risk of members splitting off to make their own boards ;)

( Most my membership left from another board to come to mine! )