<a href="http://www.phpportals.com" target="_blank">www.phpportals.com</a>

Looks like a great VB portal - if only they would release it and make it easy to install (preferably with no hacking).

I suggest people visit their site and encourage them to do so. It seems to be a bit of a closed hobby site at present for serious hackers only.

I would love such a Portal front-end - integrated with VB and easy to install. Are there any other options.

Hi.

The REASON it has not yet be released is simply because of some of the bugs that are still in the script itself.

Why in the world would we want to release something that is buggy? and then get all the +++++ing and complaining about the bugs.

I agree it should be released, but to safe time and support.. don't ya want us to get the bugs out?

So right now.. wajones, and all the contributing members (beta testers) and making sure it works... a lot of the members are using different hosts.. some using IIS, some using Linux... all different, so we have a broad range of installations... now.. we have to make sure all the problems and bugs are gone.

I do this too.. I have a lot of script half done, and some are done.. but until I am done testing them I am not going to release them, because I don't want to spend countless hours doing support.

But ya... go over to phpportals and support us. To do some basic testing and bug finding.. come to the site register, and hunt and peck around the whole site looking for stuff that does not seem to be working... or is working but a little haywired...

There is a light version out... I don't know if it is for download yet.. but it is close. I do believe.

I just installed vBPortal 2.0.1 on my vBulletin 2.0.3. I had a problem that EVERYONE seemed to have with their templates, but they have answerd the question hundreds of times! I'm having another problem getting WebLinks to work on the user site (admin side works well).

The vBPortal add-on is great! It will definetely bring my community "closer" by giving them more options... More options means more people means longer stays!

I doubt you will ever find a hack that does this many changes WITHOUT having to do some changes to your php files! In addition, they don't know what hacks you have installed and if they did it automatically, it would overwrite your previous hacks! I had the Stars hack installed prior to installing vBPortal. I had to carefully make sure I wasn't going to replace anything that was for the Stars hack.

I can't give out the site url yet as I'm still working on adding some hacks. I will import everything from my UB2K boards, then make sure everything is working properly.

If you have not already please state the weblinks problem on the phpportals board.. or email.. me if you are having problems.. lets get that solved :)

I am still running a version of vbp 2.0.1 myself hehe

I downloaded 2.01 last week, and have nothing but problems with it, images don?t show, the config file seems not to be passing the url's - paths to the scripts. When you right click an image, properties etc. you get the path it is looking at: all the images are there. The top buttons at first worked, now they don't.

As for the vBPortals site I have been as regular visitor over the last week and BradC gave me a load of helpful advice but as a newbie the one glaring issue on that board is that of the contributing members status.

Well that?s what Alpha and beta releases are all about, scripts that are buggy, I think readers should look at the criteria for contributing members; The shorthand version is to my mind this:

• You must visit my board often.
• You must help others on the board
• You must help in finding errors in my code
• You can send me a donation.

The first three are fine; it?s a joint effort by the contributing members (right) however the last option that short-circuits the first three ways into the download area, simply blows the whole approach out of the water.

I am sure there are many members of this forum with the skills to debug, suggest, and help design etc. a truly unique portal, but ? they are not contributing members. If Microsoft adopted this approach with it?s OS?s we would still be using Win 3,11 for workgroups - Win 95 is coming soon (Honest)

Just my view, no malice intended, many eagerly await the LITE version and I wish you luck but if you REALLY want members to contribute - then let them - without the carrot on the stick approach.

Hmm Im a contributing member on PhPportals site (under a different name tho) 2.01 is stable, Ive installed on many sites for many people with only minor problems that were related to server conf or the way VB was set up on that particuler server.

Portal Lite apart from one minor problem I had, has also been stable on my server, considering this is only pre-release I think this is testement to the way its been created and debugged by the people who wish to see it succeed.

VBportal started out as one mans hobby (wajones), he has put in thousands of man hours creating a frontend for VB which he has willingly shared with countless people, many of those people have willingly donated and helped with the debugging and also contributing to the code, I dont think asking for donations is unreasonable considering the man hours and the cost of running the VBportl site which he has had to bear over the many months its has taken to get portal where it is today, remember, there's lots of commercial sites using the portal for there own gain, so its not unreasonable for wajones to ask for a little to cover his time or his costs.

Just remember, portal has been written mainly by 1 individual, how many thousands of people work at anyone time on MS code?
The only people dangling carrots are the big commercial software houses, wajones will be lucky to cover his time or material outlays.

I'm sure wajones will be happy to know his software is being shipped with every pc sold at $75 a pop.

I honestly dont see the problem with giving people who donate access to beta software.

As a side note. Please notice on microsoft.com Microsoft has a beta version (Actually release candidate) for anyone willing to fork over $10 to try it. Maybe that approach works after all :D

Pilot, it seems to me that your upset that you are not getting an advance copy of vbPortal.

WaJones is not asking for beta testers, it is the people who want the script that are coming to him asking him if they can use it.

Like has been told to you numerous times on the site, you can download version 2.01 and see if it fits your needs. There are still a bunch of people running 2.01 that have zero problems with it. Me for one. Not one problem.

As Bane said, Microsot was kind enough to let me test their bugs for the minor fee of $19.95 I believe.. Lucky me :)

Pilot, if you want to be contributing member, follow one of the steps. Asking and Asking and Asking will not get it to you any sooner.

Josh

No it is not unreasonable, that was not what I was trying to say.
WaJones has stated this himself, vBPortal is a Hack, not a program, in fact it is a major hack to several scripts and the addition of several new scripts. This is what probably is causing me the most problems. Other than the donation part, the other options to gain access are vague to say the least. That frustrates folks.

I have only been around for about a week, as stated in my previous post, and I have read this comment many times:

It is probably comments such as these that frustrate folks even more, they want it, you say I got it and it's stable, but it aint available??

I am sure there are many people, myself included that wish to see it succeed, the reason for my post was that on my forum I have what I call the Premium members area, it is only visable to those I think assist others in solving their problems, and my carrot? access to components such as CPU's HD's, Motherboards etc. all well below avarage prices. But you know what, I don't like the position it puts me in as word gets round I could see myself in the same position as WaJones. The original idea was sound, but in practice I think my problems are just around the corner.

Just to let you know.. I am just your average user, and I have installed EVER version of vbportal with success... day in and day out, we have new problems arise from members.. and not all but a lot of the problems or errors boil down to a semi-small user error, like for images... making sure you have them in the right directory and set correctly in the config files... same for parse errors, and some of the sql database errors.

Now I am not saying that if you have problems it is YOUR FAULT.. but hey everyone makes mistakes. vBportal 2.0.1 was released exactly for vb 2.0.1 and worked well on 2.0.2 as 2.0.3 came out.. it should work.. but by that time 3.0 was in the mill.. ya know.

And yes everyone can have their opinions on the contributing members and how things are handled.. but ya know what.. it boils down to one man's decisions and opinions... yes people can change their mind and everything... but I will tell you that wajones has put in ALOT OF TIME.. and so has his family with this project, and if he wants to delegate who he wants to be contributing members he can do so.

I tried to become a beta tester for Microsoft... and they denied me, cause I did not.. have some kind of education.. when win98 was in beta testing.. so it is an honor or a privaledge to be a contributing member and having access to a beta version. Yes I know it would be nice to say that everyone can get it right now.. and as problems arise they are fixed, but once again in one man's opinion and hell even mine.. doing it the way it is being done is just fine. Of course on that you can say "Well duh you are already on the contributing members list why should you be against it"... well hmm lets see I have a lot of respect for wajones, and whatever he decides to do ... for the most part I will agree. If he takes me out of that list for whatever reason I will not complain one bit.

I just think the current "closed" approach is counter-productive.

BTW - when I said "easy to install" - I meant with little or no modifications to VB code, rather than automated updates.

Any extensive mods to VB code would put me and many others off such a portal - since updates to the portal or to VB would become burdensome and quite possibly seriously delayed (eg VB 2.1).

I much prefer the "Lite" concept - however I read that wajones is dropping this - why? For every one person prepared to hack - there are dozens who are not but would use an add-on that did not need it.

The current one-man approach concerns me, what if wajones just decides not to bother with supporting VB 2.1 or whatever - we can't have hundreds of sites affects by his personal views - it's got to become a proper "shared" product to be viable.

I hope he does make money from it - I would pay for it - but it needs a more open, friendly, community approach like that we see here from VB itself.

What I said was it was stable on my server, It might not be on yours given you have all ready had problems with 2.01.

Would you prefer something unfinished released to cause you even bigger problems?

But it can never be stable until tested by a wider audience on all the different servers out there.

This is catch-22. It needs a public beta.

One minute VBPortal Lite was available for testing, the next it's withdrawn because wajones decided to pull it!

What is going on here! Sites that used this would be very dependent on such a feature and need it to be produced and supported in a very professional way so that they can depend upon it as much as they do VB.

Ideally it would become part of VB like so many other hacks have been - but it seems this is a one-man thing here (I am not trying to offend - merely point out the limitations of such an approach).

just a little defensive.. but.. do you think there is only like 3 members that have access to it? ummm.. there is a lot more than that.. and yes they are being tested on a lot of different servers and everything...

I mean yah there might be a couple that are being missed.. but ... end result, it is going to be the way it is going to be.

I on the other hand, think quite differently. Let me explain why..

Go to the phpportals site. Click that search button. Search for the word.. startdate

Nice huh? You might find among that pile of the same question 2 FAQs which answer the question. Yet still it is asked over and over and over.

Relation to the topic? Right now the only people who have access to the 3.x version of vbPortal are those who have contributed to it's growth, and that is exactly the way it should be. The other most asked question over there is "When is 3 going to be out?" The answer? When it's ready.. Hell, thats in both those FAQs as well. But it would never be ready if people were installing the much more in-depth more option rich vbp3 BETA and asking the same questions 40-50 times in the forums which would keep wajones and the contributing members quite busy and leave little time for anything else (like development) As it stands now the only people asking for help with the product are those that have assisted in some way. Consider it Karma on a software scale.

This makes no sense to me. None.

You are already affected by his views when you install the product. It works the way he wrote it. You want it to support vB2.1? Great! SUPPORT THE PROJECT! I should hardly think hes going to say, hmm.. heres something I worked hard on, and is widely used, and people are actively supporting. Screw it, I'm done.

Actually, the group there has become a little more segmented over time. I've been around the site quite a while. I have noticed the changes a bit, and you're right that the community is getting less friendly. Mostly because it is now split into the group who have decided to take the step of contributing and those who "Will contribute when they see its worth it. Oh! and will you hurry up?"

It is in public beta sir. The public being those members who have contributed to its growth. I tell you what though. Don't tell wajones but I'll cut you a deal. You see if you can get microsoft to send me one of those developer CD's free of charge. I get a package from them, I'll cut you in with a donation. :p Maybe you can try telling them that "Closed" approach doesnt work. Whats the yearly fee for those now?

If wajones wants to stop supporting the entire project, he has the right to do so! Wajones is NOT a company and has no reason to help anyone if he does not choose to. He is NOT obligated to continue this project if he does not choose to. Following my point? He doesn't work for you...you don't pay him (donations are not considered selling a product). vBPortal is a hack, not a product! It's just a very extensive hack! If it is ever sold in the stores or online along with a company name attached to it then yeah, I would definetely expect some support! Otherwise, wait like everyone else and don't EXPECT support...

If the only thing they contribute were their questions, then I would hope that this would generate answers, and in doing so would give members the opportunity to assist others using the hack. In this small way each user is contributing at his/her knowledge level. If people don?t ask questions then what do you run a forum for, this is what my board is all about, members helping members. If you close the support forums how then do folks become a contributing member? Sorry guys but your all over the shop with this issue. Wake up and smell what your shovelling here.

I rest my case!

Well my comments are really praise, not criticism of the software.

I think it's great and should be released in a way that people can use easily and feel comfortable basing their site around.

I personally have never come accross a VB site using it. I believe if it were released in a "lite" (no hacking needed) format it would be used widely within days all over the world.

Surely the point of any clever programming is to be used, not admired for the sake of it by a few "contributing" members.

Some programmers want to spend time debugging - but the rest of us want something we can get (or buy) and get on with using it. That's why we bought VB rather than took PHPBB or the other GNU/GPL stuff.

VBportal should fit in with that model for the best results and uptake. Otherwise it will be just a curisoity and not the fabulous add-on that we need.

Maybe we should ask Jelsoft to develop a VB CMS portal - they would perhaps be more understanding - but it seems a shame to waste the work already done.

Version 2.1 IS available to the public to hack and enjoy! And it works great! I am not one of the contributing few yet over there at phpportals. I don't expect anything from them. I want a solid hack...not one piecemealed together like many hacks I've gotten from here! UBB may be slow, but the hacker community was excellent! I think vBulletin community is coming along, but IMO it's still lacking! And it's not used by as many people because of the MySQL and PHP requirements...for many that would mean switching to hosts that provide that stuff!

I understand what you're saying Pilot. But think of it this way: this is a hack, but it's not JUST a hack! Get my drift? The JUST hacks can be released little by little. The 'holy sh*t' hacks like vbp need to be given some time!

As AJR has said, 2.01 works great and is freely available to you. Why won't you use that? Oh yeah, too much customization, well then your going to have to wait.

I can only tell you the same things on both sites, YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT!. It's not going to be released any sooner because you feel the need to hound us about it.

As you can tell, your starting to frustrate everyone with this subject. I "lurk" on the vbP site all the time and if I feel someone doesnt' come around demanding things, I help them. I've done more than my share of installs on peoples system for 2.01 and 3.0 and have never asked for a penny to do it.. Why? Because I want to help.

You, you seem to want to badger people and prod them till the agree with your point of view. It doesn't work like that.

WaJones has told you countless times that he is not interested at this time in making the mass amounts of money that you promise he will get if he releases this to the public. I'm glad he said that. Didn't deter you though, did it?

Well, if it was up to me, and I might have a little bit of say, I would not admit you to the Contributing Members forum. Why you ask? Well, I think you would give it out to everyone because you feel it should be that way anyway. Is there any recourse if you do? Probably not, so why take the chance?

Again, only my opinions, they reflect no one elses on the PhpPortlas.com site.

Josh

Since I'm basically responsible for the confusion here, first I'm sorry it's spilled over to the vBulletin board.

Obviously vbPortal 2.x is very difficult to install, a lot of hacking. vbPortal 3.0 as a core product requires no hacking of vBulletin it is basically plug and play, but there are options that allow greater functionality that do require hacking. So you just do what you want when you want. Start from the basic lite install, then add the other options as you gain familial with it.

But to get one thing straight, it is still a free product for the vB community and those that desire to use it, it's not for everyone. It's true I have started a members only forum, as many of the vB users here have talked about. We need to find something to help with the costs. I have not as of yet realized a profit and doubt that I ever will even break even. It's an expensive hoppy.

I have been lucky to get a bunch of contributing members all of which have not contributed money, but mostly time and advice to help make this next version, which I feel is night and day compared to 2.x.

I handle all requests to become contributing members on a one to one basis. I do not wish to let it be know as to how they achieved the membership but some very nice helpful students have paid nothing. Those that can't afford much don't pay much, those that have appreciated the work and can afford it have voluntarily been very generous.

All along all I have said it that 3.0 is not ready for public release, but will be and will be free as soon as I can make sure it is ready.
Now I feel it is very close, but not yet.

I probably should have never mentioned that it was on the horizon, but I need to generate some interrest to gain support.

I posted this on phpPortals and will again here.

If someone, sends a disclaimer that they will not distrubute the unfinished code, ackowledge it's pre-release quality, provide a verifiable web addrees with ip where it will be installed, isp email address no hot mail, and the reason they can't afford to contribute, i.e. a student, or a person that just can't afford it. I will personally install it for them over top of their existing verified lic. copy of vbulletin, time permitting for free. I do not want to keep any ligit under previledged person from trying it out. I just do not have the time or resources otherwise to cater to everyone and handle all the complaints as why it won't work. I will not cater to the dishonest. I will do this in full confidentiallity, if you can't pay so be it, I will help out.

I am also sorry that it had to spill over here... to the members, moderators, and administrators... sorry if anything I said or was sad was harsh, or unappropriate for this board in anyway..

not really for sure why this post was not self contained and confronted on the phpportals board.. but maybe it was thought to be more supported over here... ? I know it is an addon for vb.. but if there is a board specified for this addon.. I think most of the questions, concerns, suggestions, hatred should be shared there :)

I, too, have installed and run many different vesions of vbportal/phpportal. I think it is a great hack and works very well. Many people have created very good hacks for vbulletin, but most of them never release the code. Wajones has been good enough to allow free distribution of a very complex hack which has taken many hours to create and test. I have been, and am currently creating sites for various companies and organizations which is based on vbulletin/vbportal and it is very solid and very stable. Here are my latest results ... http://128.241.205.98/ .

Please give the team some time to make the latest version as good as all the previous versions. Each time, this hack gets better and better with even more features.

My 2 cents,

-JRW

you my freind are a ass. plain and simple. If you would of known how much work, and time have gone into this project, you would understand one of two things.

1) there is no fuc*ing carrot on a string approach. Those who have helped wa in the past few months, have been rewarded with even more work of debugging. I myself happen to be one of those people. If the guy who created it, says in essense "nothing is going out the door until i feel its completely fixed" than believe him. We all know since we have been in close relation to this product, and its development, that there are issues that are being addressed. Those who chose to help wa willingly, and without some sort of "i helped, now pay me" approach, is why some of you have not been granted this magical carrot.
There is alot of time and effort put forth into this project, which also means, to get it where it was before to the state it is in now, required VOLUNTEERS....
Wa was nice enough to grant some of us the option to use 3.0 for debugging due in part we helped him, with no thoughts of ourselves, or "payment".

2) when and if you ever crack open a script, and than make it work the way you want it to, than maybe you will understand the work that goes into making them do what you want them to, and if asking for a payment, or donation is to much for you to understand, than by all means, slap something together yourself.

vb has already considered it. They have stated in one thread or post here, that the possiblity may be in 3.0

either way, that is a long time off, which also shows that vb does not just thow shi* out the front door without some proper channels of testing.

Josh, its just another case of somebody feeling left out is all that it boils down to. people would rather bitch and complain about something with thier hands out for a freebie, than actually help, or promote the product they are bitching about.
Its funny...if the hack is free, people will still bitch. If the hack is a pay hack, people will still bitch, but than add more to it, because now they have a feelling of empowerment because they threw some money at it...well...look at the people who have done nothing but throw time at it...(some of us)

The person i feel bad for in this whole case is WA...i myself take pride in my work, and try to help everyone out that i can, and that is what WA has been doing. On his free time, his own expense, his own basic stance of sanity, and all I have seen lately, is people bitching about his work.
Frankly, if i were wa, i would say fuc* ya, lock down the portal site, and if you want it, you buy it.

One thing is for sure - a restricted beta will not catch all the bugs.

I always regard a first public release as a beta and you can be certain that an incremental release will have to be released to fix problems that the wider public audience will surely find.

Therefore we are not just waiting for 4.0 but really for 4.1 of VBPortal for a version that can perhaps be used with confidence of stablility.

It's because it's looks so good that this waiting is frustrating for us out here. And as I have said I would pay for it, I am no freeloader.

The ideal outcome would be for Jelsoft and WAJones to get together to build this into VB eventually as happened with the PM hacks and others.

ok, personally, not speaking for anyone else involved with portals, i am going to voice a few more comments towards your ignorance, and self absorbed opinons that border along the lines of a begger who was turned down at the soup line.

Number one thing is, that most of the questions generated in the portal project, were from members who took the time to help without any form of repayments, structured monetary amounts, or any form of royalties. In a nutshell, we volunteered our time, when the first portal was released, and than proceeded to help wa as much as we could.
The reason there is a forum, is of course for those who stood by wa in the beginning of the project to voice concerns or bugs regarding the portal system. Not because we are hiding anything from the public. All issues that are presented in those forums, are a form of support to the prior release, and of course the latest project release 3.0.

Why i bring up those points, is because the "validity" to your statements, reek of someone who wants this product to supposedly "test" when in reality, all you want to do, is take it and run with it. Lets not kid one another here. The amount of pm's, ICQ's, false enrollments at other members boards begging for 3.0, offers made in emails..etc... prompts the curiousity of most involved with 3.0 on the intentions of those who want this early release.
Offers to pay us for the hack, and other assorted trivial bs made most of the staff and crew of 3.0 realize also since these people have not enrolled at the portals board, made any contributions whatsoever at the portals board, or even so much as asked anything regarding portals at the portals board, could mean that the person who claims to be so eager to "test" this hack out, may be also willing to do a few things to make himself some money on the side. The demand is there, so who is to say you wouldnt do that?

The contributing members area, is a form of trust, and bonding that has taken place during months of development. If you were not there to throw in a loaf of bread, than you sir are not going to be eating at the table anytime soon.

The only thing that is getting shoveled around here, is your weak assed attempts at trying to force a pre-mature release, based upon a even weaker argument that "more people means better test results"
i hate to break this to you, but with close to 100 people testing it on every server config that can be virtually named, and the experiece, knowledge, support, trust, and caring attitude to providing only the best that we can for wa's project, i can assure you that we have all the help that is needed.
I guess another question would be....what exactly do you know, that the other 100 or so of us do not already? I mean, we have been around the project quite a bit longer than you have.....also,
to many chefs ruin the stew, and you seem to be the type that wouldnt mind pissing in it when our backs were turned.

Why is there so much hostility at the phpportals.com site towards "outsiders"?

Maybe you should try thinking of these people as future customers, and not as a nuisance?

What would happen if it were released to the mass public here at vb rite now?
take a wild guess. A unfinished product, hits the shelves, and now we get to sit back and listen to everybody +++++ about it.

Is any of this making sense?
What you are asking wa to do, is release a hack, that he completely is not comfortable to release to anyone but those who have taken the time to help, or chance something on thier server, because we agreed to the risks without +++++ing like some paying customer at a greasy burger joint, so that he can develop, figure out the bugs that were found by people who are nothing more than testing it, and not listen to complaints or a mass amount of +++++ing from people who know nothing about it including installing it.

Why is this so hard to understand? He just wants it to be "rite" when it is released.

Potential customers? Wa has a donation set up, but there is nothing said about having to buy it.

i think what most people who disapprove of this faction, or structure of release are not understanding, is that it is a HACK, and as such, a very involved HACK. WA has taken a great deal of time to address bugs in this HACK so that when he releases it, the HACK should be virtually fail safe. There are several installations now that have gone without a hitch, however, that does not mean that wa should go running to release it just to please curiousity now does it?

Its called responsibility. If wa did not care about what was being released, or the very fact his name is attached to the hack, than sure, everybody would get what they wished for, and that would be a unfinished product.

And no, this is not a issue of exlusion, or inclusion. A couple of people have made that a issue, when it has no bearings on wa timeline of release anyways. If you want something that will work, than sit back and wait. If you want something now, that will virtually give you headaches because the person created the hack didnt care enough to listen, because you want it now, than you are barking up the wrong tree.

Anyone you provide a product or service to is a customer, whether they pay for it or not. Right now the site does not make future "users/customers/whatever" feel welcome. Which is unusual for this sort of software really.

it is a hack. Not a form of software, nor vbulletin wrapped up in a nutshell. The primary key word here is "hack" which is non supported by vbulletin, and obviously by a few people that do not understand the ultimate goal of "customer" satisfaction, which in essence, is exactly what wa is trying to provide, if people would get off his back.

There used to be a saying that went a little something like this:

"patience is a virtue"

My sympathy for those who knew about the project months ago, but did nothing to pitch in any help, or support of the idea, falls short of basic caring. Now, in turn, the attitude that was displayed by those who chose not to help, which is one of sour grapes, and a array of fingerpointing at the people who are "contributing members" is the basic turntail analogy of "its not fair" or the timeless one of "i did nothing to help in this product, i did nothing to even show any interest to this project, but now that it is being offered to those who did, I want a piece of it, and if i cannot get it, than i am going to piss and moan, +++++ and complain that the people who are involved with the project, are nothing but opportunists waving the golden chalice of consumer wants and needs for profits over our heads" argument, which is nothing but falsification and fabrications of those who figure the world owes them more than what they put into it.

Remember, it is a hack. A very detailed, highly complicated, and very involved hack. Also keep in mind, wa is not making any money off this either, because some of those who downloaded the origional portal system, took it and ran. Now, basically what i gather from some of the negative comments in this thread, and really what basically is being conveyed here , is that wa should once again, after dumping months and months of work into this thing, give it away once again, to those who feel that his hard work does not deserve a contribution, a donation, or any volunteer work of any kind.
Well, lucky for you, the dontations, and monetary contributions are just a option at this time, which also means the hack will not cost you a nickle.
What may happen, (and I wouldnt blame him one bit if he did) in the future, if this type of behavior displayed prominantly continues, is that the hack will be for sale only, and than those who +++++ed and complained this whole time about having to pay to be a "contributing member" might actually have a valid argument to hold over his head when and if he ever decided to release another version. Rite now, the arguments that are presented are complete bs, and unwarrented

Of course, that is just my opinon, and not of the vportal site development crew, or of jellsoft/vbulletin.

Up until the post by WaJones I thought this thread was a half decent debate with several members putting their points across in a well-mannered and hopefully constructive way.

I never intended it to become a personal attack on any one member but now I feel I am forced to state my own position regarding the issue.

Any post I made had nothing to do with money; I do not want something for nothing, as you seem to think. I also take offence that you seem to think I am some kind of under privileged person, what a patronising statement to make. I set up my own board on my host at my expense, the vB licence was at my expense, and the continuing updates, hacks etc and the vast amount of time I spend hopefully providing my members with a better board are all at my expense. I ask for nothing in return.

So what am I asking for; the opportunity to become involved, not to take a perfect hack and run, as you seem to think. Can I offer assistance in debugging NO I do not have the necessary skill level to do that but, I can work out what is wrong with my own installation and hopefully learn in the process, prior to commiting to my main board. All my problems with 2.01 were down to two things. (1) Typos in the scripts (mine) and the fact that somewhere in the scripts the portal is looking for the forum(s) folder, mine is in the forum folder.

I got 2.01 to run last night for the first time and I take some satisfaction that with my level of knowledge I got it up and running at all. So maybe, just maybe I could answer some of the dumb questions I asked at vbPortals to those who are in the same position allowing those members who are doing the development work to get on with developing the hack.

At no time or in any post did I ask for the release of the Lite version or VBPortal 3 to be released? I simply questioned the reasoning behind the contributing members area, and I also felt the hostility to newbies.

As for your comments ToraTora, I notice in your sig on the vBPortals site this statement: Founding Member, and C.E.O., of the highly privatized Pain in the Ass Club

I reckon your position as C.E.O. Is safe for another 3 years.

well, im glad to see you actually took the time to visit the site for once.

also, my comments reflect mine, and mine only. I call them as i see them, and frankly, your "read what you are shoveling" line was nothing democratic, nor freindly as you so state as your plea of innocence because of me "picking" on you.

I did not ask for your financial statement either, because frankly i could care less.
None of us are millionares, and that is why i choose to back up those who work thier ass off to give something away that actually shows quality and craftsmanship even though the product was free.

Maybe you should of read my review of vportal in the reviews section, instead of reading my signature. You would of seen how far wa and josh have progressed that hack from the time i wrote that review.

also, if you are so interested in helping, why is it that the posts in here from josh reflect otherwise?
Badgering somebody to help is not a form of helping period.

also, i noticed you said you got 2.01 running. well, did you contribute anything to the cause?

if not, than you prove my point, and the very same reason wa probably isnt that enthused about adding someone else to the mix of the contributing members area. After all, that is a old release, and most of the bugs, or problems have been either solved, documented, or just plain ignored because the problems are virtually non existant.

You really are out of touch here,

Yeh, I ran over and told everyone at vbportals - Sheesh. And as for being added to the list - I have never asked or wanted to be added I only commented on the Contributing member statements by others and gave my own opinion.

You don't have a clue how often I visit the site, read the posts, do searches etc.

No you did not, but you use the same argument for wajones, I only tried to point out that we/most of us are in the same position.

Don't have a clue what you mean here, I am not responsible for what Josh posts, and again you seem to think I am offering to help - I never said I was. I said the contributing member status precluded individuals including myself the opportunity to become involved, there is a difference in being involved at your own skill level and helping debug at the developmental level, which clearly I am in no position to do.

I do not see any point in continuing this thread as clearly we have differing opinions, problem is, I am talking about one thing and you are way off at a tangent talking about summit else.

Sorry, my post wan't meant to fire anyone up. Maybe that's why I almost failed public relations in college. :)
I didn't intend my statement that you or anyone was a charity case. Just meant that I wasn't necessarily asking for money. Not that I would turn it down. This is an expensive hobby and I am retired and really am almost a charity case :D
Everyone that has installed vbPortal 2.x has had problems and I just didn't want that to be the case with 3.0, If I went about it wrong, I guess I did can't do much about it now, but I didn't mean for it to cause hate and discontent.

Anyway 3.0 will be ready for beta 1 release in a few days I hope, it's not perfect, but it's still free.

After reading all of this stuff geeze... I must have slept in a little too long today...

Pilot, I know it may seem that over a phpportals we shun on the outsiders.. but we really don't. We would just like to see everyone that is interested in this hack.. to come join the community and get to know everyone. I know it may just be another board, that you register too and never or hardly ever visit till the hack is released, but... still be nice to join and ask questions, respond to posts.. etc. Just to get to know everyone. I have been around wa's site for awhile now, and I can tell you that I am Glad to have met everyone that I have come into contact with, either from phpportals or here. Outsiders are not bad.. it just seems that if you are over here on vb's site, asking for the release of phpportals (Which pilot bud, you didn't really.. you were just voicing some good's and bad's... and I guess.. did not really want this kind of feedback, but some positive feedback from other members that have not gone over there that much either). Sorry it turned out this way. Really I am. So outsiders are ok, but if you want to voice your opinion or praise it.. please do it over there... especially if you are praising it... cause I would think wa would love all that he can get.. :)

centris, congrads on getting vb 2.0.1 installed and ready to rock... as you noticed there was a lot that needed to be changed to set it up properly, you will be happy to know it will be a lot easier in the final of 3.0... :)

As for you coming over and helping others... to me.. you really can't unless someone asks a question.. related to something you went through.. so no, you don't have to run right over there and say Hey I installed vbp2.0.1 who needs help, who has questions... kind of thing. Just glad to know that, now that you have installed it.. you can help if need be. But to tell ya the truth, a lot of the questions that have been asked have been answered throughout all of the threads on that board. :)

Btw.. for everyone to know.. wajones has actually spent some money just to make this a free hack to everyone.. hell even for getting rid of it to the masses in a way. I respect wajones for actually opening this up for everyone else to download. There has been a lot of great hacks that people have not released, because of the amount of time and energy put into them. So it is very cool to me to see that one of the best hacks around is being released to for everyone. I myself have not actually given any money to wajones yet... I have given hours and as much support as I could at time.. I mean yes, me like ToraTora.. and others can be an ass at times.. and just say.. search the forums... but we learn from the best.. lol :) But I plan to send a nice donation over, as soon as this winter comes and I get more money (less golf, and less outdoor activities means more money)

Well.. I would type more.. but no one wants to listen to me.. hehe.. :)

that and I have a softball game... :D

I do want to make it clear that any comments made by others are their opinions and not necessarily mine. I do not support nor condone foul language or abusive remarks about anyone.

Debates are healthy, but no need to be get inflamatory or start degrading anyone.

Well, I think this thread is about over now.. :D

All opinions reflected in these comments do not reflect the opinions of WA or PHPPortals.com or it's members.

Ok, now that the disclaimer is out of the way, I think some fundamental things should be covered.

Yes, I was directing my comments to the people who feel with vbPortal, or any other hack, that is their right to have it and be supported as much as they want. Hacks are a priveledge. If someone writes a hack and they feel they want to share it with the public, then you should feel lucky that they took their time and effort and decided to let you use it. They do not owe you anything, in fact, it is you that really owe them.

Sorry, for the tirade and this will probably be my last post in the thread. This subject as you can tell has hit a nerve with a lot of people and rightfully so.

Josh