[RANT] VB Hack Sites
 

Why do people make non-official hack forums, where 90% of the hacks featured on there are featured on this website?

It just allows those with no legit licenses to make use of the VB mod community... I really fail to see the point in making them.

Any comments?

Any site you're talking about in particular? I have a feeling I know which you're talking about, but suprise me. :)

I'm not talking about any in particular, but I know there are bundles of very small hack communities which do not offer the license validation this place does, or other international VB subisdary communities.

*Cough* vbhacks.us

*Whistles* That place is just an attraction for unliecenced fxp boards

Not to address the licensing issues, but I can see a reason why other hack sites exist. Because this is the "official" hack site, it must meet Jelsoft's needs, and not necessarily the needs of the hacking community. But, to be honest, I have not seen any unofficial site that meets that need either - the unofficials are just release sites like this one, and not geared toward developer conversation and collaberation.

A popular hack here needs more tools than are presently available here. I think that's the benefit of having other "homes" for them.

The usefulness of a support thread starts to bog down exponentially after the 50 - 100th post in my opinion.

That being said, I've only found one good "support" domain for a hack featured here and that is vbadvanced.com - others should take note of that site if they want to really go that route... Brian should be recognized somehow as the "star" hack support person as every other person(s) here who have tried the same thing have fallen painfully short :D

Cheers,

~Regs.

Like amykhar said, some hack sites are there so that there is a place where one can release hacks without being concerned with the rules and limitations put in place here by Jelsoft.

Taking the vBhosting hack as an example, there *are* legitimate uses for that hack, and disallowing it is just making it harder for those that have a legitimate use for it.

And also observe that on vbhacks (I don't know about the others), hacks are only released by their coders, and aren't just copied without permission from here.
And as it's not the coders problem to check if everyone has a valid license, why shoudn't they offer their work there as well...

I can see valid reasons for other 'hack sites'. Especially when it comes to paid-for hacks that this site does not allow. But if I were to release a hack, I'd *most likely* release it here only to help ensure it doesn't get into the hands of an unlicensed person.

I don't want to open up a can of worms again regarding vBhosting, but I agree with what you said Colin that it has legtitimate uses. No-one ever questioned that, but the fact is Jelsoft deemed that it's leasing out vBulletin to your users, therefore you need seperate licenses :)

I can see the lid coming off that can, Dean.. :p

Don't get me started...

re: the .us site mentioned in this thread, you would have thought that for a site with 1000+ members they might have noticed by now that they spelt "unofficial" wrong in their banner/header rofl =p

So you are saying that if someone releases a hack here then no unlicensed person will get it?, I don't think so, I saw a forum that someone mentioned on vbtemplates and they had a thread where people posted the url of the hack they wanted and some licensed user would grab it for them :disappointed:

But if this thread is aimed at vbhacks.us then I personally don't see a problem with it, they only have hacks that are posted by the authors, I have posted my hacks on there, because if someone wants a hack license or not they will get it.

Yeah plus there are sites with tons of hax from here thats being shared with the world thats living in danger of the Jelsoft Bust Ghost over them ;)

All too many times have I seen posts dissing vBhacks.

I'm glad to see a post like this one. :p

Why do I always get the feeling of jelsoft=Microsoft everytime I read theads like this!!!

This must be one of the most Protective & Obsessed group, or maybe I have a different outlook on life, that being - Let the owners of the product worry about piracy etc, lets face it they get paid too, we do not, we pay for their product.

As for hack sites, why should all sites relating to vB have to be Official and under Jelsoft control to be okay? The more sites that "support" a program / script the better it becomes...

If the product is good (which it is) then people will want to jump onto it.

Sorry for the rant, but over the last few weeks I seem to have been reading more posts that seem to point to Jelsoft taking tight control over more and more. One thread I was reading was about having two domains pointing to one database, and the fact that each domain showed different content from the same database was wrong!!! Yet part of the license says you can only use one set of file on one database which the chap was doing... Anyway going off on one so I'll stop :)

PS - Just to make something clear.... I do not support or approve of Pirate site or warez scripts, just in case someone thinks I was saying anything close to that.

I like the idea of multiple hack sites. Don't see where a problem is.
Hacks are always being distributed illegally. Jellsoft can't do anything about it, or so it seems. Heck, any software firm seems to be unable to protect their software and or hacks. It's about ethics. If my ethics disallow me to download software illegally, then it won't matter HOW many good unofficial hack sites exist. If my ethics allow me to use pirated software, it doesn't matter HOW many good unofficial hack sites exist. Even if only vb.org existed, you'd still be able to get every single vb.org hack available. In other words, this is not about the amount hack sites, this is about ethics. Either you have them or you don't. If you want something legally, you'll get it. If you want something illegally, you'll get it too. I'd never think of pirating vb or hacks or whatever. I have a great deal of respect for this software and the great people who do all these wonderful hacks that they do out of free will, regardless of which site does them. If the hacks are good then me = happy and satisfied. Competition is always healthy in my opinion. :)

There are several well known cases of licensed users intentionally copying hacks from these forums to post on other unlicensed forums.

Well if you forward the evidence to the staff, they can deal with it :)

Yeah, because the staff always help out. </sarcasm>

You forgot to open the <sarcasm> tag.

In regards to other vB Hack Sites...all I have to say is go for it, aim for the sky (if not past it).

No I didn't. My sarcasm is never off so it's constantly open. I only closed it this once so people knew I was being sarcastic. :)

Oh alright. Good thing you told me this ahead of time, would of had a harder time if for instance we were to work together on a development project in the future.

Glad you know. However my future is busy.

As is mine...I am pretty much scheduled for the coming 10 years, and according to current trends I will most likly scheduling every consecutive year as the current year passes, therefore I am scheduled for life.
:ermm:
Anyways back to the topic of vB Hack Sites.

Here's what I have to say about the extra hack sites, and it's probablybeen said many times.

Who cares.

You have your precious and protected vBulletin.org right here. Leave the other hack sites alone.

Unless of course they are doing somethign illegal, then mess with them. Not those who have legitiment hack sites.

[sarcasm]Because it can be proved that someone isnt just downloading the hacks to install, or for later installations. Or code reference. etc[/sarcasm]
;)