Can't see myself upgrading to 3.5 for a while, how about you?
 

I've been using several 3.5 forums and I just don't see any kind of quantum leap in product that makes me want to ditch 3.0.9 with all my hacks to upgrade. Am I missing something? What do you guys with heavily modded 3.0.x boards feel?

I <3 Ajax

I already 'ditched' 3.0.x :)

With that said, don't make the jump just because something is the new thing. There will probbly be less new hacks for 3.0.x as we get closer to gold but the 3.5 code base is not tested widely yet. Thats not to say the code has not been under heavy private and public testing, but it is still offered as 'unstable' meaning many will simply not download it to begin with.

So the ultimate answer is, you should make the jump once you think you're ready. :)

I'm still sticking with 3.0.x until I know that 3.5 works well with very large forums.

I would love to implement the ajax quick reply and I think the datastore being stored on the server as a file will be a plus too but I have to wait for the hacks to get upgraded. I am sure some smaller ones I am using wont even need to be changed but I haven't had the time to try it out.

I just installed a fresh 3.0.9 yesterday, and I've already put some hacks and modifications into it. I'm not upgrading to 3.5 until at least a month after it hits gold; that way, all my current styles and hacks can be upgraded.

I prefer old-school, simple, reliable, accessible, functional methods. More bandwidth == bad, but stability == makes up.

Having said that, I do plan on upgrading eventually for these reasons:[list=1][*]Inevidably, security and bug fixes of all degrees will only be for 3.5[*]I am working on a site redesign and there's no sense in retrofitting it again from 3.0.x to 3.5[*]I forsee uses for the plugin system[*][high]CODE DOCUMENTATION[/high][*]Apparently more reliable thread read state marking[*][noparse] is groovy[*]Undisclosed reasons[/list]My dream vBulletin would publish its views through XML styled through XSLT without a single trace of Javascript, DHTML, layout tables, or WYSIWYG. However, most browsers don't support styled XML, nor are most web users using a browser that properly implements CSS (damn you IE), and everybody likes dynamic content (at view time) in a web page but me.

Memory leak fixes for a web page? I mean, when was the last time you could make HTML leak? Best of all, vB's .js files are among the highest bandwidth consumers on my site, surpassing all images and most of the PHP files.

Yes, the Javascript, DHTML, AJAX, WYSIWYG (all using Javascript) is cool and for an [i]application[/i], I like it. However, I do not feel such content belongs in a web [i]page[/i] which, by my definition, displays static content and should appear nearly the same as when printed as it is displayed on the screen.

In the case of web pages and AJAX, my major gripe is accessibility. [b]Users, after clicking a link on a web page, expect the browser to load subsequent content. This takes a few seconds.[/b] By switching the view instantly from a viewer to an editor, it disorients users (no, not all...) and they think that they did something wrong. It may take time to load the page for editing a message, but it's strangely reassuring to the user because they know that their action had their assumed and desired effect.

I'm apparently Amish when it comes to web design. I'm also opinionated, so :disclaimer:.

As is my policy:
[size=+1][b]EACH TO HIS OWN[/b][/size]
I respect your opinion, but not an argument based on the fact that you find AJAX and similar processes intuitive so therefore all users do. I do accept an argument where this type of technology is potentially becoming commonplace (obligitory reference to Google Maps and Gmail) and that those who are used to the common methods of web page interfaces will need to adjust.

I don't see why people would stay on 3.0 when 3.5 goes gold. 3.5 has everything 3.0 had, plus more, and better features. It's not a dramatic change like it was from vB2 - vB3. I just see it as another version 3 upgrade.

Already went to 3.5 on both of my forums :)

Already upgraded to 3.5.0 (did so when RC2 was released). :)

I'm working on my testboard getting it ready for when it goes Gold to use it on my live forum. I'm getting some custom hacks done and waiting for the money for that too come through too.

I can't wait to upgrade. The only thing stopping me is the lack of a v 3.5 vbarcade mod :)

You're kidding right ? An 'upgrade' that kills every hack in existance .....

vB 3.5 may be good, but the simple fact is that we won't move until the major additions we have are converted (or we find some way to fudge them into working). There is no point in a few extra forum features when the rest of the site no longer works.

Even though my forum used over 70 file and template hacks, I eventually caved in and upgraded to 3.5 about 6 days ago. Why? Well, from the looks of it, my forum runs 2-5x faster than before! Some may say that hacks might've been the cause of the lag, but the majority of the hacks weren't always used (such as mass PMing users, etc.). Still, I do like the fact that upgrading from one release to another is now far easier! Whereas I'd have to be reluctant about any vB release (usually taking days or weeks til I had some free time), I can now upgrade on the same day and only need to worry about 2-3 file edits (vs. the 10+ edits with 3.0.x).

I know that 3.5 doesn't solve all issues when it comes to editing files and such (unless the vB developers add more hook locations), but with the increased speed, AJAX, new moderation tools, plugins, and more, upgrading to 3.5 was one of the best things I've done to my forum in quite a while ;)

I always see an upgrade as a fresh start to do away with any unused modifications that I have installed and add a couple of new ones that I think could be useful or popular..

I see a new install for me but there are a few mods my site MUST have to survive, so I wil have to wait for that or figure out how to do it myself :)



~Curt

I'm new to the whole vbull scence, what does it mean by "When it goes gold"?

When a final, stable and fully supported version is released. No more RCs (Release Candidates). ;)

Up and running.
Love it! The plugins / product options is killer.

If we could only get $specialtemplates to work in plugins :D.

Ahh, but there is a work around for that now until they come up with something better. ;)

Really stupid question here, I know, but I'm new to vB. Will this $specialtemplates thing you speak of be fixed by 3.5 gold? As in, not requiring a workaround?

Your guess is as good as mine and that one. I'm sure sooner or later it will be taken care of, but just not sure when that would happen. ;)

Its being talked about:
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=93007
http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=146141

Quillz !!!! did your power go out today ? It missed us some how. Radio said 2 million people got the blackout when DWP guy crossed the wires and blew out 2 of the citys high voltage converters. :laugh:

LA, San Fernando Valley, Santa Monica .... lights out.. 1pm-5pm in some places

70-90 hacks in vb3.6 .... It was an ez switch. Many small add-ons can be ported or will be.

I'm staying with 3.0.7 till 4.5.... then ill keep that till 7.0

Good luck with that.

Yes, you are...
I wouldn't modify 3.0.X for any reason. Too much work. With my 3.5.0 RC 3 forum, I have over 15 different plugins and products installed plus vBAdvanced and vBA-Gallery...

Oh, the upgrade from RC 2 to RC 3? 3 minutes... Included uploading the files.

Heh, you know?
I will never install a code modification again unless it's vital for an amazing plugin/product to work.. :D

I still have a few code modifications laying around in my files but I am hoping to do away with them in time.

After doing an upgrade from 3.5 RC 2 to 3.5 RC 3 and not losing anything I am a beliver in the new plug-in system, it cut my normal upgrade time from just over an hour or so to under 15 minutes over internet and in just a few minutes over the local network.

My old upgrade method:

1. Download new files from members area
2. Re-hack the entire source with the .txt I make for myself for every forum I hack listing file modifications. (this can be anywhere from a few minutes to many hours depending on what forum I am updating :()
3. Upload freshly hacked files to server
4. Run upgrade scripts
5. Make sure forum is in good running order and do any template changes needed (for bug fixes)

My new method:

1. Download new files from members area
2. Upload files to web server
3. Run upgrade scripts
4. Make sure forum is in good running order and do any template changes needed (for bug fixes)

My dev forum still has a lot of added code over many files, but this is mostly stuff I've added for de-bugging.

Lol 3.0.7 has all the features i need right now so i have no reason to upgrade.

Yeah, it's the same with me right now. I think 3.0.9 is fine, and I'm slowly adding hacks and modifications, so while I will eventually upgrade to 3.5, it won't be for a while.

Think I'll probably wait until vb 3.5 gold is released.

Am moving hosts in the next week and was tempted to go to RC3 but have decided to wait.

I use the same system for both;

1. Download new files
2. Compare old > New with Beyond Compare and copy across any of my updates (hacks).
3. Upload to server and upgrade.

The only difference is that in 3.5 I have much less updates to copy across as only two/three of my hacks involve code edits.