[cheat-master30]

Originally Posted by thenewuser

Okay, vb is a super popular paid forum system. 90% of the forums I go to are vb. You guys are making bank.

This is my friends new site, powered by IP.Board.

This site is a brand new install with ONE tiny mp3 mod installed.

LOOK at that! Clean, beautiful default skin, wonderful AJAX powered complex profile system, full user file upload system, full gallery system, with video support and yada yada.

The 'beautiful skin' is an opinion thing. There are many here who like vBulletin's default style more. Heck, there are even those who like the version 2 style for phpBB more and those who like the UBB default skin more. AJAX isn't everything. The profiles, while complex I think personally look horrible, over cluttered and non designed. I also hate Myspace profiles if that means anything to you. Not sure about what you mean by the full user file upload, you can already upload files. The gallery costs extra and is an extra add on product, not free with Invision Power Board. Video support is extremely easy, and requires simple BB code additions.

Granted, some of their stuff by default is cool, but lots is just the equivalent of getting a few free simple hacks or BB code or template changes from here.

Why hasn't vb updated their software with stuff like this? I am beginning to wish I had started my new site with IPb instead...

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=224446

They are adding similar stuff. And since most stuff is basic modifications, they will probably be in there sooner or later.

Arg. Can we expect updates like this? If not then my next site, which I'll start in 2 or 3 months, will have to be IPb instead, even though I'm "set in my ways" with vb. I will be willing to learn a whole new system for the "cleaner" features for the users.

Sorry, if this sounds like a flame, I love vb, I must, I own 3 medium sized forums. It's just, how can I be expected to use it when this kid who just freshly installed a cheaper forum software and it looks and has more abilities than most of the vB forums out there?

Management, style and promotion are as, if not more important than features, and content beats all of them. Features are not the be all end of all of success, I know from seeing forums succeed and fail before when I visited them for some reason or another.

I doubt I'm the only one who feels this way but maybe I am. If no one agrees then I'll shut up and put up.

Originally Posted by thenewuser

eh, the replies stink of fan-boy like text. I never said I "hated" vb, I actually like it but this software seems to be dependent on "free, sorta supported, community mods" and not code by the professionals at the vb team. The only major additions to vb itself in the last years have been quick quote and ajax quick replies.

Why do you expect a non biased answer on an official forum? Seriously, re posted from my own forum where I said about this to someone:

Originally Posted by Me, some other time

Why do people honestly expect non biased answers...

... on forums/boards for the product/game they are asking about? I mean, all those who go and ask 'Is this game worth it?' on the Gamefaqs Mario 64 DS board or ask whether Mario 64 DS or [insert other game] is better, do they honestly think they'll get a neutral answer? I mean, they are practically talking to the biggest fans of the product ever if they go to a forum about it, or the official forums. And official forums! They honestly go to the official vBulletin support forum and ask 'Should I buy vBulletin or Invision Power Board?' Don't they notice the glaring title, website address, forum name and everything else? You won't get neutral opinions on official forums or those for the product you are enquiring about, as those that dislike the product will be few and far between on the forums there.

The fact that I have to pay $120+ for photopost to get a nice (it's not very nice, support staff acts like "why are you bothering important me?") video support and ipb comes with it for free pisses me off.

But, whatever, I'm set in my ways and no longer have time to screw around with new forum software. It's just, my friend had a choice, vb or ipb, he compared, he went with ipb and it looks like he made the right choice.

What will other newbie forum owners choose? Again, this isn't a flame thread, it's just a concered forum owner wanting the best for his customers and future customers on future sites...

No one was offended, or flamed or anything as far as I can tell. Besides, you also have to consider which of these forum software packages has the best support, and which has the best community and such. And many people I have heard say vBulletin for this is better compared to Invision Power Board.