[Black Tiger]

because the addons are no longer purchasable separately, then there can't be a "forum only" version.

Why not? They could make a vBulletin and a vBulletion Suite option. With vBulletin als the forum only option. They don't need to sell the addons seperately this way.
But it would make things a bit more difficult for them. But I also got the same impression that Trip got, that there would be 2 versions. Lack of communication about that is the problem again here.

You pay for one license and get one version of vBulletin.

Nope. You pay for one license and you get vBulletin forum software, end of story.
As long as you pay for renewing your license (which was "renewing support" in the old days) you are entitled to every future version. So not "one" version of vBulletin.

I've always been a satisfied customer of vBulletin, but we have an agreement, and they can't force agreements around so people have to take things they don't want.
VB was always forum software. Blogs, Projects and CMS has nothing to do with a forum.

I'm not sure how much more it would take for IB to turn vB into "garbage", but they're pretty much well on their way to it.

Is it already 2 years again? Phew, time is flying. Anyway, some of your arguments are not facts yet. There is beta testing? I've read somewhere people had the possibility to give them selfs up as betatesters of v4.
The 2nd price hike is not a fact yet. I've only seen one as a fact and that is the price hike from last year, in which all prices went up.

Still... the rest is true. But we can stay guessing as long as Jelsoft does not take the time, show some client friendlyness and stop some of the worry's of their clients by COMMUNICATING! As was done before.
Now there is the big silence. Maybe they use the thread to see how many law suites or leaving customers they can expect, i don't know and i don't care.
This is no way treating your customers.

There is no need to say everything, but they can give some reassurance or answers about a few things. Don't wait with the new pricing stuff until v4 is available, because then you are too late as a company.