[KW802]

Originally Posted by katie hunter

Yes, that is for VB 4.x but we know VB 5.x uses now Sphinx search, Vbulletin learned what would be best to use for search results and they've integrated Sphinx into VB 5.x moving forward.

On the other hands, XF is selling a product with a weak search built into its core and if you want the product to perform better, you have to buy a search addon that should be part of the core function not a plugin in the first place. That tells you a lot actually, that the developers think that by spending more time developing a proper function, they had the right to separate it from the main software and sell it as a plugin.

So, yes, you did question why vB4 had an "inferior" search function then?

In regards to XF, what it tells me is that the developers were realistic in that most forum installs aren't likely to even have Sphinx installed on the server and by separating the Sphinx add-on coding it allows for a leaner core at a lower price point while also offering an option for those customers who might need. You're right, that does tell us a lot.