vbPortal

[wajones]

As you know we have a separate site for vbPortal, it's purpose is not to infringe on vBulletin.org in any way. This is also not a ploy to advertise, so moderators, feel free to delete, move etc if I'm stepping beyond my proper bounds here. We fully support vBulletin.org in it's concept and purpose. vbPortal is just too big a hack for handling on this site and would defeat the purpose here.

As most of you know, vbPortal is a free download, with the exception of the new beta release which is only in the members section until it's deemed stable.

Some have objected to our charging $20 to gain access to the members section where we provide addons and hacks for vbPortal. This is a necessity to keep the site dedicated to vbPortal and so we can afford to keep it going. We don't charge for the software and don't have enough time to provide extended support like we would very much like to do.

We do however offer free membership to those that participate in our affiliate programs, vBulletin being one, the primary one of course. We are very proud to say we are or were in the top 5 affiliate sales sites for vBulletin and that all these users have received free lifetime access to our members section.

We want to thank vBulletin and it's policies for making this possible and all the developers/moderators here equally. I also offer unconditional free membership to all vBulletin developers/moderators that want it, I understand some don't really care about it. It's just a an offer, vbPortal isn't for everyone.

I want to extend that offer to dedicated vBulletin hackers, those that have made considerable contributions to vBulletin. We can always use help. We don't contend to have the expertise of the developers over here, we are just trying to make something that will benefit the community.

So here's the thing, if you have a nice hack that could be included in vbPortal and are willing to share it we may possibly be able to include it as an official vbPortal addin and with that you will get full credit for the hack and free membership to our contributing member forums. please don't flame me, I know that some of you have no use for vbPortal, but others not so inclined or just starting out find it to be a good starting point for their sites, especially small to medium sites. however there are some very large site using vbPortal.

We will also offer free membership to those that make the top 10 in generic vBulletin hacks, no strings attached. You will have to contact me on this as I'm not able to check all the time. I'll also extend this to the hacker of the month/web site of the month here at vBulletin.org if that's still an on going thing.

Anyway for what ever this is worth, shoot it down, kill it, disregard it, if it's not proper for me to do flame me. It's just a thought.

[Erwin]

Hi,

Your offer appears reasonable. I don't consider it spamming, and I appreciate you offering the hackers here free membership to your support forums. That's generous of you. Most hackers here have found that they can do a lot of what vBPortal does with minor hacking involved without the need for so much extra code. Of course, we don't have the functionality and ease of the addition of vBPortal modules (ported from Nuke PHP).

However, you do have stiff competition, from free portal hacks, to commercial ones like Tingle, and also one by Firefly, all of which appear to be less server-intensive than vBPortal.

[wajones]

Competition is the salt of the earth, but I'm not trying to compete, just trying to serve a need, there once was a void and I guess that void is getting filled But I'll keep doing what I'm doing as long as I'm having fun, it's just a hobby to fill my retirement days. The new version is considerably less intensive thanks to all the suggestions and help I've recieved from the users and the addition of two new parteners.

[Dean C]

Vbportal is a fantastic piece of software..

The only things i don't like is that its hard to customize. I think that you should be able to use your current style - as its a pain converting it over to vbportal..

There are many many hacks that i'd like included if you'd like to here them?

Regards

- miSt

[zajako]

I think the installation process for vbportal was too much of a hassle, thats why i have been working on vB SiteCreator v2.0, its a hack that allows people to make a site useing the template system, and youcan add php pages using a wysiwyg type editor. Its going to be a nice hack that also consistantly shows a left bar for every page including the forums.
I think its a great thing that your offering free service to use hackers and contributers to vbulleting as well.

[wajones]

I'm didn't want to start a negative thread, I really hate it when someone takes a thread you have started and turns it into a yea but mines better sort of thing. I only posted here to make a gesture, not have a debate on the goods and bads of vbPortal or have everyone tell me what their doing is better.

[Erwin]

I agree with wajones - he is just letting the community here know of his generous offer from the vBPortal team. No need to "bash" the software here - just thank him for his offer, or leave it.

[thebigboss]

Hi Mist,

I'm also one of the developers over at vbportal aka scotsmist.

Always interested in new add-ons and additions that would benefit vbulletin users. Bring your ideas forward

As wajones mentioned the latest beta version of vbportal is much less server intensive and can now easily be configured to use far less queries and resources than previous releases. The installation has been revamped, there are new, improved admin manual pages and a lot more modules have been ported too.

I don't want to turn this into an advert (sorry, it nearly was), just wanted to also extend our welcome and appreciation to vbulletin fans/users everywhere.

[Dean C]

Ok i love the software so here's my ideas:

- I dont know if this is already possible but i'd like to be able to add modules via the admin cp with php code and/or html content etc

- I'd like to be able to keep the current vbulletin.style as its a pain in the ass copying and pasting the templates etc

- Weather hack (i think you have this done already on your dev site )

- The ability to have a seperate section in the vbulletin templates system whereby you have an expandable list:

This is done by adding something like this in the template.php file:

PHP Code:

$only['vbportal'] = 'vB Portal Templates'; 


Then you have to insert them into that section via the installer script (im sure you know how to do that)

- I'd like to be able to edit ALL aspects of html via templates because some of them are included in the php files. So basically i'd like to be able the COSMETIC structure of the portal via templates. And when i say that i mean All aspects of it

- Also i find it a pain that you can't change the overall font attributes to vbportal without editing the php code - this would be quite useful to maybe use your vbulletin's font attributes

Intigrations or possible add-ons:

- Shoutbox included in next release as default option

Lol im out of ideas

Hope you take these into consideration and thanks for taking out opinions on these things and good luck with the future of vbportal

Regards

- miSt

[thebigboss]

thanks for the feedback, though I honestly half expected you to post that at phpportals for some reason

Will you object if I copy your post above over to the dev site and answer as best as there (I would post back with a link), or would everyone prefer the answers be posted here ?

I'll look back in tommorrow as its already very late here in the UK (well past my bedtime, LOL).