What do you think about Vbulletin vs Xenforo?

[Digital Jedi]

I don't see any problem with XF's backend at all. In any way. Other than if you've had your head buried in vB's backend for 5+ years. But that would be true of ANY software. Once your eyes become accustomed to something, you sorta expect it to always be that way. But if you take a step back and get out of your head about it for a moment, you'll find XF's backend is probably the way it should be. Simplified, and with a search function. The search function is what puts it over the top. I see a lot of people saying it doesn't have a lot of features. This is true. But a lot of things I initially though it didn't have were layered within subcategories in the ACP. I just had to get out of my head about where I thought I was supposed to look for them. Once you do that, it's pretty darned intuitive.

You're going to find things you like about software one way or the other. Visiting each other's forum boards, or simply going back and forth about how wrong each other person is for disagreeing with you is fruitless, and you ultimately miss a greater point. XF is the best thing to happen to us as admins right now. Because competition breeds excellence. When a product is essentially the only game in town, than it has no real incentive to get better. And even when they do try to improve things, it's from a very insulated position. Competition creates an environment where each other's mistakes and each other's triumphs cause the other to rethink, improve and expand upon things in a way their insular way of thinking may have never directed them. And the people who end up benefiting are the consumers.

But you'll never get to enjoy or appreciate that if you're caught up in an "us vs them" mentality. You'll magnify "their" faults. Conflate "our" triumphs. And, basically, miss out on opportunities to direct genuine, constructive feedback to developers of the script you're partial to. Factor that lack of feedback and the generally off-putting nature of these types of discussions towards new consumers, and this kind of back and forth is more of a detriment to the product you like, then it is helpful.