What's going wrong with vBulletin and vB.org?

[Christos Teriakis]

Hello,

Maybe in my profile appears that I'm register user since Jul 2011, but the true is that I'm active user here since early of 2003, much older from most members. So I believe that deserve to write my thoughs and speculations about the future of vBulletin (as Software) and vB.org as top site for vB addons.

Today is Saturday, a day that most users have day off, so I was expecting to find the community here to be active. What I seen instead? A photo is worth of 1,000 words, so check the attached screenshoots.

Forums that a couple of years ago had ~2 posts per minute, not need hours and maybe days to have something new. So, is the vB sales droped or just users don't spent so much time as the golden days?

Maybe you'll ask "Why you care for it?". The answer is simpe as 1-2-3. I've invest years (~7) for coding addons for vB. This is a real investment, and as all investors I want to have a clear sight on what I'm investing. Ok, I know that I can bring back the years that I already spent, but infront there is a new vB version. Is it worth of value to spend my time learning a totally new way in programming addons, or not? Does vBulletin (company) will focus only to this new version, or, once more, they will add a competitor in the field, keeping 3 versions active? Because, what I know now is, that the worst competitor of vB4 is ...vB3. Strange but true.

Any honor comment (or advice) is highly recommented. And something that I left for the end, as I want to be 100% clear with all. Even if I wrote it somewhere else here, I'm reposting it, to work as an additional proof. Forget about Mary (aka MicroHellas). There is no such coder (but still exists as real person). For my own reasons I had to use someone's else the name for doing business. And of cource the best choice was my daughter's mother, even if she is ex-wife and not current.

PS- I decided to start this convertation afrer reading somewhere (most probably was a blog post) a post from Cole Lawrence that the CMS version of vB5 will be delayed as there are only a few clients using it. So, I had to wait 4 years to know that CMS (like Project Tools) where down on sales?? And what about vBulletin5 as Forum software. Is it a growing product or going down to the earth (I'm talking for vBulletin 5 Connect)?

Chris

[Chris8]

I totally agree with you. I come here regularly to check what is up and sometimes to get some needed information. It makes me a bit sad that there is less and less threads, especially the useful ones with some new ideas or the code extending vbulletin functionality. Not to mention there are almost no new mayor modifications especially for vB 3.8. There is so much things that could be still done but yet this place reminds more and more a dead desert.
I think the part of fault is by vbulletin themselves, they make the future of this great software uncertain. Many users switch to other solutions with better support, more bright future views more social networking options or free/cheaper solutions. I don't blame them but it's sad because I think vbulletin especially 3.5-3.8 series are the best forum software you may get there. So why the hell it's dying. I too invested a lot in it, since last 4 years I've been playing with it day after day, developing my idea (still not ready, but I'm very close to finish) which after careful research I based on vbulletin. Why? Because vbulletin was best, most extensible, most reliable, most scalable software out there. Unfortunately, I'm not very good coder and I can't code everything myself. I believe they could still reactivate it if they wanted. It just a matter of hiring a few talented coders, going back to what was almost perfect, rewriting what is necessary and extending the whole thing. Just my thoughts...

[Ramsesx]

Can only speak from me, it's long time ago I had a wow factor when seeing a new add-on.
Additional a lot of coders are not very steady in the long run.
Reason might be the time to spend for it and the low income for the add-ons if they are paid.
Examples like thegeek (personal issues), morgan (personal issues?), Brian from vbadvanced has gotten very quiet since some times (guess he has to do another job to earn money because he can't live only from coding) .
Forumsmods I bought an add-on from, a great coder too but I don't know what's going on with him.
And, sorry to say that Chris, some of your products were really great too and you could earn a lot more money if you would offer a contiguous support for your products.
I can't remember how many names and different websites you've had over the years and how many products you offered on vb.org and removed again after a short time because of impulsive reactions.
Don't take it as an offense Chris, at all I like you and I think you're a nice guy.
What I want to say, it's really hard to find long time supported add-ons and trustworthy coders, be it free or paid.
My last experience with a coder I hired from here for a gars port to vB4 (500$ offered and payed 50$ in advance) was a fail because he still couldn't deliver after 4 months so I canceled the work.
And not to say, most of my questions I asked on vb.org get low responses or keep unanswered at all.
vB5 doesn't look like a big success, could be one more reason for the situation here.
That's it from my viewpoint, sadly it's long time ago when I really enjoyed this place or vb.com but time has changed.

[Simon Lloyd]

Guys, what you have to understand is that vb5 is a live beta, it's constantly evloving as those brave enough to use it in production report bugs, wants or wishes, vb5 was always touted as more a social software akin to facebook or other social networking sites.

Those that buy teh vb5 license get vb4 and can use that in production while beta testing vb5, it's a long way off being ready for use in the real world, so if everyone took that on board then great!, we're helping shape the product for our future. On the other hand it looks like another IB shot in the foot asking folk to pay to beta test and report bugs. It depends on how you see it, i for one wouldn't buy a product that isn't fit for it's intended purpose.

I think vb3 (i'm biased of course ) is the best in the series and still has loads of scope, developing facelifts and functionality for vb3 should have been the way to go - lets face it, you can pretty much code anything to look like something else, the money would have still rolled in as it's a sound stable product with great flexibility.

Check it out for yourselves, there's lots of vb4 licences for sale on the net but not one vb3!

[Christos Teriakis]

@Ramsesx
--------------
First of all, just for the history, The Geek and Morgan are the same person, the Calorie who was Moderator here.
As for your comments. For sure you didn't offended me in anyway. Nothing can offend me when it said face to face, following with explanation. I do agree with you. Totally I agree. The only problem is that for everything that you said (which I accept as real), there is an underlying reason, that in most cases has nothing to do with my personality.

For example about moving in-out my mods from vb.org. Even if I do admit that vb.org is a superior site, the way that is working is not frinedly for coders. For example instead to give a thread to coder for supporting a mod, they must give a Bug Tracker's thread. It will reduce the amount of double posts.

Another frustating situation for coders (much be more for designers). So many changes in the core files (vB). I'm ready to give time for adding features to my mods, but why to waste so often my time to change something that working before? I've 2 PHP Scripts, 3 Facebook applications and 2 WHMCS modules. I never had to change the code other than adding features.
In any case, is a long story.

Finally about my sites Sure there is a reason for it too, but offcourse not easily understandable from endusers. I always had a problem. A site per product, ... a site per platform, ...or one site at all? Don't forget that I've scripts in 5 platfors: PC Applications, PHP Scripts, vBulletin Addons, WHMCS Modules, and last .. Facebook applications. And if you add to these 5 that I'm testing on coding addons for xenForo and IPB, you'll understand how difficult is to decide. What to do... Coding is my passion... I've i total around 50 applications. If I had the money, I should operate a site per platform. But....

@Simon Lloyd
-----------------
Yes, vB5 Connect is in Beta. But comparing it with vB4 betas, I can say for sure that vB5 is much more stable than vB4. Actually, if I had a valid license (now I'm working with the Alpha Tester's version), I had to put it in live site.
The question is... how many will move on?.... That's the problem

Chris

[Ramsesx]

Hi Chris, you are absolutely right it is indeed a very important point I have forgotten to mention, the many code changes during the vB4 release cycle. And the bad, it looks like vB5 will continue this way or makes it even more worse for a developer.
Regarding The Geek and morgan/calorie, they are different persons.
The Geek is male and morgan/calorie is female, she took over his add-ons from www.thevbgeek.com because he had to concentrate on his main (non coding) job.
But again to the question "What's going wrong with vBulletin and vB.org?", I think there are two main reasons responsible for the bad situation: vBulletin is no more the No. 1 community solution and the community spirit is gone.
As an example you can see it in this thread, the participation is near zero.
Try the same over on xenforo and you see the difference.

[Christos Teriakis]

Originally Posted by Ramsesx

But again to the question "What's going wrong with vBulletin and vB.org?", I think there are two main reasons responsible for the bad situation: vBulletin is no more the No. 1 community solution and the community spirit is gone.

I do agree, and in my opinion 4 are the main reasons:

1. Sometimes I act like crazy, but they're kms ahead me. I never adopt a stable product (vB3), to build something that just looks like a forum (vB4).
2. As you said, more players in the field
3. vBulletin became a Share in Silicon Valley. Grow the price and sell it. If the author is not present, then anything else is just Business.
4. FACEBOOK. Bad but true. Have got a big part of the field.

As for vB5. Soon I'll see people who bought it to install ...vB3

[Sean James]

The problem is people are losing faith in vBulletin even more than ever. People are worried if vBulletin 5 will be released unfinished and rushed just like vB4. Im really crossing my fingers that they complete the stylevars 100% when it goes gold because if they don't, it will be exactly like last time where us designers had to rework so much of our skins with every update. The first year of vB4 for a absolute nightmare, the amount of changes they did to the stylevars system was crazy.

vBulletin 4 has not even had a update since May, thats a long time for no updates for software that has many many bugs, I asked about it today on the forum and was told that they are waiting for the mobile coding to be completed which sounds all good until you research their forum and find out they been saying the same thing for the past 4 months :/

[Lynne]

Originally Posted by Ramsesx

As an example you can see it in this thread, the participation is near zero.

Some of us aren't commenting in this thread because we see this same type of thread pop-up every six months and we get tired of posting our same comments.

[Christos Teriakis]

Originally Posted by Lynne

Some of us aren't commenting in this thread because we see this same type of thread pop-up every six months and we get tired of posting our same comments.

I think that there are some differencies here:

1. For sure there is no way to have a similar thread before 6 months as vB5 has just a couple of months live.
2. The said question is not about if (or not) investing $250 to buy a license something that I'll do even for curiously, but if I'll invest my time to learn the new coding style of vB5. And as everybody who is in this field of business, is logic to know if there is market or not. To make it simplier. Having in mind my experiance from vB4 beta release when a lot of users upgraded even from first minutes, I like to know if the same happens with vB5. Because if I count only to vB5 forums, then is better to kick off any plans for spending my time.
3. I've at least 20 addons (the most populars) to move to vB5 in case that I'll decide to do it. Sure I'm one the "Big Supporter", but for sure will bring some more interest to other members to upgrade.

Edit:
PS 1: I don't think that Ramsesx was meant participation in the discussion from moderations, but rather from regular members
PS 2: Talking for vB5 Forums I mean the low amount of downloads in all addons. If for example there only 20 who downloaded a free addon, means that there is 0 potential client for commercial addons.


With full respect
Chris