Sorta true. You pay 30$ a year for VB updates not vb.org / vb.com access.
Are you sure that's true? If I don't pay my $30 I can still download from vb.org? Of course, even if it is, as soon as there is an upgrade and all the hacks start converting I'd be screwed anyway.
The admins and staff have listened to the concerns in this thread and we are actively finding solutions right now. It's sufficient to say that there will be major changes implemented very soon - I know people are tired of hearing merely words with no actions to back them up - we basically need to look at different options - do we do this in an evolutionary way (slow and steady), or in a revolutionary way (radical changes)? It may be that we need radical changes. We shall see. Things are being discussed. So be assured that we are listening.
Back to reality - good news Erwin - I hope things will have changed when I return full time in mid June.
You are licenced for a year, then you have to pay the $30.
You DO lose your vb.org priviledges, I did when my first licence expired.
As far as I know this is only true for the leased license. If you have an owned license your access to the support forums (including vBulletin.org) won't expire. The only thing you do lose, is the ability to download new versions of vBulletin.