Former vBulletin lead developer Kier Darby to develop new forum software?

[MRGTB]

I'm not a fan of the way it displays forum descriptions as pop-up boxes when you hover your mouse over the forum boards listed on the forum homepage. I find that very distracting. Nice touch I agree, but I think it would be better just showing the description instead like most regular forums do.

[feldon23]

Maybe a better comparison, Would be to compare vBulletin 3 to XenForo on the speed stakes, with that again not being a light-weight board.

Is there a list of features of the vBulletin 4 (forum only) not present in vBulletin 3.8.7?

I am being dead serious.

[MRGTB]

Not a clue, I've hardly used vB4. And even then I had it installed for no longer than a few hours before I quickly removed it.

vB3 doesn't have a sidebar though, and the features that pulls stuff to it.

[steven s]

vB3 doesn't have a sidebar though, and the features that pulls stuff to it.

Big deal. Nothing that can't be done with vBadvanced.

[Abomination]

Anyone? xenforo has the database thread marking feature.

Is there another easy to use script that has the database thread marking system?

We are using vb3.8, and IPB certainly does not have it, and vb4 is not an option.

Does UBB have it?

[wcguy]

Well, the good news for Vbulletin, and Internet Brands is that the launch of xenforo has almost singlehandidly wiped out all the moaning and groaning on vb.com......

this, in my opinion, is more damning of IB, and a million dollar hit to their sales projections, than any other thing out there.

If the moaning and groaning didn't dip, or evaporate almost in it entireity, that would imply that people still cared about vb4.

The silence, now, is deafening.

VB should be in full panic mode, right now. An engaged, albeit unhappy, user base is 10 times better than a user base that has given up and left.....

[Alfa1]

If another disaster comes around with vbulletin, then the moaning and *****ing will continue. And since IB is doing an incremental rewrite there will likely be plenty of those coming.

[The Vegan Forum]

It's always good with something new and exciting... but of course a new piece of software with loads of missing features (compared with vB4) will appear as more lightweight. Not having 2 million posts and 200,000+ members onboard also helps. IMO vB needs to make vB much more simple and user friendly, but in terms of unresolved issues - remember that many of these reports are related to features Xenforo doesn't even have yet (CMS/Widgets, Blogs, Infraction system, Sidebars, Adsense, Social Groups, true Multi-quoting and so on). After a few days, and with very few members, there's a long list of ideas for improvement/change. The software isn't ready, and with more features, there will also be more bugs - and most likely even more wishes as well.

We can all upgrade to Xenforo if we want to (when it's out). Some of the stuff Xenforo offers would be really easy to implement in vB - so for vB owners, this competition can only be good.

[anthonyparsons]

You can already begin to see the requests pouring in at xenforo for all the features. Every software development is the same. As the developers, you have to make a choice on what to add vs. your own outlook for the software. You can't give everyone everything they want, its not rationale.

The web today with a shift to mobile and small devices, seems to fit more realistically with scaling backwards to what software has been doing previously by increasing in features and on-page options, instead shifting backwards to skimming all the nonsense into an "as portable" product as possible.

Every non-essential aspect of a page that is not part of the reading or posting aspect should be hidden and only shown if the user wants to see it. Default, a page should be as light as possible, which reflects Googles own future thinking with shifting towards giving the lighter web pages precedence over the bulky content, and also focused on new, fresh content. The web is changing rapidly, and software developers either keep up with it or get left behind.

Just my two cents.

[shelley_c]

For my main site I'll be going with IPB though I have another venture soon that will require XenForo. As stated on their forums, There are some areas I am not keen on, but there's more I do like than dislike. OKay, it's lite weight atm, but as it matures and at their current rate (developing, implementing creative touches) I can see this software/product being something special. The whole usercp area for me is great. Looks nice, and most importantly functions beautifully.

Biggest factor for me is nice product but they are listening and responding. That for me is a winning factor. It'll be interesting to see the path they take with this one. Personally, I think the devs have done an outstanding job considering the timescale and resources.

[lim (x³-7x²) = ∞]

soon there will be many of used vb3/vb4 licenses up for sale, second hand prices will go down :x

[Boofo]

soon there will be many of used vb3/vb4 licenses up for sale, second hand prices will go down :x

I wouldn't bet on it happening soon. It will be a while, if at all.

[lim (x³-7x²) = ∞]

I think xen will be priced comparable to second hand prices of vbulletin, basicaly that means admins will be able to 'upgrade' without investments, why you think it will be not popular scenario?

[MRGTB]

I think there's a market niche for a "top quality" light-weight forum software package myself these days. I wouldn't write-off a forum package just because it boasts a lot less features than IPB 3 and vB4. As long as it still boasts the most important aspects people want the most, such as being very SEO Friendly with good Web Validation in place e.t.c. And features most used in place. It will sell itself to many people out there still. They could capture sales from "phpBB3, SMF and MyBB" users quite easy. And that equals a lot of sales.

People are basing there comments on vBulletin users buying XenForo. What about the people out there who don't use vBulletin and just want a great alternative to a free light-weight board that they are willing to pay for?

The Web doesn't revolve around just vBulletin users you know. There not the "be all, and end all" of everything.

[Boofo]

I think xen will be priced comparable to second hand prices of vbulletin, basicaly that means admins will be able to 'upgrade' without investments, why you think it will be not popular scenario?

According to what I read on their pricing, they are going to price it around vb and ipb pricing, which doesn't sound very good to me.