vBulletin - the truth

[Atemu_1111]

Copyright ©2000 - 2007 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved. vBulletin® is a registered trademark.

Then there's this: http://www.vbulletin.com/faqsales.php

According to my records, there's nothing special about vBulletin one smart enough can program themselfs. It doesn't take the source out of a special file made by vBulletin, they might of coded it, but can a user (without knowing of the vBulletin files create this, even if it's a one out of a million possiablity?) - Atemu.

There's isn't much proof of vBulletin being copyrighted, it justs say it isn't a free service and I saw a Staff Member saying this:

When you're paying for vBulletin, you're paying for Professional Support, that's why it costs so much

, What happens if you do not wish for support, and knowing that you'll never use it? Can we run this software without having your support? Also, if that is so, If I created a vBulletin Support Forum, just as good as this one, would that be considered illegal, and I'll have to shut it down? - Atemu

vBulletin isn't a free service, and it's copyrighted to us, so you may not use this software without a licence, your copyright doesn't say, 'all of it's contents', so basically all I have to do is change it's name and pictures and I'm fine, if this is correct? - Suzie

If I can't make a new alias for giving out free vBulletin, can I just make a subdomain and/or make subforums of the forum the user wants, thus making a url redirection to the category for the forum, if not, can I cluster my forums? - Madison

If I purchase copyright removal, does this mean the copyright affects me anymore, so I can start selling vBulletin to people? If it's still in affect, does this mean it's a waste of money, I can't do anything?

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Sorry guys, I'm making a vBulletin Support Forum.

[Atemu_1111]

Seriously, vBulletin is so copied off Invision Power Board itself, I can make so many modifications without having to edit Invision Power Board's files to make a forum look like it's running on vBulletin, check out http://vbulletin.ipbfree.com/

[Floris]

vBulletin is coded by the developers from Jelsoft, therefor automatically their copyright. The license you purchase is a license to grant you permission to run vBulletin.

Regardless what other say or claim things are, our license agreement and our staff are correct. I don't know which 'staff' member you're referring to that says 'You're paying for the support', I assume that's put out of context.

You're making a vB support forum? What's wrong with this one? It's official and with professional staff members, and only gives support to licensed customers. Please note that if you have a support forum for vBulletin that is unofficial that you have to a) respect the trademark, the copyright and b) put a notice in the footer on each page stating very clearly your forum is an unofficial Jelsoft forum.

[Floris]

Seriously, vBulletin is so copied off Invision Power Board itself, I can make so many modifications without having to edit Invision Power Board's files to make a forum look like it's running on vBulletin, check out http://vbulletin.ipbfree.com/

vBulletin is its own product, and not a copy of IPB. Let's not go there.

[Atemu_1111]

That simple post doesn't answer much of my larger post.
How about if someone with no knowing whatsoever with vBulletin, would it be possible (even if it is one of out of a 1000000000 Billion, get vBulletin).

It'll be like copyrighting the colour #000000 then saying you have to pay to use it.

[Floris]

The color blue is not copyrighted, or general means of layout/design. What is copyrighted are the images and the source code, stuff like that. Please look into software copyright protection act to understand what copyright stands for. I am not sure what you're asking. You can't just start coding and end up with exactly vBulletin .. they then have to rewrite their software so it no longer clashes with Jelsoft's copyright on vBulletin. That happening, .. won't even happen without people copy/pasting the original source code. I super strongly doubt someone can just reproduce the code by starting from scratch.

[Atemu_1111]

Mind sharing how iPBFree.com (a non-editing file ipb forum hosting service), and a member of iPBFree just made some modifications without editing the files? It basically has what the vBulletin Customors pay for.

www.vBulletin.ipbfree.com

[Floris]

I highly doubt that it equals vBulletin. You can change a few template or css classes to match the color scheme, it doesn't turn it into that program.

[Atemu_1111]

have you been to www.vbulletin.ipbfree.com yet? I guess not.
99.9% of my friends use vbulletin for it's double ranks, and the sideway posts. but when I create a forum with double ranks and sideway posts they probably won't use vbulletin anymore.

I guess.

anyway, ipbfree has defeated the purpose of vbulletin. After the new Sideway post mod and double group images ( and double user groups) comes out.

[Atemu_1111]

ALSO, what about that copyright removal? That still confuses me.

[derekivey]

Dude all that site is is a modified template to make it look like vBulletin. It is still IPB and does not work like vB...

[Floris]

have you been to www.vbulletin.ipbfree.com yet? I guess not.
99.9% of my friends use vbulletin for it's double ranks, and the sideway posts. but when I create a forum with double ranks and sideway posts they probably won't use vbulletin anymore.

I guess.

anyway, ipbfree has defeated the purpose of vbulletin. After the new Sideway post mod and double group images ( and double user groups) comes out.

I am not going to feed your trolling of IPB on this forum. If you don't like vBulletin then don't use it. I do know the difference between the two products, and I have been on that web site, and that doesn't even look close to vBulletin's layout and design.

The copyright removal as you call it (the branding-free option) is for web sites who don't want to have the copyright notice in the footer on their forum. The fee gives the customer permission to remove that copyright notice. Note of course that this does not mean it actually removes the copyright from the software, it is still in full copyright and ownership of Jelsoft.

[edwardtilbury]

Im no fan of paying for software, especially $170, but for that money it's a good deal... The amount of dynamic content generated by users is amazing. It would be retarded for me to try to learn PHP and databases to the point where I could just program a vbulletin, just to save $170, that's illogical. It's like learning how to pilot a plane just so I can save on airfare.. I'll pay the air fare anyday. I don't know about you, but time is money.. I can't afford to take that much time just to learn how to do that and have to maintain it, as well as manage the other sites I work on..

Yes it will be very beneficial to learn PHP and Mysql to the point where I could make a vbulleting, but I'de rather rackup the users and get my site known before learning the inner workings of vbulletin 100%.

[Bruceper]

I suppose I'll have to be the first to say it, you're a tard.

http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield...ate=ij1ctm.2.1 shows that indeed, vBulletin is a registered trademark. Perhaps if I were the owner of that trademark and you just per chance used the word vbulletin in your domain name then I would get the site shut down for trademark dilution and infringement. Of course I would do this through the court system rather than through the UDRP process so I could apply for damages as well.

According to http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/dco...ght/basics.htm copyright is

"a form of protection provided to the authors of “original works of authorship” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works, both published and unpublished"

Reading elsewhere we get

"Examples of unauthorized acts which are prohibited under this right include photocopying a book, copying a computer software program, using a cartoon character on a t-shirt, and incorporating a portion of another's song into a new song.

It is not necessary that the entire original work be copied for an infringement of the reproduction right to occur. All that is necessary is that the copying be "substantial and material."

Next we can move onto intellectual property law and contributory copyright infringement if you really want to. Your understanding of the law is less than basic and shows that you have zero understanding of anything you are talking about.

According to my records, there's nothing special about vBulletin one smart enough can program themselfs. It doesn't take the source out of a special file made by vBulletin, they might of coded it

What records? a 78LP? It's "themselves". Yes it does take the source out of a special file made by "vbulletin" (Jelsoft actually). Yes they did code it, which gives them copyright protection.

There's isn't much proof of vBulletin being copyrighted

More proof you don't have what it takes to talk logically about anything regarding the law. Copyright is granted upon the creation of the work, and does NOT need to be applied for.

vBulletin isn't a free service, and it's copyrighted to us, so you may not use this software without a licence, your copyright doesn't say, 'all of it's contents', so basically all I have to do is change it's name and pictures and I'm fine, if this is correct? - Suzie

Of course not, any child with an education knows this as it is the code that is copyrighted. Copying the code is a copyright violation.

If I can't make a new alias for giving out free vBulletin, can I just make a subdomain and/or make subforums of the forum the user wants, thus making a url redirection to the category for the forum, if not, can I cluster my forums? - Madison

Is that within the license of vbulletin? If not then you can't. Didn't purchase a license so you can't be held to it? Then you're guilty of piracy, copyright theft, intellectual property theft and trademark infringement.

If I purchase copyright removal, does this mean the copyright affects me anymore, so I can start selling vBulletin to people?

You are not purchasing copyright removal, in fact the wording is this

Branding Free Option
This allows you to remove all vBulletin/Jelsoft branding from this vBulletin Forum installation. This refers to the copyright information in the footer only. The logo may be changed without purchasing the Branding Free license.

No where does it say you are free from copyright, it only states that you may remove the line that states "copyright". Of course selling copies of vbulletin would be copyright infringement, trademark infringement and dilution.

Sorry guys, I'm making a vBulletin Support Forum.

Go ahead, and while you're there await your court order for any/all of the infringements mentioned above.

Have a nice day somewhere else.

[MRGTB]

Seriously, vBulletin is so copied off Invision Power Board itself, I can make so many modifications without having to edit Invision Power Board's files to make a forum look like it's running on vBulletin, check out http://vbulletin.ipbfree.com/

Well I clicked that link, and had a god dam good laugh!!!

It looks like a 4 year old was let loose with a box of crayons to try and skin it.