Multiple vBulletin Forum Hosting

[Simple.]

Is it permissible to create software that allows my server to host several instances of the same forum? Like Mihalism MultiForum for phpBB basically, but all of them will stay on the domain that the license was registered on.

[Andy Huang]

You will need one license per instance of the software. Please review the license agreement on http://www.vbulletin.com/go/license Thanks

[Dismounted]

Also note this line in the agreement:

The Software is licensed only to you. You may not rent, lease, sublicense, sell, assign, pledge, transfer or otherwise dispose of the Software in any form, on a temporary or permanent basis, without the prior written consent of Jelsoft.

[MrAlex]

There USED to be a long time ago,
But you not allowed to anymore,
IDK why.

[Andy Huang]

You were never allowed such action in the first place. There is no "why" aside from it is not allowed in the license agreement, which had stood firm on that aspect since forever.

[Floris]

Also note this line in the agreement:

In even further detail:

Modifications to the Software or database to circumvent the one-license-one-board rule are prohibited.

[Comtech]

In even further detail:

I have always been one to question the validity of that agreement & similar agreements. It more than likely would not hold up in a court of law, unless anyone here cares to show a case where a similar case went to court (law of the States) and the judge ruled in favor of the agreement.

In my opinion, once a person buys the license he or she can do whatever they please with the license, outside of claiming it as their own and selling copies of it. This means making a modification to allow multiple uses of the forum software as long as it is attached to one database.

If in a court of law it can be proven that the forum or forums are all part of the same database, but a few modifications were made to create a new forum for another URL then that could be allowed by a court of law – in the United States.

Nobody tells you what to do with your car once you buy one. It is your car. The same should be with licenses of software. With time I am sure the government will step in and create new laws that limit the amount of limitations a software developer can evoke over their customers. It makes no sense.

[Floris]

Comtech, I am not going to discuss this with you.

What the staff said here is how the situation is, users can disagree and not buy a license. Or agree and respect the eula.

[Steve Machol]

In my opinion, once a person buys the license he or she can do whatever they please with the license, outside of claiming it as their own and selling copies of it. This means making a modification to allow multiple uses of the forum software as long as it is attached to one database.

Apples and Oranges. You buy a car - you own the car. A car is not a copyrighted material that is protected under copyright laws.

We own the intellectual property of vBulletin - a copyrighted material. You are not buying that. A license allows you to use the software under the terms we have established and which you have to agree to before you can purchase or download it.

At any rate, this has been answered.