vB Forum 4.0 upgrade no longer free!

[Steve Machol]

Everyone still has access to and use of the products they bought. Furthermore as per this announcement:

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=315681

...you will be able to download any versions of vB4 Forums up until the expiry date of your license. After that date you can continue running the version you were eligible for. However in order to have access to further updates to vB4 after that time you will need to convert your license to vB4 or vB4 Suite.

It would be better for you cost-wise to take advantage of our limited time offer to upgrade to the Suite at the discounted price of $130. However you are free to wait and either stick with that version of vB4 Forums that was available at the time of expiry or pay more later.

Note: This is not applicable to the vB4 Publishing Suite.

The policies are set and as per the forum rules if you wish to discuss this further you can fill out a support ticket.

[rldoughjr]

My points exactly. Just took my money for 3.8 and 1 week later said too bad, new product, the one we sold you last week without telling you it was end-of-life and giving you an informed choice, is being replaced so we need some more money if you want to continue to play with our new toys. Then insult to injury, a few days later told those with inactive licenses they could buy in for a discount and all would be forgiven. And then, had to rush a rough beta to the screen to assure those that they duped into buying a real product that one really did exist, but told them they had to wait until it was done to get it. So please buy it now on faith before the next SEC filing because we have run out of money and can't finish it off without paying the rent.

[The Smoking Gun!]

guys, relax. The updates are only free if your license is still valid. You won't have to pay for the software updates.

They don't do refunds.
Relax and don't be so damn harsh on yourself and the company. Nobody's been screwed. You are just confused about what's going on. It's ok many people who don't know what's going on are the same. Consider yourself lucky that you have got a forum of your own.
The new rules are in place because the guys are sick to death of some members who constantly give the guys a hard time. Fair enough. They have to get stricter because the tone of the forum has become unfriendly for those who are looking for help with their forum.

Are you joking????

There is NO confusion to the fact that a couple of weeks prior to this announcement I put out $240.00 for forum plus blog to find out to KEEP what I have AND be up to date with the current updated version as has been the case in the past, I Either get free 4.0 and throw away the blog money, or shell out MORE than double to get what my license says I get with my purchase under that license....NO friend...nothing confusing about that, if you need me to post ticket and response volleys with them, you will see how the have indeed SCREWED people, and why shouldn't a new licensee, not see what they bought in to when the plans are already in place, and pretty much inferred that they are now "making" products and "discontinuing" products, so when 5.0 comes out, it will be the same thing..throw out your money if you but suite too close to the next new "product" release because that is what's going to happen, and EVERYONE should be well aware of this BEFORE going in, so new people having a little trouble with their forums will know that a year from now, they have better have their forums running flawlessly, and pray a new PHP or Sql update doesn't occur because vB won't be supplying updates to those in a year...then what?

I am sorry, there is no confusion here, in fact it is CRYSTAL clear!!!!!

People have a right to know when a company has changed through an acquisition, and when that company's policies, and priorities change with it as well as the changes in marketing strategies, so they can make an informed decision as to whether to get married to this company or not, based on the ethics and integrity it now shows, as opposed to the ethics and integrity Jelsoft's previous reputation we all have come to respect and like to be a part of and contribute to, and their appreciation of that support was renowned, however, the strong and growing adolescent company has grown to be bitten by a werewolf and changes in to one with each new release...well ok that was over the top, but I would be willing to commit that if anyone is with them long enough they will see this happen with each new release and "market" themselves out of the market for their product because every other considerable competitor, is rushing and scurrying their R&D departments to "latch" on to all those getting a divorce from this company, and will no doubt be smart enough to know better than to strong arm people committed to their long term communities, and are left with little choice, but to lay out way more, way sooner than budgeted, JUST TO KEEP WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE, that is if they have a blog.....those with Project tools???

Well they were just cast aside without so much as the slightest consideration, especially when BOTH DISCONTINUED PRODUCTS WERE CONTINUED TO BE SOLD LICENSES, long after they knew they were not going to support them for the TERM of that license. Now many compare this to other software companies marketing, but truth be told....all the other companies have PRODUCTS ON SHELVES IN STORES and when a new release is coming out, those remaining inventories are discounted so that a consumer can either buy a less expensive previous version, or pay full boat for the new release, and those buying the discounted remaining discontinued products, are buying them off the shelves in store, or the publishers are clearing out the remaining inventory in warehouses, and the consumers can STILL get a considerably discounted upgrade.

THIS company has been selling INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, not excess inventory, and as soon as support and updates were decided to no longer be continued, licenses should have also been discontinued from being sold, since they KNEW they were no longer supporting these two products, which is selling a license under false pretenses.....so I will ask...WHERE IS THERE ANY CONFUSION AS TO WHAT IS GOING ON HERE???

I know I am not at all confused by any of this. I think MANY share this clarity very well, by looking through their wallets, and see NOTHING preventing them from seeing clearly through the vacancy left by their recent purchase!

You know what else??? Every other company also has the expenses of packaging, printing boxes, manuals and transporting it all to the retail shelves. Now granted a degree of this have become either all inclusive on the cd/dvd or is an on-line download, but still most people want to hold something in their hand a read about it before buying, and when spnding hndres of dollars on such a product it usually comes in a SIGNIFICALTY sturdy box that will "bookshelf" well for future reerence of the literature inside.

TSG!

[rldoughjr]

Agree. My original post pointed out that there was free use of 4.x until the anniversary date, then you had to buy a 4.0 license for $195. So no longer free after then

[tormodg]

The best thing about VB4 is the fact that they moved social bookmarketing from horizontal view, to vertical right next to the "icons."

And this relates to the discussion exactly how?

[Carlos 360]

The best thing about VB4 is the fact that they moved social bookmarketing from horizontal view, to vertical right next to the "icons."

[aussiefooty]

I don't allow people to view my forums. But that's another story.

Read the announcements that the guys give you then you won't be surprised.

[slinky]

I think you are out of luck on this one. You can only wait. Read the quote from the beta testing announcement:

Thanks for providing me with Ray's quote. I may have to see whom I can contact on this one. If I can't see what's going on with the back end, I have some serious decision making this week. I've taken a look at other options and I'm quite impressed. I've been with vBulletin here since version 1, as you can see from my profile. But not being part of the alpha or beta leaves me with needing to decide how to deal with the development plans we've had that are now put on hold in seeing what is in store for vBulletin 4 and the time period likely involved until it even gets toward the beginning of a beta stage and addition of critical feature sets. It's disappointing and the abrupt time period makes this even more a shoot from the hip decision on most of our licenses.

[New Age]

Now that's nasty eitnier!

[rldoughjr]

It seemed to read that I could use 4.x for no additional charge, but when my anniversary date rolled around I could continue to use 3.8 but could no longer use 4.x without a purchasing a 4.x license.

[Webmist]

So, will an owned 3.8 license allow me to run the 4.x forums without additional fees until 5.0 comes out?

It basically hasn't changed. If 4.9 comes out a day after your license expires then yeah you gotta pay to get anything further. It's just now you have to pay the upgrade price to get any later versions. Which on how far off 5.0 is would depend on how much it's worth to you. Like going from 3.7 to 3.8 had some good upgrades.

[M S A]

الغلاء واضح ولكن النسخة مميزة وإلى الامام

Price is high but distinctly, you need to care

[simonhind]

when will vbulletin 4.0 be avalable to download.

i am a uk customer and understand that the upgrade to v4.0 is $130 (£85) for me which is only avialble until 30 October
as a UK customer, i would like to know when this will expire for me, as the time zone is different

i also think it would be a good idea to post information on this for different timezones as customers may become confused

[go2]

Is not a good choice at this time of crisis IMO.

And why you have not started to say this things the last year?

Anyway fortunately that there are other solutions.

[EduardB]

@ Zachery

You are saying that "Renewals have gone away" then why was it still available a few weeks ago when I renewed my license which would expire tomorrow the 23rd of October... The funny thing is that I do not even have any upgrade option available as most likely the license did not expire yet!

I will be upgrading to the suit as I will be paying more around this time next year and this is wrong in my view. It would not have mattered if the upgrade would cost the same as the suit now

So in the end I thrown away $40 for a license I will not be using...