vBulletin Licensing Concern

[WildCowboy]

I think you underestimate what can be done with customization. We have some ideas and plans, but there's a ways to go.

[arn]

Originally Posted by snowleopard48

Well that's a little sad. vB3 is ugly and old and will always be difficult to customise. I know many, many forums that use vB4 and it's fast and has no issues at all. Sure, skip vB4. But at least have a look at vB5. Please.

Can you give me any specific features from 4 or 5 that you want on MacRumors (besides look/feel)?

And, do you really like vb5? http://vbulletin.com/vb5demo

If there were compelling "must have" features in vB 4 or 5, I'd be far more interested in upgrading. That's why I keep asking for specific features you want. I agree the theme/skin of the forums could be much better, but that's fixable otherwise.

arn

[SilentPanda]

Originally Posted by arn

You can remove the version number either way. I just never have.

arn

Don't remove the 3.x, just replace it with 7.x... then you can stay on 3.x until after 7.x is outdated.

[ericrwalker]

I think the layout of MR is clean and simple. Not full of clutter or fancy images that don't really serve a purpose.

As for features, that's another story. Not sure what people need/want, but this is one of the most successful forums on the net.

[appleguy123]

I'm not sure why it doesn't do this anymore, but the search results used to update automatically. Now it takes up to 10 minutes or sometimes longer(if I make a new thread for it to show up). I like ip board personally. It is really fast and the implementations I've used are very fast.

[Comeagain?]

As far as looks, I think that the forums are full of straight lines, with sharp corners and borders, whereas Mac OS X and iOS (and computing in general) have lots of rounded edges and gradients. It just feels "outdated" to me. (Not because of the age of the software, just the look)

For features, I wish we could implement something similar to the "Reputation" system. Also, post "likes", compared to just voting up and down.

[snowleopard48]

Originally Posted by Comeagain?

As far as looks, I think that the forums are full of straight lines, with sharp corners and borders, whereas Mac OS X and iOS (and computing in general) have lots of rounded edges and gradients. It just feels "outdated" to me. (Not because of the age of the software, just the look)

For features, I wish we could implement something similar to the "Reputation" system. Also, post "likes", compared to just voting up and down.

Thank you - that's what I meant. It feels outdated. Also, as I think I've said before, I've heard before that vB3 uses an old, outdated styling system that would make it harder to customise to a modern look. Surely vB4 (or 5) would make it easier for the MR development team?

[Jessica Lares]

I personally have no problem with the current forums. A lot of other places I go on are still on v3 aswell, and we're talking about forums as big as MR, or even bigger.

I don't think a message board should have a lot of stuff going on in the background, because it's the content that matters. And obviously, we have to think of the people here browsing on their mobiles who already have a hard time with pages already taking too long to load. With the additional styling that v4 and v5 have, it wouldn't make things better either.

[314631]

Originally Posted by arn

I'd consider it, especially as we are dead-ended. Options are limited, however. And migrating a forum this size isn't a quick/easy task.

From my casual looking around, it seems IPB might be the only real viable alternative, but I haven't looked into details of limitations and issues of it.

If we dive headlong into customizing our install, though it would make it harder to move elsewhere.

arn

Xenforo is what most vBulletin 3.8 sites have been switching to. Xenforo is software being developed by the main guys who built vBulletin 3.6, 3.7, 3.8 etc. and they left before the release of vBulletin 4.

I'm not blown away by Xenforo by any means. But some people have done a decent job migrating away from vB 3.8 and converting to Xenforo. BigSoccer.com is one of the larger sites I've seen do it successfully recently.

I still think vB 3.8 is still the best forum solution despite its age. It's unfortunate it's now effectively abandoned and no longer getting security fixes and bug patches.

As for vB 5, wtf are they thinking it looks like they've taken vB 4 and spent a year making it worse in every possible way.

[andalusia]

Originally Posted by AlphaDogg

I use another vBulletin forum frequently, which has vBulletin 4.0.8. I really like the quick response feature. I also like that it lets me do command+b for bold, or command+i for italics, etc. In many ways, I think 4.0.8 is superior to the version that we have here.

On this forum I could have sworn that Ctrl-I would make text italic, and the same for Ctrl-B etc. It doesn't seem to be working for me now though :\

[OllyW]

Originally Posted by andalusia

On this forum I could have sworn that Ctrl-I would make text italic, and the same for Ctrl-B etc. It doesn't seem to be working for me now though :\

It works in Firefox on Windows. I'll check it on the Mac when I get home from work.

[MonkeySee....]

Stick with what you have. if you change the "feel" of the site many people will find it hard to adjust.

Another forum I'mon went from VB to Xenforo (http://xenforo.com/) we lost a few members because they lost the familiarity.

For me I embrace change and the software is very good. From a back end point of view i'm not so sure.

[SandboxGeneral]

Originally Posted by OllyW

It works in Firefox on Windows. I'll check it on the Mac when I get home from work.

On OS X CTRL + I, B, and U:

Chrome: No keyboard shortcuts.
Safari: No keyboard shortcuts
Firefox: Yes keyboard shortcuts

[andalusia]

Originally Posted by OllyW

It works in Firefox on Windows. I'll check it on the Mac when I get home from work.

Originally Posted by SandboxGeneral

On OS X CTRL + I, B, and U:

Chrome: No keyboard shortcuts.
Safari: No keyboard shortcuts
Firefox: Yes keyboard shortcuts

Ahh, Firefox. I use Chrome at work so that explains it. Thankyou!

I do find that feature useful, so it's a shame it's not a universal feature.

[arn]

Originally Posted by aurichie

Xenforo is what most vBulletin 3.8 sites have been switching to. Xenforo is software being developed by the main guys who built vBulletin 3.6, 3.7, 3.8 etc. and they left before the release of vBulletin 4.

I'm not blown away by Xenforo by any means. But some people have done a decent job migrating away from vB 3.8 and converting to Xenforo. BigSoccer.com is one of the larger sites I've seen do it successfully recently.

I still think vB 3.8 is still the best forum solution despite its age. It's unfortunate it's now effectively abandoned and no longer getting security fixes and bug patches.

As for vB 5, wtf are they thinking it looks like they've taken vB 4 and spent a year making it worse in every possible way.

There is some uncertainty about the future of xenforo from what I've read/heard.

----------

Originally Posted by snowleopard48

Thank you - that's what I meant. It feels outdated. Also, as I think I've said before, I've heard before that vB3 uses an old, outdated styling system that would make it harder to customise to a modern look. Surely vB4 (or 5) would make it easier for the MR development team?

Moving to vb4 or 5 wouldn't make theme styling easier.

arn

[snowleopard48]

Yeah, if moving away from vB was an option, the two great ones IMO are xenForo and IPB. IPB is probably my favourite though

[arn]

Originally Posted by snowleopard48

Yeah, if moving away from vB was an option, the two great ones IMO are xenForo and IPB. IPB is probably my favourite though

Any specific ipb features you like?

arn

[snowleopard48]

Originally Posted by arn

Any specific ipb features you like?

arn

The flexibility with the editor for threads - the ability to change thread titles (Is this possible in vB? I haven't seen it on any vB forums I use...), the ability to add and remove polls easily, If you click on an image it pops out and the rest goes dark, the layout of the profiles / control panels, the nice animations for buttons (fades, etc). It all just seems very sleek, modern and nice to use. I understand wonders can be done with theming, but still, IPB is such a nice piece of software.

[r.j.s]

Originally Posted by snowleopard48

The flexibility with the editor for threads - the ability to change thread titles (Is this possible in vB? I haven't seen it on any vB forums I use...), the ability to add and remove polls easily, If you click on an image it pops out and the rest goes dark, the layout of the profiles / control panels, rhe nice animations for buttons (fades, etc). It all just seems very sleek, modern and nice to use. I understand wonders can be done with theming, but still, IPB is such a nice piece of software.

Yes, the thread starter can edit the thread title.

[Comeagain?]

Originally Posted by snowleopard48

The flexibility with the editor for threads - the ability to change thread titles (Is this possible in vB? I haven't seen it on any vB forums I use...), add and remove polls...

All capable for those with the right buttons to push. Here, you can edit the thread title and add a poll at any time (on a thread you started), but you can't edit or remove the poll (unless you're a mod/admin).

To edit the title:
Original Post > Edit > Go Advanced

To add a poll:
Top of thread > Thread Tools > Add a poll to this thread

[snowleopard48]

Hah, okay. Maybe it's just some vB forums don't have that feature... Regardless, I still think IPB is very polished and simple, and very modern unlike the design of vB3.

[sdsvtdriver]

Originally Posted by ericrwalker

I think the layout of MR is clean and simple. Not full of clutter or fancy images that don't really serve a purpose.

As for features, that's another story. Not sure what people need/want, but this is one of the most successful forums on the net.

This.

I've ran VB forums. I've admin'd others' forums. I've migrated forums. VB5 is a disastrous mess - change for the sake of change by a new company and a different vision.

Arn could hire some professional skin makers and give MR a totally new and updated look, and the function and familiarity would generally be the same.

MR isn't broke (short of the down arrow disappearing :/ ). No need for change for the sake of change. Then again, I'm old and I like things where I left them.