I never understood why we have to pay for branding free option either. We pay for the product dearly. It's not free. So please no free ads on our backs. I hope XenForo at least won't charge a ridiculous amount as vBulletin or IPB do.
Branding Free (split from 'Version number?')
- Thread starter MilesDB
- Start date
Erik
Well-known member
Yes, they changed it to make it clear that the whole line is their copyright.
Waddy
Active member
The only problem with that solution would be that unless exempt xenForo can't display their name without one of 'Limited', 'Ltd', 'Cyfyngedig' or 'Cyf' following their name.
erich37
Well-known member
fine with me, it was just an idea.
another question, please:
when purchasing a "branding-free licence", will there be any reference towards "XF" or "XenForo" visible within the source-code ?
Or will it literally "branding-free", so that even the source-code will be free from any reference to XenForo ?
Dean
in memoriam
I may have possibly the same question. When people right click and view source, will they see XenForo?
Elizabeth
Well-known member
The idea of branding-free is to remove overt branding, not to disguise the software as something it is not.
Dean
in memoriam
Thank you for this information.
Now I can make a decision if branding removal would be a good thing for our site.
D.O.A.
Well-known member
As a "brand free" user with other forum software I can speak from my own point of view, it was sold to me this way because our company name goes in the footer, not theirs. We can afford not to advertise for them basically, and it keeps the entire website under our brand name, theme wise, so to speak.
Been Told
Well-known member
I am a little offended by James' implying that people who buy branding-free are somehow trying to sabotage XF's sales. Nothing could be further from the truth. Buying branding-free is about your own brand, not about XF.
When I design/code a client's website (or install a forum software), it doesn't matter the least bit what I am proud of using or whatever.
If the customer is fine with the branding in the footer, they're fine with it. If not, they have to pay for branding-free. However, I have never-ever had a client, that didn't ask me to remove the "powered by Wordpress" line from the footer. I too use and love Wordpress. But the license under which Wordpress is distributed allows for de-branding.
Putting Wordpress in the same pot as XF doesn't make much sense, because XF is commercial software and both the reasons and effects for/of having branding in the footer are very much different.
For personal projects it's a pride/fanboy thing. But for clients it is never that (in my experience). They tend to not want branding on the site that isn't their own. Especially if it's free software.
And that is not as terrible as it sounds, because:
A) anyone that knows their way around Wordpress will always be able to tell if it's Wordpress or not. And
B) people who don't know how to do it will either learn (and then become A) or pay someone to do it for them, who is very likely to be A.
What I tend to do with most of my personal projects is I put the branding in the (in Germany legally required) imprint/about page. That is where people will look for that information anyway. It's not about de-branding though. I just don't like branding lines in the footer and I move them to the about-page whenever the license permits.
However (to make the way back to the point) that dislike is not so strong that I would pay money to remove (instead of move) that branding. So (apart from one forum) I always leave the branding in and don't buy branding-free. I probably won't buy branding-free for my XF licenses and I doubt that any of my clients will either. Especially since the vast majority of my clients don't want or need a forum.
When I design/code a client's website (or install a forum software), it doesn't matter the least bit what I am proud of using or whatever.
If the customer is fine with the branding in the footer, they're fine with it. If not, they have to pay for branding-free. However, I have never-ever had a client, that didn't ask me to remove the "powered by Wordpress" line from the footer. I too use and love Wordpress. But the license under which Wordpress is distributed allows for de-branding.
Putting Wordpress in the same pot as XF doesn't make much sense, because XF is commercial software and both the reasons and effects for/of having branding in the footer are very much different.
For personal projects it's a pride/fanboy thing. But for clients it is never that (in my experience). They tend to not want branding on the site that isn't their own. Especially if it's free software.
And that is not as terrible as it sounds, because:
A) anyone that knows their way around Wordpress will always be able to tell if it's Wordpress or not. And
B) people who don't know how to do it will either learn (and then become A) or pay someone to do it for them, who is very likely to be A.
What I tend to do with most of my personal projects is I put the branding in the (in Germany legally required) imprint/about page. That is where people will look for that information anyway. It's not about de-branding though. I just don't like branding lines in the footer and I move them to the about-page whenever the license permits.
However (to make the way back to the point) that dislike is not so strong that I would pay money to remove (instead of move) that branding. So (apart from one forum) I always leave the branding in and don't buy branding-free. I probably won't buy branding-free for my XF licenses and I doubt that any of my clients will either. Especially since the vast majority of my clients don't want or need a forum.
My post wasn't intending to offend anyone, so I apologise if it was interpreted as offending in some way. I only ever use forums for hobbies and personal use, so you can probably see why I have no problem having my forum branded.
Some people were posting about competition (I think), purchasing a branding free does not prevent your competition. If you are successful enough to actually have competition then I am sure the competition knows how to view the source of the page. I'm also going to hazard a guess that you will be making posts like "Software change to XenForo" which doesn't really hide it.
Purchasing branding-free to put your company name in the footer is fine, though I've had no problem putting more than one branding in the footer.
Again, I apologise for offending anyone with my post.
Some people were posting about competition (I think), purchasing a branding free does not prevent your competition. If you are successful enough to actually have competition then I am sure the competition knows how to view the source of the page. I'm also going to hazard a guess that you will be making posts like "Software change to XenForo" which doesn't really hide it.
Purchasing branding-free to put your company name in the footer is fine, though I've had no problem putting more than one branding in the footer.
Again, I apologise for offending anyone with my post.
dutchbb
Well-known member
And even if you would remove the things that give it away in the source code, anyone who is looking that deep will find it out sooner or later anyway.
I like to remove it because our competition is rather stupid but they like to copy us in any way the can, and this is obviously a disadvantage for us. Also I like a clean footer with only one copyright; less clutter, more professional.
DSF
Well-known member
@James
Now sound your posting #133 a little bit better und I hope you have understand the problem in a professional environment.
I/we use forums in the banking/stock exchange environment for internal communication. In this case it's forbidden for safety reasons any linking and a little more. With other words: "reduce to the maximum"
My own private forum will need all features, linking etc. of course
Now sound your posting #133 a little bit better und I hope you have understand the problem in a professional environment.
I/we use forums in the banking/stock exchange environment for internal communication. In this case it's forbidden for safety reasons any linking and a little more. With other words: "reduce to the maximum"
My own private forum will need all features, linking etc. of course
Ashley
Well-known member
Clearly there are good and proper reasons for a forum to want the branding removed. We will accommodate this requirement by offering a BF version. Bearing in mind that we are coming from a place where we would prefer that the branding remains in place, obviously, the BF option will be at a premium. We have a serious (strong) view about this and want people to think seriously before choosing the BF option. Clearly those who ~have~ to remove the branding, for good and proper reasons, simply select the BF option (without the additional thinking)
Dan
Well-known member
I have no desire to choose the BF option. Having said that, just show me the "Buy Now" button and I will prove it.simply select the BF option (without the additional thinking)
Erik
Well-known member
There are much easier ways to remove the copyright. And yeah, anything that removes the copyright obviously violates the license.Of course it would probably violate the license