Does It have the Look
- Thread starter abvolt
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dutchbb
Well-known member
I remember saying in my first post here something like how this is what vB4 should have been, but now I know better. XF is a completely different project, it's no successor of vB or anything like that. It's the new kid on the block and it is not to be underestimated 
Peggy
Well-known member
TELL it like it is!I remember saying in my first post here something like how this is what vB4 should have been, but now I know better. XF is a completely different project, it's no successor of vB or anything like that. It's the new kid on the block and it is not to be underestimated
AmericanForum.com
Well-known member
The Sandman
Well-known member
... or....
something new and totally better
I remember saying in my first post here something like how this is what vB4 should have been, but now I know better. XF is a completely different project, it's no successor of vB or anything like that. It's the new kid on the block and it is not to be underestimated
I don't think comments like this represent a true intention to compare two different things to each other. I think they are in indication of deep disappointment in one thing and a strong sense of anticipation and excitement in another.
ManagerJosh
Well-known member
HannahP
Well-known member
Not all.
I'm pragmatic, if there's a better solution at some point, I will use it. But if there isn't, c'est la vie. I just think it's inaccurate to say "we all" anything. The loudest voices aren't always the majority. I think you might find there are a lot of curious users here who are interested but understandably cautious about scrapping something they've been using for 10 years.
Not everyone feels burned, ripped off or robbed by vB. The pay-per-version pricing structure they adopted is very common. It's not a rip off, it's just a change. I always felt the software was underpriced for what it did. The new higher price is still a bargain. There's always phpBB or SMF for those who think everything should be dirt cheap or free. Have fun with that.
What if they release this software and a license is $499 (or $699 or $999)? Then what? It's obviously aiming to be the most technologically advanced forum software in the world, if it's not already. You could easily charge a "boutique" price for something like that. Cater to a more upscale clientele. I would. The higher you price something, the more perceived value it has. And the less complaining you have to listen to from raggedy mobs of penny pinchers.
feldon30
Well-known member
And not just vBulletin customers, but also members of forum communities that have been purchased and then allowed to languish by that company. IB aren't even good at their day jobs. Ask users/members of any site that IB has purchased. They're dying on the vine, have hardly any admins/mods, and nothing new is happening on each. IB's role is depositing ad cheques.You have to admit, we all feel burned by that El Segundo company...
Grover
Well-known member
/offtopic : I always thought the fact that AdminZone is powered by vBulletin, was great promotion for vBulletin itself. The other day I wondered: are you maybe considering switching the AdminZone to XenForo in the future?
Elizabeth
Well-known member
Anytime you have a large entity buy up a company that is a niche, when the large entity isn't in that niche you have issues. Most times it's LARGE issues unless the owner of the large entity has some understanding of the niche in question.
There is another "entity" buying up forums (bought one of the largest scrapping forums this year) while not having anyone on their staff who has a clue what scrapping is about. The large entity is all about marketing and while that is okay, their idea of marketing and the scrapping world of marketing is diametrically 180 degrees. That company's role is also to just deposit ad checks. Odd thing is, their revenue has dropped using their new marketing strategy. If they had stayed with the old one, it would have kept the old income stream which was on the increase.
anotheralias
Well-known member
Grover
Well-known member
Actually, it was a rip off for a lot of (now former) vBulletin customers. When you advertise your product as 'the best product we ever brought to the market' and ask your customers 'to take a risk' and pretend it is 'the best deal you can offer': http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/show...ney-no-way..&p=1801914&viewfull=1#post1801914 in a presale (without having the possibility to see/use the product beforehand) and then after you get the cash... providing your paying customers with a product that doesn't even deserve the label 'beta'... how would you call that?I call it showing a huge amount of disrespect for both your customers and your product. I call it unethical even. Isn't it perfectly understandable that many people felt being ripped-off?. If I myself would treat my customers in the same way, I would be deeply ashamed of myself. It was painful to having to witness (some) vB support staff defending decisions of their management over and over in their support forums after the release of the train wreck labeled vBulletin 4 'Gold'. That in itself made me loose trust in some of that staff as well, unfortunately.
I have not much problems with a pay-per-version structure actually. If I get a professional high quality product in my hands. Surely, you must see that vB4.0 is far from that? Puzzling far.
I totally agree with you that vBulletin was underpriced for what it did. Even in the last Jelsoft days one of the biggest problems of vBulletin was the speed of development. That's why I believed more money (by charging more for vB) would make it possible to hire more developers and make the product state-of-the-art again. This didn't happen, so when Internet Brands took over I thought it would be the best thing that could have happened to vBulletin (more money available to begin with and more developers) and I wasn't opposed to charging per version, because it could contribute positively to it all. I stand corrected now...
On December 21st 2010 it will be 1 year ago that vB4 was released. In it's current state I am still unable and unwilling to install it on my professional production site. The lack of quality (on so many levels, the horrible UI/UX being one of them) compared to the excellent vB3.8 series is... well. Needless to say the zipped pre-sale package I bought in good trust still remains in zipped format on my harddisk...
(Excuses me for my rant against Internet Brands business/customer ethics (I didn't felt the urge anymore lately, but just needed to chime in here). If it's not appropiate, a XenMod can remove it).
Mitchell
Member
I can't say that I don't love the vB3 look and layout. It just screams big-time forum and the one thing, the ONE thing that I don't like about Xenforo (ok, the one of two, the other is the default font which will be the FIRST thing I change when I buy a license) is that it doesn't look like a big time forum when you just arrive and stare at it. Of course, once you get inside then you can see that it's an awesome construct and well worth the money, but vB3 has the first impression factor going for it and once Xen nails that, it's game on.
Grover
Well-known member
I do get what you mean by this. I had the same impression when I first saw and used XenForo myself.
Mitchell
Member
I'm only talking about myself here, so I speak for no one else. But for me personally, when I look at certain forums, you get some that look really crappy and low-rent, something that I wouldn't dream of putting on a website or using if another site implemented it. When I look at, say, BBpress, I see a page of 'meh'. It doesn't excite me, or entice me to even bother reading further. When I look at vB3, without even considering the reputation of the software, I see something that just looks really great, and the work that went into it actually comes through in the design. They managed to lose it in vB4 as it looks like a cluttered mess now, but when I look at any vB3 board, like TheAdminZone, it draws me to want to join because it's clean, attractive, looks like it's made by pros, and has everything I want, where I want it.
Xen is very clean and looks a lot more modern which is to its credit, but certain things in the look just keep me from thinking "wow, this looks like #1 in the forum game." It's personal preference though, and PURELY from a skin point of view, so I fully recognise that this can all be changed manually once I buy a license.
Put it this way: when I see vB3's default skin, it looks like a bold soldier standing strong for me. This default skin looks a little wimpy; admittedly, a wimp that can kill enemies with two fingers whilst filing your taxes at the same time without breaking a sweat, but a bit wimpy regardless. But, if the skin editor allows me to make it a little more... manly, shall we say, then it's all good to go. But the default does nothing for me, and that's what the original post of the thread was getting at. So long story short, I kinda agree, I think. I hope. Otherwise, I've just compared a forum to a brave soldier for no reason.
Xen is very clean and looks a lot more modern which is to its credit, but certain things in the look just keep me from thinking "wow, this looks like #1 in the forum game." It's personal preference though, and PURELY from a skin point of view, so I fully recognise that this can all be changed manually once I buy a license.
Put it this way: when I see vB3's default skin, it looks like a bold soldier standing strong for me. This default skin looks a little wimpy; admittedly, a wimp that can kill enemies with two fingers whilst filing your taxes at the same time without breaking a sweat, but a bit wimpy regardless. But, if the skin editor allows me to make it a little more... manly, shall we say, then it's all good to go. But the default does nothing for me, and that's what the original post of the thread was getting at. So long story short, I kinda agree, I think. I hope. Otherwise, I've just compared a forum to a brave soldier for no reason.
Grover
Well-known member
I completely agree with everything you say. Exactly the same how I felt (and sometimes still feel) when I first saw and used XenForo. I have been stating for years (since it was released) how excellent and strong the default UI of vBulletin 3 was (for that time). Obviously TheAdminZone.com customized style can also be achieved on a XF install to give your XF powered board a stronger more manly/defined look. In fact... if this nice whistling smiley means we might be able to see TAZ powered by XF in the near future, then we will have a good example of how XF's default style can me made more stronger...
dutchbb
Well-known member
Hm k. I think it takes some time to get used to though. We were used to these heavy lines and boxes and XF is much 'softer' and 'rounder'. But I'm used to it already and returning to vb3.x forums now feels like stepping into a time machine and looking at ancient outdated software filled with superfluous clutter.
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