Help! Coders Needed or I might need to leave XF, what would YOU do?

[surfsup]

1st off it pisses me off that I don't know if Xenforo will be supported next year or not and it's putting a damage into my business currently because I am in a bind.

I have a growing forum where I used vbulletin at first and now Xenforo - my members absolutely loves it compared to vb. But here is my dilemma.....

I am in a big need of the following:

1. Storefront to sell physical items.
2. A point system where people can accumlate points and redeem them in the store.
3. Classified & Auction resource.
4. Review system

Here are my options:

A: Move everything over to Invision Power (IPBoard) - but I will lose most of the things my members love about Xenforo currently and might have to deal with less posts and user activity..plus members will have to learn how to use the forum again as its different.

B: Find some legit Xenforo coders to create what we need within the next couple months, get some more people on board to donate and after they can sell the Resource so they can continue to get the money. I would love to make this happen!

NEWB Question: Anyway possible to pay a coder to make a bridge of Xenforo/IP so I can use the IP Nexus storefront and CMS while using Xenforo just for the forum? Theres bridges for Xf/Wp so why not ask eh?

 

[Andy.N]

Why can't you have WP installed alongside XF and use shopping cart and other addons in WP for those needs?
Will you have a business if you have no community or no activity?

 

[steven s]

Tough choice.
Personally I'd go with software that is not dormant unless you can wait until after January to make a decision.
It might take a coder that long to develop what you need anyway. And by then coders who have left may have returning giving you more resources.

 

[Queen of Blades]

What would I do? Ahhhh, what did I do?
I got stuck pulling my hair out with CubeCart5.

I would pay for a Xenforo based store if there was one. I love Xenforo!
I won't dump Xenforo over this though. My customers know where to get my products. So the lack of a Xenforo based store doesn't hurt me or my forum.

 

[Andy.N]

The community is what drives my business and XF is the best software there is for community.
Everything else is just extension of XF.
I can understand the OP frustration if I have to plan over long term, I would build around my community first.
Just because some competitors have features X, Y, Z, it does not mean I have to go into arms race mode and get the same features.

 

[Digital Doctor]

I'd use Wordpress or Joomla for sure.
vBulletin, IPB and Xenforo are in the minor leagues for creating a full site, especially Xenforo.
I thought KAM were going to march forward quickly when Xenforo debuted with a Home tab and Pages. Unfortunately both were anaemic (especially Pages).

My suggestion: look to a real CMS. I'd probably go Wordpress.
- Xenscripts.com (WP - XF bridge).

 

[Sim]

I've been through several offshore developers who I thought I could train up to develop on XenForo, but it turns out their skillset wasn't quite up to scratch.

I did see someone on one of the freelance developers sites who said they had XenForo experience - but I've not tried them and don't know how available they are or what they charge.

I've considered hiring myself out as a developer for custom mods, but I don't think anyone could afford my rates - I live in Sydney, Australia = very high cost of living

I don't have time right now anyway - I wish I did, I have a very long list of things to develop for my own XF sites

 

[surfsup]

Why can't you have WP installed alongside XF and use shopping cart and other addons in WP for those needs?
Will you have a business if you have no community or no activity?

I'd use Wordpress or Joomla for sure.
vBulletin, IPB and Xenforo are in the minor leagues for creating a full site, especially Xenforo.
I thought KAM were going to march forward quickly when Xenforo debuted with a Home tab and Pages. Unfortunately both were anaemic (especially Pages).

My suggestion: look to a real CMS. I'd probably go Wordpress.
- Xenscripts.com (WP - XF bridge).

This is actually an option that might fit my needs atleast for a CMS & Storefront. Do you recommend anyone for helping me set this up?

 

[wickedstangs]

what would YOU do?
not leave, code is totally different than VB...

 

[Digital Doctor]

This is actually an option that might fit my needs atleast for a CMS & Storefront. Do you recommend anyone for helping me set this up?

Andy.N (this thread)
TheBigK
have the two nicest XF + WP sites I've seen.
they could be a good resources for you.

First you'll have to decide if Wordpress has the addons you want. I suspect they will as they have ALOT.
They also have a boat load more developers for hire.

Skinning work (Skinning Wordpress to look like your forum) - bambua would be good, but he's not around as much. Newly married, family members with some health issues, busy working.

Wordpress optimization - D.O.A.

You should sign up at XenScripts.com

I don't know if cclearhout codes Wordpress ... he is a Xenscripts bridge user and knows alot about Xenforo.