Help me choose

[BcCoastHost]

I have been researching the 3 choices that I have narrowed my forum software to be and they are VB,XF, and IPB.

As the forum I am going to setup is a niche community and users may very well be novice forum users I need a forum that is intuitive, easy to use and attention grabbing from the outset.
I have all but passed entirely on Vb, which leaves me with XF and IPB.

I require a shopping/marketplace (IPB's Nexus) type of ability in the near future 3-6 months.
I require a classifieds section immediately
I require a user gallery with featured images on the front page. I like the Content feature of IPB
I also require a specific look and feel which I have found for both XF and IPB in a 3rd party skin.
I need to integrate the forum into an existing html5 / css site

I do not require CMS, Blog, or Portal type plugins.

I have not been able to decide if XF will be able to handle my requirements "out of the box" or with currently available plugins.

I like the feedback on XF so far and am leaning towards it as I like the feel of it so far.

I am hours away from purchasing and getting developement underway and would also like to hear anyone elses experiences with the requirements I need or any solutions to them.

Thank You

 

[M@rc]

I require a shopping/marketplace (IPB's Nexus) type of ability in the near future 3-6 months.

Like a point shop? ( previous question answered : http://xenforo.com/community/threads/is-there-a-points-addon-vbplaza-point-market-for-xf-yet.25691/ )
You can take a look at xenShop although it's in v1.0 but v2.0 is expected.

Also a discussion/suggestion thread: http://xenforo.com/community/threads/xf-marketplace.15206/

I require a classifieds section immediately

There's none at the moment that I know of although it has been discussed before in the addon requests forum : http://xenforo.com/community/threads/xf-classifieds.14894/

I require a user gallery with featured images on the front page. I like the Content feature of IPB

King Kovifor plans one: http://xenforo.com/community/threads/galleria-the-basics.9504/
I've seen some gallery addons removed from the Add-on Release forum while some are still there. You should do a search to find something,

I also require a specific look and feel which I have found for both XF and IPB in a 3rd party skin.

That meaning you found something already, or you found a look that you want your XF/IPB style to look like?

I need to integrate the forum into an existing html5 / css site

More info...

 

[BcCoastHost]

Thanks M@rc

Like a point shop? ( previous question answered : http://xenforo.com/community/threads/is-there-a-points-addon-vbplaza-point-market-for-xf-yet.25691/ )
You can take a look at xenShop although it's in v1.0 but v2.0 is expected.

Xenshop is not really what I am looking for and the demo site is not even running right now.

Also a discussion/suggestion thread: http://xenforo.com/community/threads/xf-marketplace.15206/

Seems to be a common theme of wanting one but nothing available yet. Understood that XF is very new.

There's none at the moment that I know of although it has been discussed before in the addon requests forum : http://xenforo.com/community/threads/xf-classifieds.14894/

What I was afraid of. Was hoping for an alternative solution.

King Kovifor plans one: http://xenforo.com/community/threads/galleria-the-basics.9504/
I've seen some gallery addons removed from the Add-on Release forum while some are still there. You should do a search to find something,

First Post on this was Dec 2010. Still nothing tangible and usable. I cant wait a year for solutions to immediate requirements.

That meaning you found something already, or you found a look that you want your XF/IPB style to look like?

I have found some quality styles/skins that fit my needs and there is some good custom folks around it seems as well.

More info...

Website integration meaning the ability to get the same look as the main website, but not a portal (xenportal for eg.), the ability to flow from the forums to the CSS/HTML portion of the site fluidly without drastic layout and visual changes.

 

[Slavik]

Do you have a budget for these upgrades? As I am looking at getitng a Magento bridge sorted in the next few months if I can gather enough interested parties willing to donate.

 

[BcCoastHost]

Do you have a budget for these upgrades? As I am looking at getitng a Magento bridge sorted in the next few months if I can gather enough interested parties willing to donate.

Yes I have the ability to... but my immediate requirement timeline may be too short for longterm goals

 

[BcCoastHost]

Well no one was able to alleviate my concerns or give reasonable hope that I would be able to achieve my design requirements with XF.
That is too bad as I was hoping to begin with the clean coding of XF and the SEO reports that I have heard from various users.

I am going to go with IPB today

 

[Slavik]

Well no one was able to alleviate my concerns or give reasonable hope that I would be able to achieve my design requirements with XF.
That is too bad as I was hoping to begin with the clean coding of XF and the SEO reports that I have heard from various users.

I am going to go with IPB today

Good luck See you in a few months

 

[Paul B]

Well no one was able to alleviate my concerns

No one was ever going to be able to do that.

You have stated that you require certain functionality immediately, which doesn't currently exist.

 

[BcCoastHost]

I know, it is unfortunate, I will be keeping an eye on XF and see how it develops and I may very well port over (something I was trying to avoid) down the road as the functionality grows.

Just bought IPB Business license with all options for $461. as I figured I will need the phone support

Good Luck

 

[mrGTB]

I know, it is unfortunate, I will be keeping an eye on XF and see how it develops and I may very well port over (something I was trying to avoid) down the road as the functionality grows.

Just bought IPB Business license with all options for $461. as I figured I will need the phone support

Good Luck

It was obvious from your "first post" listing requirements needed that XenForo was never going to be for you, surely you must have known that many things "you did list" are not there currently?

Good luck with IPB, seems to have been a natural first choice all along for you really?

 

[BcCoastHost]

It was obvious from your "first post" listing requirements needed that XenForo was never going to be for you, surely you must have known that many things "you did list" are not there currently?

Good luck with IPB, seems to have been a natural first choice all along for you really?

I guess I was hoping that I had overlooked some 3rd party solutions that may have worked for me in lieu of the "out of the box" functionality as I really wanted XF as my base code.