Please tell me you will never... Do this....

Adam Howard

Adam Howard

Well-known member
TheVisitors on Internet Brands / vBulletin Forum said:
Skimlinks and VerticalResponse

So they've added adware and spam into the core product. Nice going Internet Brands.

1) Internet Brands decided to rely on a 3rd party product, rather then code something

2) Internet Brands decided we should be paying a 3rd party provider to use the product we already paid for from Internet Brands (vBulletin)

3) Security software does not like their 3rd party service provider (some individuals will get a warning or not even be able to access the 3rd party provider's site).

4) Use of their services (the 3rd party provider) has been blocked by some mail servers and by association, your community could also be blocked or classified as spam.

5) Some of the ads by Skimlinks have been flagged by security software, so using it can also get your site flagged

A job well done Internet Brands.
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So I just want to know... That XenForo.... Would never do this to their customers?!

(The quote is from a post I made on vBulletin's Support Site)
 
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Rigel Kentaurus said:
2) .... "Guess what? Skimlinks is now integrated, just press this little button to enable it (so easy!) and you will start earning money. Money! you want some, right. (and I will get some too). You can go independently but we won't promote that, we want money too."
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You fail to mention that the offer is in fact "press this little button and you will get more money than if you go independently".
 
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erich37 said:
I am not sure everything in life is about money.

It is all about TRUST for me.
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nothing in life should be "about" money. Money is a tool. Like cars and electricity. (imagine your life with no electric energy)

Not even in business. although unlike life, money is a BIG part of BUSINESS.


It has its place. Most people are slaves to money "they work for a living" so money controls them.

Wise people make money work for them.

People who think money is everything are just as foolish as those that think it is nothing. There is a 3rd option of balance.
 
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jmurrayhead said:
Actually, it turned into a "skimlinks isn't as evil as you perceived it to be at first" and "there's nothing wrong with adding third-party addons to the core of a product if you have all your ducks in a row" topic. :)
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that happens a lot around here

too many jump the gun on anything commerce related.

not all forum owners are hobbyists...it IS ok for businesses to have them too
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erich37 said:
how much more ?
1% more for the webmaster, but 20% for the middleman? Transparency?

I would not want to see this in XenForo.
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How much more is clearly stated in the announcement. If the webmaster / board owner gets more money from this scheme than they would by going it alone, who cares what the 'middleman' gets?

Honestly, I get the feeling some people are arguing for the sake of argument here.
 
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Business Coach said:
not all forum owners are hobbyists...it IS ok for businesses to have them too:cool:
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I started my first real board because, a company like IB, bought out Developer Shed, who owns a network of IT sites. I spent years as a member and eventually moderator of one of their forums, only for it to be left for dead, while the purchasing company makes money on the ad revenue.

I started a hobby forum to replace the forum I was a very active member on, and currently have no intention on monetizing it. Now, I brought all that up for this: I have no problem at all with something like skimlinks/words/or whatever the hell it's called being included in the software. Furthermore, I don't care if XenForo, vBulletin, IPB makes revenue off of being the referral for using the service. If I was in it for business, I still wouldn't give two rats asses. Why? Because it doesn't harm me, my site, my members or anyone. As long as the details are fully disclosed to customers and it is optional, I don't see how it could be wrong. If you don't want to use it, but would rather go at it on your own. Feel free to. Don't try and prevent others from potentially having a nice gain on it.
 
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Nobody really cares what the middle man will get. If the profit gained exceeds what the site owner was getting before then they are generally happy and laughing they're way to the bank. I think because IB are making money it's not sitting well with people and this they find hard to stomach that a questionable company at best, makes profit from your hard earned effort whilst they make minimal effort.

That's how it appears to me anyway.
 
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Shelley said:
Nobody really cares what the middle man will get. If the profit gained exceeds what the site owner was getting before then they are generally happy and laughing they're way to the bank. I think because IB are making money it's not sitting well with people and this they find hard to stomach that a questionable company at best, makes profit from your hard earned effort whilst they make minimal effort.

That's how it appears to me anyway.
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There's no doubt in my mind that is the reason people are uneasy with it. But hey, IB needs to make money off of vBulletin some how. They're not getting any more of my money :D
 
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jmurrayhead said:
There's no doubt in my mind that is the reason people are uneasy with it. But hey, IB needs to make money off of vBulletin some how. They're not getting any more of my money :D
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Then I can't see why they simply don't just say that instead of beating around the bush and simply say something along the lines. "Nothing against Skimlinks, but it's not sitting right with me that I'm funding the IB Annual Christmas party". The moment I read this I got the assumption that the ad company was questionable which now seems not to be the case.
 
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Kier said:
How much more is clearly stated in the announcement. If the webmaster / board owner gets more money from this scheme than they would by going it alone, who cares what the 'middleman' gets?

Honestly, I get the feeling some people are arguing for the sake of argument here.
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Personally I'm not bothered what vB (or insert any other forum software here) might earn from such a deal, as long as the deal would benefit me.

I don't currently use advertising, but the fact that vB (or, if it comes to it, XF) got something out of the deal, wouldn't impact any decision on which solution to use. What would matter (among other considerations) would be what *I* could earn.

Some people are a bit blinkered about this.

What is making me smile Kier is how it took YOUR comments on this site to effectively sort out vBulletin's PR on the subject. You couldn't make it up!
 
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Shelley said:
Then I can't see why they simply don't just say that instead of beating around the bush and simply say something along the lines. "Nothing against Skimlinks, but it's not sitting right with me that I'm funding the IB Annual Christmas party". The moment I read this I got the assumption that the ad company was questionable which now seems not to be the case.
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I'm guessing because they immediately think that anyone who "joins forces" with IB must be evil, when really, it's just a partnership that everyone can benefit from.
 
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