Will VerticalScope try to acquire Xenforo?

Ludachris

Well-known member
Many of us remember what happened with vBulletin when it was bought out by Internet Brands. And some of us have been paying attention to VerticalScope's recent acquisitions, which now also includes Threadloom (email and search technology for XF and other forum software). There is some major concern among XF license holders that the Xenforo forum software could be next, which would be a major blow to a lot of us. I know VS is converting most of their acquired forums to XF using a standardized layout, which shows they're pretty invested in the software already.

I just sent a PM to Chris D, sharing my concerns. Not that it will change their minds if that is part of their exit strategy, but it can't hurt to make your voice heard, right? Maybe others should share their concerns, for whatever it's worth.

Maybe we can we increase the licensing fee to help prevent that scenario?
 
Not really.

As above, it's just speculation and I don't see the correlation between VS buying Threadloom (whatever that is, never seen or used it) and buying out XF.
 
Not really.

As above, it's just speculation and I don't see the correlation between VS buying Threadloom (whatever that is, never seen or used it) and buying out XF.
The correlation would be that VS is interested in software technology that works with XF, in addition to their community acquisitions:

Them targeting XF for an acquisition seems very logical. Sure, it is just speculation, but it's something that many of us fear, having gone through the time when IB purchased vB. It's a legit concern. But it sounds like we don't have to worry.
 
I have no information either way so can't comment but there doesn't seem much point in worrying about something you have no control over.

If the owners of XF decide to sell to whichever company in the future, asking them not to isn't going to change that.
😞

True. Just wanted to make my voice heard, even if it likely won't change anything.
 
Sure, it is just speculation, but it's something that many of us fear, having gone through the time when IB purchased vB.
Kier and Mike have gone through that as well ... and I am 110% sure they were not happy with that - if they would have been happy, there most likely would be no XenForo today.

Having worked with them (back in 2006 at Jelsoft), I do trust Kier and Mike that they have no intention to sell XenForo.
 
Look, we aren't dealing with publicly traded companies so this proposed scenario would not be some kind of hostile takeover. If XF is sold to anyone, it will be because the current XF owners think it a net gain for the product and company OR want money to move on to some new venture. And that's business, folks. While XF may be a a labour of love, or at least started as one, it is also a business and hard realities like needing capital to bring a new idea to market sometimes mean business decisions we don't want or like.

But this really sounds highly speculative and unless people have heard something from someone with insider knowledge and can post that publicly, I would tend to dismiss it. I don't fret about rumours based on speculation about something that might maybe someday happen.
 
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