vBulletin 5 Connect Release Plans

I found this in the licenses area by @LawrenceCole

The following is an update on plans for the release of vBulletin 5 Connect. We are working hard to ensure a high standard of quality for vBulletin 5 Connect. To maintain this level of quality while achieving a timely release of the new product, we will be doing a phased release.
The initial release of vBulletin 5 Connect will introduce many major new features while including most of the capabilities of vBulletin 4.2. The 5.0 release will include:

·Core vBulletin forum functionality including the activity stream, robust moderation tools and blogs
·Site Builder with new page templates, making it easy to set and modify sites
·Drag-and-drop configuration, simplifying page layout
·Modernized User Interface with streamlined content entry (photos, video, etc.), to increase content creation
·Enhanced content search and discovery via various content modules, engaging users into deeper site visits
·Improved social functionality including groups, new user profiles, comments functionality, an integrated messaging hub, social content curation, real-time updates and more

·Integrated mobile-optimized version for use on smartphones, ensuring these visitors stay and return
·Improvements to the photo gallery and better integration of photos with other content

·Simplified admin management with new features such as in-line site editing and customization
·Improved architecture for better performance and easier customization
·Built-in SEO to maximize search traffic
·Easy-to-use upgrader tool for vBulletin 3 and 4 sites, plus importer for other forum software

The primary elements of vBulletin 4.2 that will not be in the 5.0 version of vBulletin 5 Connect are CMS/article publishing, Mobile Suite, the Facebook app, paid subscriptions and non-English versions of the product. These components will be released as follows.

We will release the first update to vBulletin 5 Connect approximately 4-6 weeks after the 5.0 launch. This release will be focused on bug fixes, and will also include various non-English versions of vBulletin 5 Connect and possibly paid subscriptions.

The next piece of this phased initial release will bring to vBulletin 5 Connect article publishing capabilities similar to the current CMS in vBulletin 4 Suite. Tables and content for the current CMS will be imported into a new content channel regardless of whether the upgrade is done before or after this update, but that content will only be usable afterwards.

After that, the next element to be released will be a vBulletin 5 Connect version of the vBulletin Mobile Suite. Sites upgrading prior to this time will still be able to take advantage of the mobile-optimized capabilities of vBulletin 5 Connect, as well as the Forum Runner mobile apps which are free to site owners and integrated into vBulletin. The custom branded version of Forum Runner also will be available at a discounted price during this time. We are currently working through plans for the vBulletin Facebook app going forward, and we'll provide details on this decision-making as it becomes available.

We recognize many existing sites using these capabilities are eager to upgrade to vBulletin 5 Connect, and our development team will be working diligently to get these functions out as soon as possible. We believe a phased release is the best way to ensure all introduced features are thoroughly tested when they're launched so their quality is assured.

Helping You Build Better Communities
Your vBulletin Team

 

The activity stream should be something more of the lines of "Latest posts.blogs" not just by people you're friends with.

 

I think the activity stream should be removed completely, but that's just me.

 

I don't even use it. I use AJAX New posts. It's been the mod I've used for a long time now to get an update on my new posts. How many queries does the activity stream use? Could be a query killer if removed.

 

I don't use activity stream.

I am kind of shocked to see no support for paid subscriptions in the first release.

 

so was the beta team

 

Looks like a video was released...



https://twitter.com/vBulletin/status/239154757674102784

Judging by the tweet, it doesn't look like it was suppose to be a public video.. Also it's unlisted if you tried to search it.

#IBFail

 

That's actually pretty cool.

 

Would have loved to see it but they made it private.

 

WTF....lol

 

You should have snatched it up before they made it private.

 

I don't know how to record that stuff from youtube, and I signed the NDA remember

 

I just posted this on vB.com -- figured it might get deleted but thought it'd be good for discussion over here:

 

Hopefully they take their time with this one. Nobody likes dealing with "bug updates" every week or so.

 

I think that IB learned from vb4 and won't do it again.

 

I'm hopeful but doubtful at the same time.

 

I am really hoping it will, from the screenshots it looks very solid. I think being on the alpha team has made me view IB in a different way too.

 

Why upload a video, only to make it private? What are they? Scared?