The 'Who's Actually Using vBulletin 5' list!

Well, the IB staff do like to imply the software is popular, so I thought I'd have a little fun with them and see how many vBulletin 5 sites I could find scattered across the internet. And so, seperated by things like version and whether they're using vBulletin Cloud, here are the 'huge' amount of sites running Internet Brands' 'flagship' software!

vBulletin Cloud​

Morally Bankrupt - A Test forum by SneakyDave used to test vBulletin Cloud's 'features'.

http://morallybankrupt.vbulletin.net/

Shade Tree Muscle - One of about three legitimate vB Cloud customer sites, it's about cars apparently...

http://shadetreemuscle.vbulletin.net/

Cyber Police - vB staff member BirdOfPrey's hilarious 'test' forum.

http://cyberpolice.vbulletin.net/

Mudslide - vB staff member Lynne's test forum.

http://mudslide.vbulletin.net/

Scrotnig - vB staff member Mark B's test forum.

http://scrotnig.vbulletin.net/

From Sole to Soul - A very dead paranormal forum. Appropriate really.

http://www.fromsoletosoul.com/

West Coast Firearms - A gun forum with no actual pages or sections, let alone content.

http://www.westcoastfirearms.net/

Not vB Cloud​

All India Forum - An indian message board with very little activity.

http://allindiaforum.com/

Mini Cooper Register - A forum about mini cooper brand cars.

http://forum.minicooper.org/

Letting Agents Forum - A fairly inactive property forum

http://www.lettingagentsforum.co.uk/

Cant A Fly - A fishing club's completely empty forum.

http://www.cantafly.com/forum

The Lupus Site - An actually quite popular forum using vBulletin 5, with a decently modified style.

http://www.thelupussite.com/forum/

Stairlift Forum - No guesses what this is about.

http://stairlift-forum.co.uk/

Globo Forum - I think this is a test forum.

http://www.globoforum.com/

What Mobile - Another active forum, this time about mobile phones.

http://forum.whatmobile.net/

The Wrestling Game - No idea what's up with their forum set up, it redirects to a single topic.

http://forum.thewrestlinggame.com/

Rolex Vintage Forum - Watch discussions, the very dead version.

http://rolexvintageforum.com/

AAT - They switched to vBulletin 5 recently, they presumably suffered a loss in activity.

http://forums.aat.org.uk/

Used to Use vBulletin 5​

Planet Minecraft - Now uses phpBB.

http://www.planetminecraft.com/forums/

There are others, but I think that sums up vBulletin 5's 'popularity' quite well. Indeed, how about a few figures?

Out of all the sites I found, exactly TWO (minus the official vB support forums) were brimming with activity, namely the Lupus Site and What Mobile.

Practically no one uses the latest version (vBulletin 5.0.6) outside of the vB Cloud, indicating that no one really cares for the vB 5 upgrades.

At least half of all sites had no content whatsoever, and around 95% were completely dead. This indicates either that vB 5 is only selling to complete amateurs (probable), that your average forum goer doesn't care for the software and want to join sites using it (also probable) or that the software just isn't fun to use/maintain.

14 out of about 20 sites had only changed a few colours/the logo, implying that forum styling with the script is neither easy nor pleasant.

Exactly 63 modifications for the software exist on vBulletin.org. This is about 38 times less than there were for vBulletin 4, and 131 times less than for vBulletin 3. The total numbers for each main family's mods are:

vBulletin 3 - 8312 modifications
vBulletin 4- 2441 modifications
vBulletin 5- 63 modifications

So the software has literally lost about 3/4 of its popularity between vBulletin 3 and vBulletin 4 and then even more between vB 4 and vB 5. How much? Apparently, vBulletin 5 is just 3% as popular as vBulletin 4.

And so there are some stats for the curious, in case you want to see both the quality of the sites using vBulletin 5 and vBulletin's general popularity in recent years.

 

Not all of them no. Do you want me to get every site I can find using the script?

 

I don't know anyone who have said VB5 is very popular or say "huge" numbers of people running vBCloud. Your entire premise is wrong.

 

If we accept DigitalPoint's statistics that show VB5 with 1% of the markeshare that is still hundreds of sites.

 

While trying to say VB has not lost many sites, do the words "Clutching at straws" have any relevance here?

 

I don't even see anyone saying that.

You guys seem to invent arguments you want to have. I don't see anyone on the pro-VB side arguing VB5 is a great and popular product or that VB market-share is increasing- yet you make posts as if someone is telling you these things... who is saying it because it's not me?

 

Just wondering if that is an acceptable marketshare/adoption rate for software that's been out a year? Like is 1% of all current vBulletin customers the goal?

 

On the front page of vb.com.

 

http://www.hdherd.com/

Quite busy forum now running vB5 having upgraded from vB4 last year.
Reasonable activity, site runs fast, skin fully customised.

 

Don't really care. Not my problem.

 

That's the site where you helped to sort out issues with vBulletin 5.

 

Yes it is.

 

Your advertising that it is the best forum software out there but can only post up one site that you believe is running as advertised??

 

Well, geeze.

Like, I guess you pretty much just summed up the entire attitude of Internet Brands in one sentence. Way to show me.

Go you!

 

1. I've never advertised any such thing.
2. I can't randomly post customer URLs. I can only do so if they give me permission to do so.

This is a site I personally did a lot of work on, because I could see a community struggling and they needed some help. It's nothing to do with whether it's vB5 or anything else, I just helped them out. Please don't try and turn this into yet another political football, as I have said before I am *not* getting involved. If anyone wants to discuss that site or what I did for them, I'm more than happy to do so.

The work on the site is complete really, though whenever I come up with something that could be tweaked I do it for them. I have also set up a test mirror for them, the idea being that when 5.1.0 comes out of beta, I'll deploy it for them.

Most of it is private work now, though the lines inevitably blur. The private aspect has been done free of charge. Forums have always been my hobby, not my business. Plus, I've learned stuff about vB5 from doing that work, which I can use to assist other customers.

I'll probably continue to act as an "unofficial technical consultant" for as long as they want me to. Now that everything's up and running nicely, there's not a great deal of work to do on a day to day basis. Plus it's a pleasant site to read, very active but with practically no negativity whatsoever....

 

Great list @CM30 !
You've always provided great content and excellent discussion here. The replies by the vBulletin staff make me smile, admitting that vBulletin 5 isn't very popular.. I guess it's a start, maybe they're starting to actually "see the light"...lol

vBulletin Gold was Released 12/2009 (from one of the many staff who are no longer with vBulletin)
((oops, that was vb4..still it took years to get to what "we" consider "gold"))
Maybe by 12/2014 (5 years later!!) it'll be something to be proud of, but I severally doubt it.

 

Here's something to help you build the list...

Anything with a "last_seen" date older than December 15 means the site has been revisited and it didn't have vBulletin 5 any longer (basically those are the sites that tried it out and then didn't use it).

Code:

mysql> SELECT domain, value AS version, DATE_FORMAT(FROM_UNIXTIME(date), '%m-%d-%y') AS last_seen FROM misc_data WHERE name = 'vbulletin_version' AND value LIKE '5%' ORDER BY date DESC;
+-----------------------------+---------+-----------+
| domain                      | version | last_seen |
+-----------------------------+---------+-----------+
| queremosvolver.com          | 503     | 02-09-14  |
| vortexbox.org               | 505     | 02-08-14  |
| biznesnadomy.com            | 505     | 02-08-14  |
| immigration-information.com | 505     | 02-08-14  |
| powerofteam.net             | 505     | 02-07-14  |
| pistol.com                  | 505     | 02-07-14  |
| beyond556.com               | 505     | 02-07-14  |
| imbforum.com                | 504     | 02-07-14  |
| wolfhelper.net              | 504     | 02-06-14  |
| x-forum.net                 | 505     | 02-06-14  |
| digitalmillionaires.com     | 505     | 02-06-14  |
| elementaryforum.org         | 505     | 02-06-14  |
| ukbusinessforum.co.uk       | 505     | 02-05-14  |
| bellyhood.com               | 505     | 02-05-14  |
| airpost.cz                  | 500b10  | 02-05-14  |
| slopomona.com               | 505     | 02-05-14  |
| kopitiamla.com              | 505     | 02-05-14  |
| mysprintervan.com           | 505     | 02-04-14  |
| webus.pl                    | 505     | 02-03-14  |
| set-and-forget.com          | 505     | 02-03-14  |
| zomexcommunity.com          | 505     | 02-03-14  |
| searchengines.bg            | 505     | 02-02-14  |
| host.my.id                  | 502     | 02-02-14  |
| myanmartutorials.com        | 505     | 02-01-14  |
| hadoop-forum.org            | 500     | 02-01-14  |
| clothesfreeforum.com        | 505     | 01-31-14  |
| biosremnant.com             | 505     | 01-31-14  |
| talkinkorea.com             | 505     | 01-31-14  |
| tipikforum.com              | 505     | 01-31-14  |
| z31performance.com          | 505     | 01-31-14  |
| northeastdragracing.com     | 505     | 01-31-14  |
| predestinarian.net          | 505     | 01-30-14  |
| forospyware.es              | 505     | 01-30-14  |
| grimsby-town.com            | 505     | 01-29-14  |
| golf-tuition-online.com     | 505     | 01-29-14  |
| 173rd.us                    | 505     | 01-29-14  |
| islam.info.tr               | 505     | 01-29-14  |
| pescar.info                 | 505     | 01-29-14  |
| vndf.net                    | 505     | 01-28-14  |
| sjwinfo.org                 | 505     | 01-28-14  |
| thedailypunt.com            | 502     | 01-28-14  |
| gamers-underground.com      | 504     | 01-27-14  |
| down.com                    | 505     | 01-27-14  |
| aihaga.com                  | 505     | 01-26-14  |
| cv-1channel.com             | 505     | 01-25-14  |
| vbrewrite.com               | 505     | 01-25-14  |
| homsnet.com                 | 505     | 01-24-14  |
| forexwinners.biz            | 504     | 01-24-14  |
| maskaniyetu.com             | 505     | 01-24-14  |
| wmstrcommunityforum.com     | 505     | 01-24-14  |
| byet.net                    | 505     | 01-23-14  |
| khmerlife.com               | 505     | 01-23-14  |
| duniabebas.com              | 501     | 01-22-14  |
| tipscontrol.com             | 505     | 01-22-14  |
| claystation.com             | 505     | 01-22-14  |
| pantimedias.org             | 505     | 01-22-14  |
| ibets.org                   | 505     | 01-21-14  |
| ptchangout.com              | 505     | 01-19-14  |
| kiemtienonline.co           | 502     | 01-19-14  |
| webmasterbg.org             | 505     | 01-18-14  |
| bfdinforums.com             | 505     | 01-17-14  |
| scouter.com                 | 505     | 01-17-14  |
| wearesc.com                 | 505     | 01-16-14  |
| in-a-cruise.com             | 505     | 01-16-14  |
| phototalkforum.com          | 505     | 01-16-14  |
| crazykoel.com               | 505     | 01-16-14  |
| urbanity.cc                 | 505     | 01-16-14  |
| moiforum.gov.mm             | 500     | 01-15-14  |
| horizondatasys-forum.com    | 505     | 01-15-14  |
| d56forum.com                | 501     | 01-14-14  |
| marketing.am                | 502     | 01-12-14  |
| pbxtech.info                | 501     | 01-11-14  |
| tetrayazilim.org            | 505     | 01-11-14  |
| majalisna.com               | 505     | 01-11-14  |
| romaniancommunity.net       | 505     | 01-10-14  |
| binarytradingforum.com      | 500     | 01-10-14  |
| allindiaforum.com           | 505     | 01-10-14  |
| singingpig.co.uk            | 502     | 01-08-14  |
| afterhim.com                | 505     | 01-08-14  |
| gmperformancetuning.com     | 505     | 01-08-14  |
| illendar.com                | 505     | 01-08-14  |
| ultimatefootballforum.com   | 504     | 01-07-14  |
| nutritionfromnature.com     | 505     | 01-07-14  |
| yourko.org                  | 505     | 01-04-14  |
| talkover.net                | 505     | 01-03-14  |
| ausph.com                   | 505     | 01-03-14  |
| teamsrgaming.com            | 505     | 01-03-14  |
| jaagpakistan.com            | 502     | 01-02-14  |
| monsteraquarianetwork.com   | 503     | 01-02-14  |
| fishing-forum.info          | 505     | 01-01-14  |
| pakhackerz.com              | 505     | 12-31-13  |
| silverspam.net              | 504     | 12-31-13  |
| gulfgt.com                  | 505     | 12-29-13  |
| muurahaiset.net             | 505     | 12-29-13  |
| mmawin.com                  | 510a7   | 12-27-13  |
| khozbin.com                 | 503     | 12-26-13  |
| macforum.dk                 | 505     | 12-25-13  |
| minoforum.com               | 501     | 12-25-13  |
| ironmind-forum.com          | 505     | 12-25-13  |
| simplelivingforums.com      | 505     | 12-23-13  |
| alhudaforum.com             | 505     | 12-23-13  |
| actionsportsengaged.com     | 502     | 12-22-13  |
| freeseoadvice.com           | 505     | 12-22-13  |
| forosecuador.ec             | 505     | 12-22-13  |
| ebbcharts.com               | 505     | 12-21-13  |
| cerberuz.es                 | 505     | 12-20-13  |
| scrapforum.com.au           | 505     | 12-19-13  |
| wpsquad.com                 | 505     | 12-19-13  |
| mygitar.com                 | 505     | 12-18-13  |
| talknewsuk.com              | 504     | 12-18-13  |
| bmwpower.ru                 | 500     | 12-18-13  |
| theschwartzreport.com       | 500     | 12-18-13  |
| fvsports.com                | 505     | 12-18-13  |
| amateurscout24.com          | 505     | 12-18-13  |
| aviannation.com             | 505     | 12-17-13  |
| graphicdesignforum.com      | 505     | 12-16-13  |
| fansites-support.com        | 505     | 12-16-13  |
| beautyadviceforum.co.uk     | 504     | 12-16-13  |
| ryseup.com                  | 505     | 12-16-13  |
| tilestalk.com               | 505     | 12-16-13  |
| addapur.com                 | 505     | 12-16-13  |
| flashacking.net             | 505     | 12-15-13  |
| infomlm.com                 | 504     | 12-15-13  |
| levelplatforum.com          | 505     | 12-15-13  |
| riseonline.com              | 505     | 12-15-13  |
| babeid.com                  | 505     | 12-14-13  |
| bam-android.com             | 505     | 12-13-13  |
| spawnscape.org              | 505     | 12-06-13  |
| spgame.net                  | 502     | 12-06-13  |
| animeindo.net               | 505     | 12-04-13  |
| consoleworld.it             | 505     | 12-01-13  |
| merenguista.com             | 505     | 11-24-13  |
| archifield.net              | 504     | 11-22-13  |
| forumadult.org              | 505     | 11-21-13  |
| thememaverick.com           | 505     | 11-18-13  |
| themaconline.com            | 504     | 11-09-13  |
| hotmoneyforum.com           | 505     | 10-29-13  |
| pirateclub.biz              | 505     | 10-26-13  |
| alnadabi.net                | 505     | 10-25-13  |
| forovbulletin.com           | 505     | 10-20-13  |
| osaka.com                   | 505     | 10-20-13  |
| financeclubb.com            | 505     | 10-20-13  |
| bmwforum.ro                 | 505     | 10-17-13  |
| srforums.net                | 505     | 10-11-13  |
| tonmo.com                   | 505     | 10-10-13  |
| therealestateforum.in       | 505     | 10-04-13  |
| thescotsforum.com           | 501     | 09-27-13  |
| internethelpnigeria.com     | 503     | 09-23-13  |
| jagurkalsel.com             | 500b28  | 09-21-13  |
| curraxis.com                | 502     | 09-17-13  |
| mashada.org                 | 503     | 09-17-13  |
| consumercomplaintforum.in   | 504     | 09-10-13  |
| alchemyforums.com           | 504     | 08-31-13  |
| mimarlikforumu.com          | 501     | 08-28-13  |
| redstickmoto.com            | 502     | 08-22-13  |
| fulaniforum.com             | 500     | 08-14-13  |
| firstones.com               | 502     | 08-14-13  |
| sukagwe.com                 | 503     | 07-20-13  |
| iboforums.com               | 501     | 07-05-13  |
| forumjam.net                | 502     | 07-02-13  |
| team-nocturnal.com          | 503     | 06-29-13  |
| sportsfrog.net              | 500     | 06-28-13  |
| ftapanama.org               | 502     | 06-23-13  |
| pxb.net.br                  | 502     | 06-21-13  |
+-----------------------------+---------+-----------+
164 rows in set (0.00 sec)

 

Well, I don't know about you guys and gals, but I'd be totally ashamed to say this thread could be anything near a showcase of vB5 forum/sites/ communities. Only a handful of sites actually work and forget about looking decent or customized and only one is actually running well and looks decent, because someone (a support team member) took (partially personal time) to get it there.

If I were at all responsible, I'd be like this.



But then the real problem is, the people actually responsible are like this.





Scott