Saw this on vb.com today, its a couple days old, but I don't visit much anymore... So let me understand this, for $30 if my license expired anywhere in the last 12 months, I can renew it... and get access to the 3.8.6?
To be honest, this is a welcome surprised. In the customer forums people are complaining about not having access to updates without the 195 fee. Very surprised they care enough to make it right... * Via my HTC EvO 4G *
Make it right? What do you do for the people who had no choice but to upgrade to buy the upgrades they wanted? 1) The annual fee was $30 until IB raised it to $40 about a year and a half ago. 2) Last year IB refused to sell the $40 update that was part of buying vB 3. Why? Probably to force as many as possible to spend $130 to upgrade to vB 4. 3) It's almost a year later and they want to sell this same $30/40 package for an almost dead product for $50. Wake up. When they priced vB 4, they made your vB 3 license worthless if you didn't upgrade to vB during the presale. They realize vB 3 owners will never upgrade their software. So in order to get some money from you they give you a $50 option to buy the same package that cost $30 just a year and a half ago. Here's a good article if you care to read it: http://www.thelawprofessor.com/internet-brands-vbulletin-the-annual-maintenance-crap/
I tend to agree with you, it is wrong, yet at the same time it is a slight redemption. For example, I have 3 licenses that are still in use: 1 on vB4, 2 on vB3. I do want to bring then up to date (one is on 3.6.2), but no way am I paying $130 err, sorry $195 for it. $30 to bring it up and get another year or so out of it, before converting to IPB (which I have a license for this set out already) is worth it. At least to me. So no, no "thanks guys", but "at least you did one thing semi right"... P.S. most people will get it at $30, no? Unless I misread? If it expired in the last year, you get it?
Seems better then nothing I suppose. Handy for all those people like yourself that are stuck on the 3.6 and 3.7 series of vb.
You guys are going to have to make up your minds in staying with vBULLETIN or go to UBB or IPB? Grumbling about it for months is not going to help you feel better about it.
Those prices above are incorrect if they don't include VAT for EU customers. I'm in the process of buying a second hand owned licence. The VAT was the last nail in the coffin for me. It added just over US$34 to the new price and a second hand licence was US$80, it became a no brainer.
the prices are right as far as i can tell you don't see a priced item in a store that includes tax, it's added when you you ring up everything. It's a shame you guys have to pay taxes, but so does everyone (at least in the states) so I don't have much sympathy for ya.
Actually you do often see prices on UK based sites stated with the terms "VAT Included" under the price.
Im with Slinky on this one, what about how we paid thinking that was the only way to get upgrades, what a joke vb has become and theyve ripped plenty off with this. It seems to be money money money ever since the pre-sale, before that I felt like a valued customer.
I don't see why this is a bad thing? I want to stay with vB and they just made it quite cost effective for me to stay and not have to worry about changing to 4.0 yet? I guess I see this as a good thing. :shrug:
Its good if you didn't buy the vb4 upgrade during the presale thinking that was the only way to stay current. I upded one of my licenses to vb4, and used vb4 "since I paid for it"... two huge mistakes...
MordyT... the reason your vB license is at 3.6.2 is because IB refused to sell you the maintenance update for $40 last year so you'd buy vB 4!!! Telling me it will sell practically the same update for $50 is an insult. There is nothing redeeming about this move. It's called "cash grab" because vB 4.0.5 is still such a flop that no new revenues are coming in.
