Dear vBulletin Forum Community - vBSEO is Suspending Operations

well it's ashamed how things went. I've removed vbseo a long time ago when Mert left and so i have donated my mod.I don't see vbseo coming back at all. I feel pity for people purchasing the Mod and not know what they getting them self into.

 

I'm pretty sure my post says "just shy of spam", but I'm not about to argue semantics with you. My post wasn't directed at you, and all it takes is a simple mouse click for you to ignore me rather than blather out the pretentious nonsense that you opted for instead.

I received an email dressed up as an official VBSEO email from someone who was, in her words, "forced out and not permitted to be involved with the company". That email is a link to an obviously one-sided and at times contradictory diatribe complete with a Youtube video. I'm not saying that Ilia is wrong, I'm saying that as someone who bought multiple VBSEO licenses and on the official VBSEO site opted out of all email correspondence, I don't appreciate the email. I think that's pretty straightforward, and shouldn't strike you as "rather curious" at all.

 

Hi Wam, I am disgusted too.

And my #1 goal today is to make sure that all of our customers know the true status of the company. If I did not make this announcement, nobody would know. Unacceptable.

There are many options available to us IF my co-founder begins to cooperate, or allows me the opportunity to clean up this mess like I always had to do before.

Open source, sale to a company better equipped to continue development, or actually refocusing on development are also possible.

I know you cannot resolve this dispute. I only ask for your support as a community. Some resolution must happen. At the very least, now you know what happened to vBSEO.

 

My best guess at this point is nobody has been developing this part year, perhaps longer. Only Juan can confirm. However, Oleg, our only vBSEO developer, is gone to Topify Inc. as their CTO. Juan was also associated at some point with Topify, regardless of what relationship they current have.

 

I agree.

 

And that is also what I want for you. Ultimately, I need to get many things in order to be able to attempt to make it happen.

 

Absolutely, it's unacceptable. My #1 goal today is to make sure customers are, at the very least, aware of the company status. Current management hasn't made any attempt at disclosure. I have no access at vbseo.com to intervene there.

 

I feel the same way when I hear of a new admin purchasing vbulletin 5..lol

 

Juan wanted me out of the company. His biggest mistake was asking me to be his co-founder. While I helped him maintain focus and make Crawlability successful, he eventually let his creative side take over. He'll tell you he's a serial entreprenuer. He doesn't like to stick with one thing.

Things started to go sour when I discovered he was developing products other than vBSEO, and he did not like the criticism about a lack of focus on vBSEO.

I really appreciate your thoughtful comments, and I always maintain faith that we can get back on track. As far as relationships, first we have an obligation to our customers.

 

Hi Chris, please click unsubscribe.

vBSEO isn't heading anywhere. Nobody is there working on it. That's why I'm letting all customers know so that they are not mislead or uninformed any further.

 

Hi Notorious. It has been the greatest challenge of my life.

Thank you for your support. If nothing else happens, at the very least, our customers now know the true status.

 

We don't know what, if any, funds are available. The purchase page is still open and the customers that are asking for support and help completing their orders indicate the we still have at least some new customers arriving.

Nobody should have to pay for anything again. If the company stayed operational, renewals still may be required annually, but only if we can provide the support that is offered.

Investment is another option, but may be unlikely. I have to see the full status of the company behind the scenes before any determination can be made.

 

I am sure there are still a lot of forums who use vBSEO. Thank you Ilia for showing concern for us. I hope the goal of reviving the product and support is achieved. If there's a clear path to making the product going again, I wouldn't hesitate in renewing my license even if I have to prepay for a couple of years in advance. Good luck!

 

um, never mind. this is to old to even worry about.

*goes back to working on XenForo stuff*

 

Going to leave my 2 cents here.

vBSEO died few years ago, there has not been any true development since.

vBulletin after being taken over by Internet Brands became a total failure, looking at vBulletin 5 should explain what I mean. Even if vBSEO started development again, do you really think people will come back to vBSEO?
vBulletin is losing customers daily to IPS or XF or other competitive forum softwares.
The current condition of vBulletin is dire and we don't know when Internet Brands will pull the plug on vBulletin if they stop generating positive revenue.

I understand your commitment and wanting to help and make the product better, but I really don't see the point of this anymore, it's little too late to act.

I do however appreciate you connecting with the old customer base and letting us know the situation, people get too touchy when they get unwanted emails, it ain't the end of the world if it's for a good cause. It's a single email.

Anyways, good luck, and I will definitely be keeping an eye on it.

 

Hi

I'm a heavy vBSEO User (10+ Licenses) and really appreciate every person who puts effort in getting vBSEO back to life. There was really no support for the last months/years or even updates. I would be glad willing to pay for new updates or much more if it gets updated to vb5! Don't let get you down from other people and try to find a solution on this! There are a lot ppl happy about if vbseo dies, because of their own business (even XF for my opinion).

Wish you best luck!
(and sorry for my english) *g

 

Hi Brian,

I want to start by letting you know, despite the feelings you expressed here tonight, that you were a very hardworking and valued member of our team. However, I am going to address you fully, because you are completely off base.

I was locked out of the company in 2009, against my will. The company at that time was very profitable. If you can find some way to explain how I am responsible for its decline, I would be entertained to hear it.

That certainly has not always been your position, Brian. See below.



Do you endorse how he's been managing vBSEO this past year?

That's a very simplified understanding of business ownership and decision making Brian. Ownership always has higher authority over executive positions. In small businesses of this scale, the fact that we even adopt corporate titles is somewhat silly if you think about it.

I challenge you to point it out. However, I am not really sure of what you think you know, or why you've suddenly had a change of heart.

Again Brian, I'm sorry, but that is a very simplified and incorrect understanding of business organization, intellectual property, etc. You can see from Juan's very words (as you already have since he's responding to you) that the project called "Tweetboard", supposedly a "140Ware" or new company project, was funded by Crawlability Inc.

I challenge you to demonstrate it.

You were two of our most valued employees, strong work ethic, absolute product experts. Also very argumentative, but great nonetheless. And, I commend you for having taken that interest.

I assure you, this is the first time I have ever heard of it.

Brian - what legal issues? Are you honestly blaming your offer to buy the company falling through on me, when I never heard tell of any such thing?

What were you told? You need to go back and start rethinking this more clearly.

I can understand how you would be upset if you did so much work to arrange investors, get prepared to acquire the company, and pour your heart and soul into it. However, I never knew any such thing about your intent.

And, FYI, I probably would have considered your offer. You negotiated with the wrong co-founder.

Are you being serious, Brian? How did you in any way infer this ridiculous idea? Please explain.

Wow, yes. But I still like you!

I am the owner. I can act on behalf of the company. My quote that you included clearly states that I don't have access or control to vBSEO.com or our accounts, etc. Who is pretending? I think I've been clear.

This, I absolutely agree with you 100%. It's hard for the team to choose sides, especially when one side still issues the paychecks. I have appreciated the behind the scenes support from many of the team members throughout the years, but I understand why not much could be said to Juan.

 

Ilia, I have not been an active vBSEO customer for a few years but from keeping in touch with Joe and, on occasion, yourself I believe that you are acting in earnest to salvage whatever is left of the company & product.

Best wishes with the endeavor and, when all of the legal issues are done & over with, hopefully the family issues can be resolved as well or at least come to an understanding that is acceptable by all involved.

 

Hi Ilia

Your position is understandable, but you must see the writing on the wall.

a> VBulletin 4 is no longer developed. It's a matter of time before it becomes too obsolete.

b> VBulletin 5 is a failed software. The current market share of VB5 is about half a percent.

Hence it is only a matter of time before VBulletin completely dies or at least becomes too insignificant to consider any investment by a third party wishing to start a product around VBulletin.

You already have the most valuable asset of VBSeo. It's customer's mailing list. If you wish to remain in the forum business, you can start an SEO company around IPB and Xenforo. Possibly even include scripts like MyBB and PHPBB. Hire Developers and start a new company and start building products around these scripts. Once close to a finished product you can start marketing them to the erstwhile VBSEO customers.

Given the leaps and bounds of progress both IPB and XF are making, and acquiring VB customers everyday, in the long run, this seems to be a more profitable and practical approach rather than try and resurrect a company built around VBulletin, which itself is going to fade away.

Even if you somehow came in control of VBSeo and invested in it anew, since no one in any large number is buying or renewing VBulletin, it would just be money, time and effort which would go to waste.

Whatever you choose wishing you the best.

 

Wow, it looks like I picked the right week to decide on moving off of vBulletin (and VBSEO). I gave up on updating or investing any time into VBSEO several years ago. All of this makes me want to make the XenForo switch even faster.