Kier designing his own forum software?

OMG I didn't even see that... :lol: Good one!

 

And now Kier is in the right place at the right time. The difference is that he's been the chief dev of vBulletin for years. I think that makes this situation a lot better than it was with UBB and John.

 

I honestly believe that if Kier *does* do what everyone clearly thinks he's going to do, then it will trigger something of an avalanche. I know people say it can't happen again, but it can. It really can. IPB is good but it still doesn't "mesh" with people who are used to vB. If Kier comes up with a "third way" - not a copy of vB but something different and better - then I think the interest in it will be quite astonishing.

This sort of moment doesn't come round often on the internet. The moment is there for the taking. I realise the lead up to it is different to the UBB situation, but the principles remain the same and the outcome could also be the same.

And like I've said, many people like myself would buy it immediately in sheer deference to Kier, and would look at the implementation issues afterwards. My view, as I'm sure is also the view of many others, is that if Kier launched a forum product, my intention would be to get my site running on it ASAP without even having seen it. How many other developers could you say that about? My guess is none.

That's where we're at and if it happens, it will be a force to be reckoned with. No doubt about that. Sure, it'll take it years to catch up to where vB got to but who cares?

 

I agree with you Mark.

The reality is, that this entire thing has become something along the lines of the good guys versus the bad guys. And a number of people view IB as the bad guys and are looking to pay back IB for their arrogance and mistreatment.

And what better way would there be to pay back IB, then to move to new software developed by the ex-lead developer of vBulletin?

Bring it on I say! :devil:

 

Mmmm! I must be the only one then who doesn't believe it will be a forum software project Kier (might be working) on. I find it more interesting that I've noticed for a while now, that both TECK and Kier have been working together on his Sphinx product, with TECK asking Kier for help in the past in Twitter and Kier giving it. I also know they've been using Skype for chatting.

Funny also how TECK has showed his face in this thread with Kier as well.

This makes me wonder if just maybe this has now turned into more between them, like a project both TECK and Kier are in on together. What exactly, I don't have a clue. But I do know that IPB3 has a Sphinx Search Setting you can activate. What better way for them both to get back at Internet Brands, than to release it for IPB3? I'm not saying I think it's that, just offering some food for thought!

Also, it's easy to post here that you would buy Kier's forum software (if that happened). But in all reality, you would still compare it to IPB3 and the rest out there, just like you would any other forum software your thinking of buying. And respect alone for Kier as an ex vBulletin developer will stand for nothing really in the long run of things. And to say you would buy his forum software just because you respect him as an ex vBulletin developer - is just being plain stupid. Sorry!

I really don't think Kier has the manpower resources anyway to work on another forum board himself. vBulletin 3 was beginning to fall behind IPB3 when Kier was still at the helm with Jelsoft as head developer in that last year before IB purchased vBulletin, so what makes you think starting a forum software now from new would be better? For starters he wouldn't have the same kind of support from all the old developers anymore like he did before "who have gone there own ways" since.

I don't think even Kier himself is stupid enough to think he can "even hope" to try and compete with IPB as well as many other quality free boards like MyBB and SMF. By starting a new forum board project himself. SMF and MyBB have many, many years invested in them already. Do you think Kier wants to spend YEARS catching-up? Making no money from a new forum board project going through Apha, Beta Gold stages e.t.c? Then having to improve it much further to try and attract sales? No way!!!

I think some of you need to put your (fan boy-ism) feelings for Kier aside for a moment and look at this with a lot more common sense. Kier is just playing you all like a fiddle!

 

I'm pretty sure that we're talking about a forum software here.

And if everyone thought like the way you describe in your last paragraph, we wouldn't have a vBulletin or IPB. John was just some guy who didn't like the UBB software anymore and Matt Mecham's situation was somewhere along those lines too.

No, of course it won't be the amazing sweeper that destroys the competition from version 1.0. But so what? vBulletin was the best in its field, but that didn't mean it had to destroy IPB in the process. The more forum platforms exist, the bigger the chance that we will have high quality software.

 

Let's face it if we were all betting people 99% of us would put money on it being new forum software.

This I welcome, I welcome it with open arms as I'm a relative newcomer to vBulletin (purchased when 3.7 was latest) and must admit I'm not happy with the direction that IB have taken the product in terms of customer experience/service. However, I like the ideas (CMS, CSS etc) and one must assume that these ideas probably came up before IB even purchased vBulletin.

It really is like peeing in the wind until we get an official reply but I believe in Kier, he seems to know what he is doing, he seems to have a level head and knows how to treat people and that's a fantastic start.

Going by his avatar he's obviously not a retired guy writing software as more of a hobby and so obviously he would need an income to support this new project so in my eyes it's obvious he has some financial backing for this new venture and thus with any financial backer they would want to start seeing a return ASAP and this could only be achieved if there are a team of programmers working on the project not just 1 or 2.

So he's hoping that it is a forum software and here's hoping it can hit the ground running in respect to the current 'leaders' in the field.

Good luck Kier and yes I will be supporting you both verbally and financially if/when the forum software becomes a viable solution.

 

Just keep in mind though that when John decided to move away from UBB and create vBulletin back then, things were very different compared to today with the quality of forum board software out there. It's a totally different kettle of fish now. Sure, you might be right, maybe you know something I don't that Kier has personally told you. As you seem very sure of yourself that HE IS creating a new forum board.

I just hope your not basing this of that Tweet he made that 2010 will be a year with a suprise? That could mean a million and one things.

But I'd just be surprised if that was the case and it was another forum board software product he's doing from scratch. I'm guessing Kier most likely wants to remain and continue in the field of development, making a good living from it. But unless he's pulled together a good sized team already too work on a new forum board project, it would most likely take him that long to develop one and start earning money from it. That it might not even be feasible financially for him to even consider waiting that long.

 

I disagree strongly with almost all of what you said.
AND, you're going to be eating an awful lot of words in the near future.

#1 - Kier is far from stupid.
#2 - I highly doubt that Kier is "playing" anyone.
#2 - I wouldn't call what I see here "fanboy-ism". I would call it confidence, trust, and respect, for a talented and intelligent coder with a pretty much spotless reputation in the forum world. And I am behind him all the way.

 

I guess I just assumed that if Kier did release something, it would be bare bones to start with and then he'd start adding to it.

I think if anyone is expecting a fully featured, forum/portal/blog/gallery package in version 1.0 alpha 1, you might be dreaming a bit.

But I don't think a basic message board coming out of the chute with a stready stream of additions is out of the question. Hopefully a vBulletin importer would be a early feature! :yes:

I think there could be some real advantages to Kier in starting over. For one, he would be starting with a clean slate and a blank piece of paper. No legacy considerations, no compatability concerns etc. If hind-sight is 20/20, Kier would have that advantage in being able to look back at what he would have done differently if he had the chance to start all over again.

Well here's his chance and there are certainly numerous vBulletin admins that would jump at the chance to get in on floor one and help him build the thing.

 

Amen to that!

 

MRGTB, I haqve no any clue that why you write so mean things about Kier but let me introduce myself; I am not a fanboy and i have only one forum. If Kier release a new forum software then i buy 2 licenses. I use one of them for my current forum and hold the other license for future projects. This is all about trust. I loved his software because his software helped me to build up my own community, nicely and softly. Plus, he quit working for IB

I dont know why some people talks like developing a forum software as difficult as developing an OS. He didnt tell us he is releasing a brand new software in few days. What we need to do is wait with new hopes.

 

Obviously you don't. :p

I said the same thing, that Kier is NOT stupid.

 

Good points there... i could see it as such too. Kier probably don't want to stomp on the vB/IPB toes directly and there's definitely more behind the scenes business end matters to think about besides just developing a forum software. It could be dedicated sphinx search plugin for forum softwares ? Now depending on how much ill will towards vB there is from Kier and Teck it could be a dedicated search plugin focused for IPB forums first. Maybe even run a sphinx search special with IPB folks for vB converts to IPB heh. Although, you'd probably make more money off vB folks first ?

Just guessing .... don't mind me

 

I agree. People are stating that they'll make the switch the moment it's released before they even look at it. This is more than silly in my opinion.

Yes, I am a fan of Kier's, I trust him and his work, and I think he can do magnificent things, but will I not switch to a brand-new product if it isn't beneficial to my forum, or if it will impede my forum's success. I'm not going to give up 50% of my forum's features, just to be able to use Kier's system, because it's most likely going to be something simpler and less-than-full-fledged when it first comes out.

This doesn't mean I don't respect Kier or admire his work; I just have forums to watch out for.

 

I'll definitely jump in as well, as I have stated already. Obviously, I don't expect a brand new forum software to out-do vB (< 4.0) or IPB or even phpBB for that matter. Those have the benefit of being several years old.

However, it is seldom that one gets the oportunity to "get in on" a new forum software that could potentially become awesome, really early.
To say it in words of MJ:
"It's an adventure, a great adventure."

Seriously, for me it's not about taking all my forums and converting them to a brand new software. It's about investing in a new player on the scene very early and getting in on the action. And especially about displaying trust to a developer whose work I greatly admire.

 

What I would probably be willing to do and would most likely do, would be to buy a license to experiment with, or perhaps to use to start a small new community with.

I would do so, partially to support Kier's new venture, but also to learn the software for the future.

I guess doing that, would somewhat hinge upon a few factors, including my confidence in the product going forward though.

But given that it's Kier we're talking about here, he's already earned a lot of good-will and confidence, at least in my mind.

 

Oh yeah, definitely. There's no doubt that I would do the same. But changing my existing communities is simply not feasible, depending on state of the first release.

 

I think that's a given.