IPB VS Xenforo Review: 2 week perspective

Some people from another forum wanted to know my issues with Xenforo so i figured I'd make a post here as well. Not a hate thread, I am open to being educated. Apologies for length! But hey there are some pretty pics


So why did I switch to Xenforo for a 2nd time?
I used XF briefly for 5 months in 2013 where it was my first paid software experience...I grew annoyed with the limitations & switched to IPB and loved it for the most part...
A lot of this has to do with the future. I am unsure of what IPB has in store for 4.0 and in all honesty, I am ready to pick up my slack and start putting a lot more effort in branding my site. After thinking of it, I realize I can do that with 3.4.6 but I'd need to do it all over again for 4.0 and that could be an annoyance. Not to mention, there were things I didn't like about 4.0(though IPS are working on it and I am liking it more now).

When given the opportunity to switch to Xenforo(I had a license transferred to me, thanks btw ), I took it as the time to give it a go.I made a rushed decision(which i take full accountability for, I am known for impulse decisions lol) based on buying into the hype of XF and a little peer pressure as well LOL. From the outside in, Xenforo seemed to be different from the version I used in Early 2013. It felt...like a full package to me. Initially it started it off well and I am genuinely happy.

SEO/Ranking(Xenforo vs IPB)
I believe it when people say that xenforo has excellent SEO in comparison to IPB. I haven't really done anything major in the two weeks and I am noticing that I am getting more traffic and on top of that, i am ranking FASTER and better than I did.

Now with IPB, it is not bad and it is actually possible to rank just as high....But out the box Xenforo seems to be perfect where IPB requires some TLC.

IPB: 7
XF: 10

Notifications

One of my biggest annoyances in IPB was the notification system. While adequate enough,I just disliked how you get multiple notifications for the same topic you are watching.

Xenforo's notification is quite smart. For starters it doesn't send you multiple notifications for each reply. It updates that one. More importantly, it has the topic title to let you know where the topic is(IPB is far more generic).

More importantly, when you get a Private Message and you have multiple ones, Xenforo doesn't clear the Alert count, it merely deducts them as you read(IPB removes the count even if i still have 4 other messages) and it even pushes the Unread messages to the top.

Xenforo's Notification is hands down loads better and easily the best aspect of XF for me.
IPB is an 8 to Xenforo's 10 score.

The Speed:
On IPB my forum has never been SLOW....but Xenforo does feel smoother. Don't get me wrong, I've seen some slow ass XF forums but that is due to a whole lot of add-ons. The software truly is smooth and pleasant. I'd give IPB a 7.5 and XF a 9.5

Statistics
I love the way XF does Statistics....IPB has statistics as well but everything is separated. With XF you have all the options there and you can check or uncheck what you need. Less clicks than IPB and I appreciate the Line Graph of XF's stats to IPB's Bar.

IPB: 8
XF: 9

What's Not So great:
1. A lot of Ajax
XF just has way too much ajax. It is a bit...overboard. IPB uses it less and I personally didn't really realize how much it bugged me until i used it regularly on my own forum.

IPB: 10
XF: 7

2. Sidebar
I really dislike how EVERYTHING can be shoved into the sidebar. It looks a mess to me. I love the fact that IPB utilizes the sidebar but things like stats are at the bottom. It looks cleaner that way to me.

With XF, there are edits to get it that way but that's just extra work and then you have to make sure it is that way for all styles.
IPB: 9
XF: 6

What I hate
1. Avatars:


In IPB, you can set a size on the forum for Avatar Sizes and be done. You don't need to do any edits to templates. Just set a size 300 X 300 and call it a day.

Depending on if you want Large avatars, you are apparently required to edit the template when it comes to Xenforo. This is annoying. Suppose you had usergroups who could have larger avatars than others. How does that work?

It's far easier to set avatar size with IPB than XF.
IPB: 9
XF: 4
2. Animated Avatars:

Like with Avatars, setting up Animated Avatars is quite easy on IPB. Simply choose yes and the Avatars are animated.

With Xenforo, apparently it requires the use of Imagemagick extension? I have to install an extension to get animated avatars? Really?

IPB: 10
XF: 4

3. Layout & Styling:
This is a big thing to me.....I have seen so many diverse looking IPB forums out there. They all have their own signature look and style.
http://forum.grasscity.com/
http://mlpforums.com/
http://onehallyu.com/

Even my site was its own when it was on IPB(THis was in May 2014)


They all are IPB forums yet they still feel unique and look unique enough. Various Niches(Marijuana, Kpop, Kid's show, Book forum, etc).

When I see XF forums, it has a been there done that feel to it. It's not really unique and you see one XF forum and you've seen them all. @Russ is literally the only Designer i've seen by @Audentio who actually really actually truly puts effort in creating a unique style.

On top of that, the layout of IPB is just better. I am all for Minimalism but XF takes it too far. Example: "The Kitchen Sink" aka user info under avatars is hidden by default on XF. I didn't realize it till my users were like "How come I can't see my post count?"


SPeaking of styling, it is annoying that there is really not any creative skins. I didn't realize it at first but I brought a very pretty looking skin from Xenfocus only to discover...Wait a second. I just paid $30 for what is actually the XF default style with some pretty backgrounds, a new font and a few buttons changed. Most skins are not innovative or creative.

IPB communities have a LOT of diverse/unique skins that warrant their cost and I notice that any random joe can create a style and slap a $20 tag on it when it comes to Xenforo.

IPB: 9
XF: 6

3. Support Forums
I'll have to say I love how social the XF forums are. People there actually do take the time to converse and you get to know some people.

What I hate is the solicitation. Examaple: I posted a thread looking for hosting recommendations. Within 20 minutes I get 3 hosts PMing me their offers and trying to convince me otherwise to choose them because they are Great. I even had a couple of add-on authors do the same thing.

IPB in the year i used them, I never had someone start PMing me then annoying me about using their services. It's quite annoying. I don't want to report anyone because it wasn't that serious.

I love the fact that XF users are quite fast when it comes to answering Questions. Brogan is a freaking Beast(that's a good thing) and I actually like the fact that Mike answers my tickets not to mention the issues people have with Slavik that i read about, he seems like a good guy to me. I love the fact that the higher ups actually take the time to speak and assist the clients. Mike actually fixed an issue with my redirect scripts with XF. I totally appreciate that.

IPB has a good support forum but it is less social. Meaning you don't really get to know the community as well outside of the various support stuff. The community is helpful but sometimes it does take a little work getting responses from others.

What I dislike about the support forums about XF is that it feels like a popularity contest. Kiss enough ass or stroke enough egos and you're good to go.

Overall, I'd probably rank
IPB's support forums: 8
XF's support forum: 8

5. Third Party Add-ons
(Yes i add 3rd party to the XF vs IPB because buying into these ecosystems you likely also buy into their 3rd party)

It's been preached about so much that XF has the best 3rd party add-ons I can see why people would say that. A lot of fun addons and great developers. The XF resource manager is fantastic and easy to find stuff.

IPB has its own store but it is less intuitive an da bit harder to fix.

What I dislike about XF is the fact that so many developers are talented and create add-ons that truly are amazing and creative pieces of work and yet so many people are trying to nickel and dime you. Various Add-ons that are/were needed to fill in holes that XF itself lacked are guaranteed money makers. Why? Because developers know people NEED these add-ons and are willing to pay whatever.

It is a tough pill to swallow when using XF because while the product in its core is great and has come such a long way, the fact that you need(and for some admins there is still a need even in 1.4) to rely on 3rd party add-on to fill in features that IPB/VB/WBB have had as well as free software makes Xenforo potentially pricey.

Even more so the fact that while Xenforo does have a growing 3rd party market, it is so much easier to find Free mods or less expensive with IPB(IMO, YMMV). And the same exact add-ons on both platforms often have more features(example: Ibeconomy and iCredits on IPB vs Credits premium by Brivium....icredits can virtually do the same thing and even more than Credits Premium at literally half the price and without a renewal fee.)

Even worse is the fact that utilizing Xenforo add-ons makes your board feel like a walking advertisement with random copyrights and what not thrown into your footer. Keep in mind that when you buy a Paid Add-on you still have to pay for branding free for EACH one which can be quite costly.

Overall, Xenforo has an easy to use Resource manager to find stuff but I'd take IPB's slightly chaotic method(It does need improvement) for the fact that the add-ons seemed to be fairly priced as well as the fact that they are not always trying to throw their copyright all over your site.

IPB: 8
XF: 5

What Reall P*sses me off:

1. User Groups Promotion

It took me awhile to grasp Xenforo's Usergroup Management. Personally I find it utterly ridiculous for several reasons.

Why does EVERY person need to be in the default group? I can kind of get the fact that it helps you change permissions globally. I'll give XF that.

However when you have multiple usergroups as apart of usergroup promotions(i.e. let's say you get promoted based on a post count) there is no real reason to leave them in the previous usergroup.

Example: I completed my freshman year of College...I am not a Sophomore. Why am I still a part of the Freshman class? I've been promoted. It should no longer be associated with me. I'm a Sophomore now.

With IPB it's quite simple....All users start off with their Primary group being whatever it is. As you reach a certain criteria, you are promoted and no longer apart of the previous group. I much prefer it this way because there is no real reason for a user to be apart of all these usergroups.

I have 10-12 different usergroups on my site someone can be promoted into based on post count. On IPB by the time they reach the final One, it's their only group. On XF they now have all 10 and that just seems....too much to me.

IPB: 9
XF: 6

2. Usergroup Styling

Yet again this is something that pisses me off. When you create a usergroup with Xenforo and it has a particular styling and color, it requires you to use a ladder of sort. Meaning you have to give it a number. The Number more or less signifies it's priority so when a user is apart of multiple usergroups the group with the highest priority gives the user their styling(color, etc)

Except going back to number 1....There's no need to do that with IPB. You don't need to give a usergroup Priority. They just get promoted to the next group and the previous group is no longer valid.

When you have tons of usergroup this can get tricky with XF, I remember accidentally typing in the same number twice and not realizing it till the end and then having to go back and fix it.

IPB: 9
XF: 6

3. Usergroup Permissions:

Xenforo:
What throws me off is the
Always, Never, Not Set/No.

I had to figure out when the right time to use Not Set/No was vs when to use Never. I winded up giving One usergroup No permission whatsoever and then even though I gave their succeeding usergroup the permission, i discovered that because "Registered" was set to never that meant it overrode any other permissions.

IPB simplifies with no confusion.....Yes or no.

But Wait...I want to make it where new members have to have their first posts approved...How do i do that?

On Xenforo it is "Follow Message Moderation rules?"

Now unless you knew what that meant off the hand, how the heck do I know THAT is how you set a usergroup to have their post moderated? Then you have to figure out...Is it Always, No or Never.

With IPB...it's simple yet again.
Yes or No plus it gives you a little bit more options on how to moderate and how long



That's the thing with Xenforo. Xenforo is quite capable and does a lot of things but then IPB does the same thing and gives you a bit more power and freedom to do more with permissions while still making it simple. Yes or No.

I can give several more examples on Usergroup Permissions but i'll move on.

IPB: 9
Xenforo: 4

4. Moderator/Admin Permissions:

What I don't understand is...If someone is an ADMINISTRATOR why do I need to make them a MODERATOR so they can do moderator tasks?

Oh sure you can ban people and do stuff in the ACP but you don't even have basic abilities to do forum stuff unless I explicitly make you a Moderator as well.

It should be implied but Xenforo requires you to make them BOTH Admin and Moderators. I am sure the is a "Good "reason for this but at the same time, it sounds kind of dumb.

IPB understands this so that ALL ADMINS automatically have Moderator abilities.

Not all Admins/Moderators are create equal:
What if I have a group of admins and/or mods but they have a "Leader"(example: my 2nd in command is the official leader of the Admin group and my Super Mod is in charge of my mod groups)

That leader may have slightly more abilities than the others. For example my Super Mod also has limited Admin abilities(Can edit/change usernames and profiles and handle bans)

I have to MAKE that person an Administrator as well with Xenforo but only check the options for those permissions.

In theory, it works but they are not meant to be Admins. So why do i need to make them Admins and Moderators.

IPB does it different and Better while giving you more control and Power:

You can give the usergroup access to ACP...But more importantly you can specify a specific user to be able to do this and that but not this or that.


As Seen Below, this gives you a tab of all the abilities you have on your site...It's very detailed.
Depending on what Apps you have within IPB(1st and 3rd party) the tabs will grow...this is on a BASIC IPB site for the most part but on my own site i had like 8-10 tabs.



I love this because it gives you more control and power. Xenforo has something similar yet it is basic. You can do this or that...there's no inbetween really. It's literally do this or not do this.

I miss ACP restrictions

IPB: 10
XF: 6
5. Creating Nodes

Oh my God....This pissed me off.

Let's just pretend I never used a forum as an admin. On Xenforo, it's called a "Node Tree" and it is not explicitly in an area where you'd expect.

Guess Where it is? Under Applications. Say what?


Again if I didn't know that...How would I have known that? IPB has it literally explicitly stated as "Forums"


Once Again XF vs IPB....IPB makes it simply.
How? Because it gives you most of the permissions right there as you create the Forum. Xenforo does this for the most part but then on top of that let's say it is restricted to certain usergroups......

Xenforo you have to make the node PRIVATE then explicitly go into the usergroups and then give them permissions on what they can and can't do. We expressed above how much I hate XF permissions....


IPB does it different.....and it even allows you to set a forum password. I don't see this option with XF(I am sure it is there but once again, IPB places this directly in your face when you create the forum and giving you the option to make certain groups exempt)


Xenforo gives you some options on what is allowed/not allowed...But once again IPB gives you more options and control/power.


IPB: 10
XF: 8

6. Banning Users::

Xenforo actually gets a light free pass because i absolutely love user Discouragement(This is a 3rd party add-on for IPB called Miserable users).

Xenforo Banning a user is pretty simple


IPB does it mostly the same but yet again gives you more options...I can Ban(Permanently) or Suspend(Temp ban) just like XF but what if i dont want to do either. What if i want to moderate their content? I can't figure out how to do that on Xenforo for one person. I have to make a usergroup for them.

On IPB i simply have to click "Ban Member" and then change posting permissions/restrictions and set a time period to Moderate them. There...Done.

XF does have thread banning now which is great to me.

So for this one I give XF a slight pass

IPB: 8
XF: 8

7. Linking to a Forum

Given that I run a book forum, I often times set up Category for each book series and the Authors link us and that's how we get traffic/members.

With XF, if you link to a Category node it'll just move the page down to that particular node.

With IPB, if I link to a Category, it actually takes you to that specific page with all Forums/Subforums. This looks cleaner instead of it having all my other forums listed above and below, it only has that Category's forums and making easy access.

Apparently there is a way to tweak/edit this on XF but still.....I shouldn't have to.

IPB: 10
XF: 3

I can go on and on about my complaints with Xenforo(Example: I can't add a Poll to an already existing thread? I tried this on two forums that are running the Beta) but i'll stop here.

As it Stands....I miss IPB.
IPB may have been the kind of software where you have to do some tending to it to get it to be near perfection but is that so bad? Out the box, it has a lot of power, you just have to of course give it a little more work.

Xenforo out the box appears great and is a great forum solution. But as you use it, there are some odds and ends that really bug you. I say IPB is the slightly less attractive but Way smarter love interest and XF is the Sexy, Flashy and super cool personality but lacks a little intelligence.

I miss IPB but in all honesty I am not ready to give up on XF yet.
For starters, I refuse to do another Migration anytime soon. The first one was easy but it is so time consuming getting all glitches/bugs fixed and I just don't have it in me.

But more importantly I made the choice to move to Xenforo and I want to learn how to master Xenforo and I want to actually GROW with the software and learn to love it. AS it stands now, I like it enough but I still have periods where it just pisses me off and makes me miss where I am coming from.

I want to be an admin who is Proud to have a XF site instead the Admin I am now...A begrudging owner who just is too lazy to convert back.

There are so many Benefits to Xenforo(SEO is the first thing) and my members love it(Of course they love IPB as well). There are a lot of cons for me as well. People say it is because I am stuck in my IPB ways. I thought that is it, and no...it's not. Not really anyway.

I think what bugs me the most is, that when you ask for help people get so secretive and don't want point you where or how to do something and a lot of times it seems you gotta kiss ass with the right people to get help.

If i had the choice to switch back and someone would do all the work for me....I'd still stick with XF. Only because, I've already had IPB 3.4.6 and If I switch back to IPB, it'll be for 4.0.But more importantly, as I said...I am not ready to give up just yet. I feel like Xenforo has the ability to wow me and really make a happy client but as it stands I have various annoyances and frustrations and issues and until i figure my way how to solve those, i'll always begrudgingly own a Xenforo forum.

 

I did suggest that you might want to stay on IPB for a while longer Anyway for the most part that seems a reasonable assessment. Incidentally you can add a pole to an existing thread in XenForo. Admittedly it needed a work around but I'm fairly sure it's now properly implemented within the software.

 

You did XD
We'll blame my teenage impulse

I tried adding one here earlier and it wouldn't let me, so i assumed you couldn't add a poll.

 

I'll be honest with you - I got bored about halfway through

Comparisons are never going to end well. If you go into something with the mindset of "xxx does it like this, I'm going to compare this constantly" you're never going to be happy. With anything, you need to go into it as a blank slate and not do the whole comparison thing. That way you'll learn more without the clutter of external noise from what you know from using something else.

 

I'd take a guess that the permissions for that function aren't set for the member group. The other possibility are that it's an admin only function but that would surprise me. I tend not to run the latest version so I can't test it but I do recall seeing that the facility had been added at some point.

 

I'll continue to disagree with you about the add-ons, even though you've provided no proof (I guess that is why you put YMMV because you can't prove it).

Otherwise...I stopped reading during this section so the comparison may have gotten better. I don't think there is any comparison tbh. I'd be better off stating the 1 or 2 things (if I can really rack my brain for them) that I liked better with IPB vs xF rather than comparing all the features...hands down xf wins. I will never look at IPS products again. I don't like them as a company, I don't like their snoody members, I don't like their greedy members, and I don't like the attitudes of their staff...and that's not even talking about their half-baked projects...

 

Me too. And sounds like we can expect to see you back on IPB soon?

#givemeyourxflicensewhenyoudo

 

Umm... no? How on earth did you get to that conclusion?

 

I think he meant me and quoted you by mistake.
Though @GTB if you're going to read something do at least do attempt to SKIM the rest.

I have no intentions to convert back to IPB presently simply because the conversion kicked my ass a bit
and as I said beforehand, I am not ready to give up on Xenforo and I want to learn to love it and learn to master the software.

Annoyances aside and there are many many more i didn't list here(You two got bored and i got bored after awhile writing it lol), there is so much potential here with XF that I am looking to take hold of and grow from.

However that being said, if IPB 4.0 is stable and has improved by the time my license expires with XF in December 2015(I am giving it till then to see what 2.0 has in store) and I still am not happy, yes you very well may see me convert back to IPB and permanently this time.

But as @Andy R and @BamaStangGuy is a pain for me and users converting constantly(Well for me not then. THey are fine with anything they can post on) and I want to spend more time on my content and my users so I have no real desire to convert now. I simply want to learn and master it so i can stop being a begrudging owner of XF

(I can't give you my license. It was transferred to me by someone on TAZ and i am stuck with it. Another reason why I don't want to give it up. I dont want a license i'll do nothing with )

 

you're right it has. I actually noticed it in on XF official site.

It's not about PROVING anything. It was like 5 am when i did the post lol.
I put ymmv simply because your mileage may vary from mine and your needs/expectations may be different.

What exactly is it that i should "Prove?"

 

I did mean you.

 

Unlike others, I didn't get bored. I read some parts and skimmed others. It was interesting to see so much explanation from someone who knows IPB. I never saw this before.

Also, I kept in mind that this is a two-week perspective. IOW, you are not used to XF yet.

 

You've stated it a few times and people have asked you to back up your claim on "easy template edits that cost money"...I haven't seen it and it appears most other people haven't either. If you claim that, you should have proof.

 

I see where you are coming from, buy you also have to remember for some developers, time is money. As well as that age old saying that seems to always hold true "you get what you pay for". Some free ones.... well, I wouldn't suggest installing them. For various reasons.

Be smart about the add-ons that are simply a "must-have" addition. Many of the good ones don't show, and some that do only have them appear on the pages the add-on is in use.

I made a nice list... still in progress: https://xenadmins.com/threads/copyright-locations.472/

I'm not sure I understand... you feel like it has the ability to wow you, yet you have stated you don't want to take the time and put in the effort to get it to where you want it.

What issues and frustrations are you having? I have seen you posting that at a couple different places, yet I clicked your name at XF, checked your recent posts, and failed to find one unanswered question. There are plenty of people willing to help out with anything you need, and XA is strictly an XF question area too. It's impossible for anyone to help out if you just want to complain about how XF is not IPB. Trust everyone that has XF, we know it's not IPB. That is why we chose XF. We don't want it to be like IPB.

Many of the points you stressed I completely disagree with on, simply because I see everything opposite as you. As an XF user, I am used to all the systems, the user upgrades, the AdminCP access, moderators, etc.. everything. If I go elsewhere and continually compare that software vs. XF, of course its going to pale in comparison, simply because it is what I am used to and how I do things.

If you are on XF now, and for the immediate future, get involved if you are looking for creative ways to take your forum away from the standard appearance. Think outside the box that is presented to you. Ask questions, ask for help... I am certain you'd get it.

 

Sorry, but your writing style is more than slightly ambiguous, and certainly misleading.

When I use XenForo, I really find nothing that bug me. Maybe you find those things, but if you do, then you should say that you do, rather than trying to impose your own observations on the rest of us.

And you know, I really have to agree with @Azhria lilu when she says your review is skewed from the very start. Until you realize XenForo is XenForo, and XenForo is not IPB, then you're not prepared to do a proper review.

I have run Linux for several years, and exclusively for the last 3+ years. I refuse to go back to Windows, because I find I can do everything I need within Linux. People see how much I enjoy running Linux and they want in on the party. But the majority of them cannot accept the fact that leaving Windows behind is doing just that - leaving Windows behind. So, when they start using Linux, they are uncomfortable that the experience is completely different from running Windows. On the other hand, I wanted as far away from Windows as I could get, so I was ready to embrace all the changes that migration would include.

When I left IPB for XenForo, I was ready to accept whatever changes were necessary, to get away from IPB. And my migration was a delight, for both myself and for my users.

You weren't ready to leave IPB. Blame it on the emotional complexities of your age group if you like, but let us just call it what it really is - you were not prepared to leave IPB behind you, which means XenForo will never be what you want. It will always fall short, just because it is not IPB.

 

Well technically it's more like 5 months +2 weeks
I used it for 5 months in 2013 and it's been 2 weeks(nearly 3) since converting back earlier this month<3

But thanks for reading

I am quite curious how you got to that conclusion. Like i legit am
What i've noticed from here and taz is the fact that while SOME people actually may have pointed out and argued against some of my posts to the point of explaining how/why something is that way, however let's take @Azhria lilu and yourself....you seem more inclined to try and attack MY OPINION lol.

It has nothing to do with me being stuck in a IPB mindset. It has zero to do with the fact I wasn't ready to leave IPB.
Most of the points I make were expressing that for the various tasks that I am used to doing, it was easier and/or made more sense on IPB than it does XF.

I can do the same exact thing(for the most part) on both software yet for me the EASE of use and simplicity is mainly what i complained about.

I am not stuck in a "IPB" mode. Trust me, I am WELL AWARE of XF's flaws(as well as ipb's) and i know it is nothing like ipb. I get that.

This is a 2 week perspective of my experience since converting back and the issues I am having. Did I eventually pick this stuff up after i figured it out? of course, I am smart and i catch on quick for the most part. Doesn't make the ease of use any better.

I've noticed quite a many XF users get really defensive and are ready to criticize MY OPINIONS for a product that I use on MY SITE.....Educate me and help me, is what I want. I shouldn't need to defend my opinions for a product I am using and investing in.

There is nothing AMBIGIOUS about my writing style. To be that, I need to be saying one thing and meaning another OR having more than one meaning....I was pretty blunt about what I like and don't like lol.

Nor was I trying to IMPOSE my views on you. To do that, I am telling you THIS is how it is going to go, this is how it is going to be and you accept that. Nothing in my post was IMPOSING anything on you. I expressed my opinions of a product so I
1. can get people off my back about not liking the product
2. Learn to like/love it(Which is what i stated in my post).

So let's try this again...Instead of arguing MY OPINIONS, why dont you help me learn the software, K?

 

Oh that? I am almost positive i did say at a later point in that original topic that I may have been wrong(And if so, then I am wrong, my apologies). Though I don't recall PEOPLE asking so much as you lol

I probably should do a post on add-dons and their alternatives with IPB that i use(d)

 

I'm just curious Micah as I don't know IPB at all(aside from looking at the styling system briefly). But if I wanted to make it so users couldn't set a signature, upload an avatar and moderate them until they hit 5 posts how would it be achieved in IPB? This is a genuine question as I'm curious how "simpler" it is with these apparently easy permissions you speak of with IPB. And yes I'm asking as I honestly don't know the answer.

 

With Xenforo, you have to set your Registered Group without those abilities and then go in and set up the User Promotion. While it is not COMPLICATED, it still requires an extra step or two(and if a users who is new to XF doesn't fully realize it and hasn't figured out when to use Allow, Not set/No, and Never as well as what "Follow Moderation Rules" are it can lead to some confusion).

What I like about IPB is, there is no extra step. You have your Group and all the permissions are there under Global tab








It cuts out needing to go to another part of the ACP to set up user promotion, It also explicitly gives you 2 options and there is no question of when to use Allow, When to use No, When to use Never.

Also I love the fact that it gives you a brief description under the options as well.
Again it is not complicated so much as the ease of you is better and it is all there right their in front of you. I like the options of Yes and No.
It is more straight forward in IPB with little room for confusion for NEW admins to it.

Also, i am too lazy to go through each one and do it but it also seems to give it a bit more control and ability for admin(and users) that Xenforo doesn't give.

Also another thing, is there a way to limit or increase the size amount EACH usergroup can upload as far as files with XF? Or is it more Uniform?
(I mean can you do this WITHOUT an Add-on?)

Is there a way to limit how many PMs each usergroup can send/store in their Inbox?(Again without an add-on)

Is there also a way to export/archive your PM(Conversations)? Again without an add-on.....