Kier's new forum software: XenForo

Discussion in 'XenForo Discussions' started by Nick, Jul 28, 2010.

  1. AWS

    AWS Administrator

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    Hence why I said

    I have no doubt they will sell licenses to vbulletin users who have boards big and small. That will be about the extent of it. They might get a few that migrated from vbulletin to other software also. Other than that I doubt they'll sell many licenses.
     
  2. MordyT

    MordyT Grand Master

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    For me the big thing is going to be price. I am going to try to sell the second ipb license I bought so that I can use xf when it comes out, but I am hoping with the early bird and all to spend under $100...
     
  3. John

    John Regular Member

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    I am wondering if there is any plans on changing AdminAddict from vBulletin to XenForo when its released? Or will you wait until more features, or is there no thought at all to change forum software?
     
  4. MordyT

    MordyT Grand Master

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    Probably when a stable release comes out, with all the necessary features that aa needs...
    I can't see nick not upgrading.. Key word...

    *Via my HTC EvO 4G*
     
  5. Mark.B

    Mark.B Guest

    That's what they said about vBulletin when it first appeared as a challenger to UBB. Look what happened1

    IPB is perfectly safe since it's stronger now than ever before and really setting the pace, so perhaps XenForo won't become market leader. But it could become second. i think it'll kill vBulletin in the long term.
     
  6. AWS

    AWS Administrator

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    I was there when it all went down. No one, with the exception of Infopop, said anything like that. There was a void for a php/mysql driven forum that could scale on larger sites. John had a large community and needed a more robust product. He went to UBB with the plans for vbulletin and offered to rewrite UBB in php/mysql. Infopop thumbed their nose at the idea. John started work on vbulletin which at the time had no name. He created a forum on EZBoard so we could follow the development. What made vbulletin take off was UBB completely abandoned the market and instead introduced Open Topic which was a hosted app. Since wwwthread which was mysql driven, but coded in perl was the only alternative people left UBB in droves when vbulletin was released.

    The market was right at the time. That's not the case any longer. It will takes years for xenforo to catch up to the standard of today.

    I applaud the loyalty of all of the you. In reality you'd be going backwards if you moved to it. My bet, and I dislike IB with a passion, is vbulletin will survive this and might even be better because of it.
     
  7. Mike

    Mike Adept

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    Bob, I'm with you on this one.

    When XenForo does become available, what about the admins using blogs? What about the admins using a CMS. When people first started moving from vB to IPB, many people (some participating in this very thread) turned up their noses because they perceived the modding community was weak. So we're now meant to believe people are going to abandon what they are now using for a brand-new forum script with no blogs, no CMS, no modding community, etc.?

    Will XenForo hurt vB? Possibly, as many vB admins are going to see a way out. Possibly, as many vb admins think the sun rises and sets in Kier. You are going to have some admins buy XenForo, just because someone told them Kier is the greatest, without them ever wondering who Kier actually is. Possibly in terms of new customers, as there is going to be another player to choose from.

    Will XenForo hurt IPB? Possibly in terms of new customers, as there is going to be another player to choose from.

    But we need to remember vB has an established package already on the market and they have an established customer base. Sure, a lot of vB admins are upset, but I'll wager for every one upset, there are at least one dozen who are not.

    IPB also has an established package, with established, official add-ons. IPB also has an established customer base. And IPB customers start smiling when they realize IPS will go out of its way to help a customer succeed. When a company bends over backwards to help me the way IPS has, they build something vB has apparently forgotten - brand loyalty. IPS was willing to take their chances with me and that makes me willing to stick it out with them. What forum package offers anything I don't already have with IPB anyway?

    Bob, how many changes have we witnessed in IPB's scripts over the last few months? How many of your own suggestions have been evaluated and then taken on board? Now, think back to the days of Jelsoft vB and think of how many suggestions went ignored by their devs. Oh, gee, that was back when Kier and Mike were still there, wasn't it?

    I'm sure XenForo will assume its rightful place in the market. But I have yet to see anything from XenForo to suggest they will be shutting everyone else out.
     
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  8. Nick

    Nick Regular Member

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    Interesting question. I guess you'll just have to wait and see. :spin:
     
  9. tryfuhl

    tryfuhl Champion

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    not sure that I could pick a worse name but will check it out
     
  10. tryfuhl

    tryfuhl Champion

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    exactly my man plus you have to factor in support
     
  11. MordyT

    MordyT Grand Master

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    One thing that gets me is everyone and their brother asking about price and being told they should be happy to pay 200+. I mean the software looks promising, but come on. Its early in its stages, no modding community, no styles yet, no nothing. Software like that is not worth 200+.

    *Via my HTC EvO 4G*
     
  12. Abomination

    Abomination Zealot

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    The pricing... discussing the pricing without knowing more details seems a bit premature to me i.e. ips & vb do things differently with regards to licensing models & support.

    There is a thread on xf asking 'how much per year' and statements are all over the place, and some are ignoring the per year part.


    Personally I am after 'total cost' information to me my particular forums needs, and what affects my particular situation will of course be different than other peoples, everyones situation is unique.
     
  13. John

    John Regular Member

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    I do agree that the price shouldn't be to high but I belive I would buy an license when its released for around $200 if its an owned license. In my opinion this forum software seems to not have many features that I don't need. (Right now)
     
  14. MordyT

    MordyT Grand Master

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    $200 for the new kid on the block? When IP.B goes for 150? and vB goes for 195? And both of those have established modding and skinning and support communities. I fail to see why it would be so high. Yeah, we know the the devs are good, etc, software looks awesome, but its new with no anything.
     
  15. kev

    kev Regular Member

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    With internet brands and vbulletin spinning their wheels, I think there is diffentelly a market out there for commercial grade software.

    I dont know about this xenforo, it just dont look very nice. The colors seem too faded, not bold enough, and the whole project looks too much vb4.
     
  16. Nick

    Nick Regular Member

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    Once you start using it, you'll most likely come to appreciate the simplicity of the style. And no, it's nothing like vBulletin in terms of the way XenForo works. XF works. vB 4 doesn't.
     
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  17. Lucas

    Lucas Addict

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    I sincerely hope it does not go over the price of IPB, but we shall see.
     
  18. John

    John Regular Member

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    I did not mean that it would cost that I just said that I would agree to pay that price if it would cost that. I have tested it out over at xenforo.com and I like it very much.

    In my opinion its way better then vB and IPB even with it low amount of features.
     
  19. Peggy

    Peggy Regular Member

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    You seem to forget that Kier and Mike were employees, not the owners. Kier may have been the lead developer, but he did not have the last say on what was, or was not, included in the software. That was up to the owners.

    hmmm could that be because it is still in its infancy? Given time, XenForo will most certainly, and rightfully so, gain it's rightful place in the market. At the rapid rate of developement that I've seen, I wouldn't doubt that it won't be too far off in the future, either. ;)
     
  20. kev

    kev Regular Member

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    After some debate at the xenforo forums, I doubt its going to go anywhere.

    When I posted my opinion on what I was looking for in a forum, I was met with hostility, rude comments and the thread was locked. If your looking to sell a product, that is not how you treat possible customers.

    The market is already flooded with forum software - both commercial and free. Lets not forget that mybb is still out there, and releasing updates on a regualr basis.

    I just do not see buying a piece of software that is not going to stay current with modern trends. From what I understood at the xenforo forums, its going to be a forum, and that is all its going to be.

    I wish them the best of luck.
     

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