Is VB open source?

[Berethorn]

Pardon my ignorance, but I want to be 100% sure that VB is totally open-source, like phpBB. PhpBB is customizable to the extreme. Basically any changes to the template you might want to make are possible. In fact I already have designed a phpBB template. Is VB the same? If so, what makes it different from phpBB? I like VB, but I find the $160 dollar price tag hard to swallow. I'm coming from ezboard, and only have a hundred members who are near active. Thanks. :)

[Wayne Luke]

Pardon my ignorance, but I want to be 100% sure that VB is totally open-source, like phpBB. PhpBB is customizable to the extreme. Basically any changes to the template you might want to make are possible. In fact I already have designed a phpBB template. Is VB the same? If so, what makes it different from phpBB? I like VB, but I find the $160 dollar price tag hard to swallow. I'm coming from ezboard, and only have a hundred members who are near active. Thanks. :) No, it is not. vBulletin is a commercial and copyrighted program with specific clauses in the license agreement preventing certain actions of the customers.

vBulletin is however, Visual Source. This means when you purchase the license you can access all the source code to make modifications to it. Though you do not have to access any source code to change any of the look and feel of vBulletin.

[Berethorn]

I'm interested in changing the layout, not just colors and images. I guess that is no problem, eh? Maybe some of the HTML and CSS even be edited in the admin control panel? :)

[Wayne Luke]

I'm interested in changing the layout, not just colors and images. I guess that is no problem, eh? Maybe some of the HTML and CSS even be edited in the admin control panel? :)
100% of the HTML and CSS is editable from the Admin Control Panel. 100% of the language is editable from the Admin Control.

You can change the layout, colors, images, and anything else about the look and feel without touching the PHP files. You can even add new BBCodes (with toolbar icons) and Custom Profile fields without editing the code. Using our template conditionals, many things that require hacks in other software can be done in the templates themselves without touching any PHP code.

[Berethorn]

Woah, that amazing! For example, if I wanted to put the post count above the username, or put a login box above the main forum listing, I could do it from the admin panel? :eek:

[the Sandman]

Yeah, a couple of simple template modifications from the AdminCP. :)

[Berethorn]

Wow, I guess that's the real advantage VB has over phpBB then. :)

I have another question: does the ezboard-VB transfer work better if I do ezboard-phpBB-vBulletin, or just ezboard-vBulletin. I heard phpBB's tranfer tool retains more info.

[Wayne Luke]

I have another question: does the ezboard-VB transfer work better if I do ezboard-phpBB-vBulletin, or just ezboard-vBulletin. I heard phpBB's tranfer tool retains more info.
I would recommend our tool. However, you should investigate both methods and find which one would work best for your needs.

[Berethorn]

Ok, thanks! I browsed your admin panel demo, and wow! I'm impressed! :)

[Gary King]

Just no removing the copyrights (unless you paid the branding fee of course!) :)