Competitive Upgrading Price from UBB ? [Archive]

werehere

Tue 18th Apr '00, 8:57am

I can agree with the logic of that, however you are naming some big companies there, and ones that have been around for a while. I know that would be nice, but I also do not think that the price is out of line for a BBS like this.

Bettman

Tue 18th Apr '00, 9:25am

Hi Wanderer,

I think that the pricing is in line with other message board systems. This message board has been upgraded to work on a php and mysql environment. This system is not for everyone and they will not be selling tons of this because not many people are server administrators with PHP and SQL installed. Hence, this is a speciality product so, they have to make their money somewhere.

For my purposes, I will install this system for my purposes but if I was a kid searching for a message board system for my friends, I would go with UBB because 99% of the webservers does have Perl installed. How many servers do have PHP and MySQL installed?

Bettman

wandrer

Tue 18th Apr '00, 9:37am

Currently, I have quite a few UBB licenses and some leases. I can't justify spending $160 per copy when I still have at least 6 months left on each UBB member access license.

How about sweeting the pot... Buy two get one free, or a 5-pack for $550 or something like that...

As it is, I would like to move my licenses to this forum and go with it, but it will probably be after my ubb 1-year membership access expires for my licenses (or if I could find someone to buy my licenses - i wonder if that is legal...)

Oh well...

(anyone need cheap UBB licenses ?)

[Edited by wandrer on 04-18-2000 at 08:56 PM]

Bettman

Tue 18th Apr '00, 9:45am

wanderer,

I do agree that vBulletin should have volume discounts. If I need 10 message boards, I think that we should have a discount. What is the policy ?

bettman

James

Tue 18th Apr '00, 9:53am

Everyone,

I agree that vBulletin should offer volume discounts, although we haven't yet finalised the details. I'll be updating the order forms with volume discount offers tomorrow.

Stay tuned :)

All the best,

James

Menno

Tue 18th Apr '00, 2:58pm

then again, this board is worth the money ;)

philw

Tue 18th Apr '00, 6:15pm

Menno

Tue 18th Apr '00, 6:37pm

I don't think there is any UBB code, cause it's made in php. As far as the layout goes, it's kept simple, and no-one can claim copyright on a design.
As far as utilizing PHP and mySQL, this is perfectly normal! This board isn't the only proffesional php script out there that costs money :)

I hope this sets the record straight ;)

ego

Sun 23rd Apr '00, 9:45am

Contrary to popular perception, MySQL isn't actually free. It is distributed as shareware, and web hosts have to pay a license fee or using the system. If I remember correctly, you license the product through purchasing the technical support.

Check for more here - http://www.mysql.com/Manual_chapter/manual_Licensing_and_Support.html

Quote:

A license is required if:
You sell the MySQL server directly or as a part of another product or service
You charge for installing and maintaining a MySQL server at some client site
You include MySQL in a distribution that is non redistributable and you charge for some part of that distribution

If you use MySQL in a commercial context such that you profit by its use, we ask that you further the development of MySQL by purchasing some level of support. We feel that if MySQL helps your business, it is reasonable to ask that you help MySQL. (Otherwise, if you ask us support questions, you are not only using for free something into which we've put a lot a work, you're asking us to provide free support, too.)

tom

[Edited by ego on 04-23-2000 at 09:47 PM]

werehere

Sun 23rd Apr '00, 9:48am

I believe it is free for UNIX machines ego, whether commercial or not. It is only NT users that are asked or required to pay for commercial use.

I may be wrong, but I do believe that is the way it is.

Martin

Sun 23rd Apr '00, 9:59am

Although I have one concern. You look almost like UBBS. Are they not curious as to why this is? No copyright infringments at all? Because as I see it - you utilize all sorts of free resources like PHP and MySQL and the look and possible the code from UBBS - Are you sure we won't loose you to a court battle after paying? =)

Phil,
This proggie was definitely inspired by UBB and started it's life as a hacked UBB, but the programming language is completely different, so they are SOL trying to sue for copyright infringement on those grounds.
Now, as far as the look goes, you can't copyright that, therefore no worries on that front, either.

AWS

Sun 23rd Apr '00, 11:55am

This may look like UBB but it far outperforms UBB and is right up there with wwwthreads. The code is clean and uses PHP's fasttemplates. UBB on the other hand is Perl and the code is bloated from adding and changing it over time.
Thank you,
Bob

Menno

Sun 23rd Apr '00, 3:47pm

yeah, sadly enough the ubb has lost alot of speed because of bad coding. I still wonder why they never re-wrote it from scratch

wandrer

Tue 16th May '00, 2:14am

<suggestion>
just a quick suggestion... Now would be an awesome time to offer a competitive upgrade from ubb to vbulletin...
</suggestion>

werehere

Tue 16th May '00, 2:18am

Yes, if you were planning on any discount at all of course, I would defenetely focus on doing it right now when the topic is very heated about there BBS.:)

I am just mad that they could do this to everyone, even if I already have ditched there BB.:)

bigsoccer tech

Tue 16th May '00, 4:30am

Yes, now is the time to release a ubb upgrade price.

Now is also the time for ALL OF US to tell everyone we know with a ubb to come here...this product can only be as good as teh community developing for it...and five vB sites isn't enough.

J

Alwaysmefirst

Tue 16th May '00, 6:41am

Originally posted by Huss
Yes, now is the time to release a ubb upgrade price.

Now is also the time for ALL OF US to tell everyone we know with a ubb to come here...this product can only be as good as teh community developing for it...and five vB sites isn't enough.

J

I also think it is the right time to release a ubb upgrade price...I start to be sick with their new rates.

Olly

Lance

Tue 16th May '00, 11:53am

I currently have 4 UBB licenses and I believe the servers where we have sites would all support a PHP/MySQL board. Plus I have a requirement for a new BBS which is definitely on a PHP/MySQL host.

So I would be very interested in it. The low volume board (1) I probably wouldn't change. But I could easily see our company buying anywhere from 2-3 licenses shortly were such an upgrade policy available.

Plus I would be interested in the affiliate program too. We currently belong to InfoPop's as it seemed like a way to save a little money. (I also guess I haven't seen the new rates folks are moaning about either...)

chica

Wed 17th May '00, 4:10am

I don't know why ya'll have a problem with the UBB rates... I still think the $199 is pretty reasonable. To me it seems that if you can't afford a piddly $30 dollar increase for a one time fee then you probably don't have the proper resources to run your own site.

Frankly, I kinda was thinking of buying a vbulletin board but I find the layout more confusing that the UBB. Does anyone know what the customer support is like here?

werehere

Wed 17th May '00, 4:30am

chica,

Frankly I could care less about the increase in rates, but the fact is that they have a flawed product, even though a lot of site use it. You will notice a lot of the big sites are currently switching to other products as well, so you think it is because they cannot afford the $30 dollar increase? Of course not, it is because the UBB and its flat file structure is incapable of serving larger forums properly.

The 300% increase in the renewal is a bit rediculous, but not a concern for me, since I am not using UBB anymore.:)

chica

Wed 17th May '00, 4:35am

I don't mean to be talking about other companies boards here, but isn't that why Infopop came out with OpenTopic... its mainly for the bigger sites, right? I think it looks pretty cool... I've been all over the net looking for the right board for my site. Very confusing, there is alot out there.

werehere

Wed 17th May '00, 4:44am

OH yes I agree there are a lot, but you see there are a lot of people who will not be choosing their hosted solution. My forums would automatically be classified into their enterprise plan that *starts* at $1,000 a month, and I am hosted now for $250 a month on my own dedicated server.

See the difference?

[Edited by werehere on 05-17-2000 at 04:44 PM]

Troy Roberts

Wed 17th May '00, 4:47am

Chica - The $30 isn't the issue making me look at alternatives either. Though the fact that they dropped the lease option and are in effect charging it right back in support fees while making me pay $200 for a license pisses me off on principle.

The problem that I'm having with UBB is that it can't support my site. The alternative that they offer, OT, will cost me an extra few thousand dollars per month. Now, that IS an issue for me.

Keep in mind that I have always been a strong supporter of the UBB. I've also found the support to be very good and I personally like most of the people I've dealt with over there. I've referred many people to the UBB and I'm not even in the affiliate program!

However, they are in effect forcing me to look at alternatives. It's a shame that they are doing this. I believe that it's a risky business decision they are making. They may become a powerhouse of targeted advertising with a great profit center in hosting. They may also open a big enough market gap that they get cut down from below.

I wish them the best of luck, but I need to run my site and will do what it takes.

chica

Wed 17th May '00, 4:49am

Well the difference in price is obvious... I'm just a very catious person when it comes to products... I'd rather pay more if I thought I would get better service (I'm not very technically competent). Do you know what the vBulletin customer support is here?

chica

Wed 17th May '00, 4:53am

Hey Troy- I totally understand... I'm not trying to take sides, I just was giving my 2 cents for what its worth. I've been visiting the UBB forums on their site and I just think they are getting hit a little hard. Thats all. I don't have any BBS at this time, so really I have no opinion! :)

Troy Roberts

Wed 17th May '00, 4:58am

Yep, they are getting hit a little hard. People are taking it quite personally.

It's a business decision that they are making. If someone doesn't like it then they should vote with their $$ and move on. It does no good to personally attack them for making what they think is the best decision.

No matter how much you disagree with them. :D

werehere

Wed 17th May '00, 5:05am

I can agree with that, but it was time for me to make a business decision and stop waiting for them and move my $$ elsewhere:D

Alwaysmefirst

Wed 17th May '00, 6:14am

Originally posted by chica
I don't know why ya'll have a problem with the UBB rates... I still think the $199 is pretty reasonable. To me it seems that if you can't afford a piddly $30 dollar increase for a one time fee then you probably don't have the proper resources to run your own site.

Hi Chica,

I own an Ubb licence I paid $170 and I still think $199 is reasonable, but I really hate the fact they have increased the renewal licence (allowing you to download the updates every year) from $25 to $75 (and they call it a slight increase).

Olly

chica

Wed 17th May '00, 11:29pm

That is a pretty steep increase. Still, maybe because I don't have their software or whatever, but I just can't get that worried about a $50 dollar increase.

My feeling is that they are by far the most widely used and probably the best BBS out there. It takes money and time and people to continue to provide support and improve that product. Inevitably, thats going to result in a price increase (lets not even take inflation into the equation).

Anyway, I probably shouldn't be giving props to another BBS on this board :)

Alwaysmefirst

Thu 18th May '00, 4:36am

Originally posted by chica
My feeling is that they are by far the most widely used and probably the best BBS out there.

Chica,

I am not sure UBB is probably the best BBS out there...It is certainly by far the most widely used, but mainly because Vbulletin is pretty new compared to UBB. I haven't tried Vbulletin yet but it has more features than UBB by far. Just some bugs to fix but remember it is a new product.

Olly

SSacobie

Sat 20th May '00, 3:40pm

The OT pricing is just plain stupid. Forums with 15000 members getting 300000 page views/day? (2/3 of a page view per member per day.) Do they think that their forum members are that inactive?

The other price increases have caused an uproar. I'm not that worried about the $30 increase, as it is slight. However, the increase of bulk purchases by 80-100% and the tripling of member subscription definitely is something that is uncalled for.

BTW, I just heard of vBulletin today. I'm wondering how many others are hearing about it shortly after this increase in price for UBB.

Martin

Sat 20th May '00, 4:26pm

welcome to the ever growing number of people dissatisfied with the business tactics of infopop.

I joined this board the day it was opened and have been very pleased with the help of John and James.

I sort of feel sorry for them, though. With more and more ex-UBB people coming in, I think they might be overwhelmed before too long;)