Vb3 vs PhpBB 2.2

[rrottman]

What I really find unique - and nowhere else in the market - is vBulletins amazing template system which drives 100% out of the database. If you had a chance to look at any of the 3.0 RCx versions, it has even improved as compared to the 2.x versions. Although phpBB has some sort of templating, it does not even come close to what vB offers.

What I like with phpBB is the ability to run on a non-MySQL database. Maybe that's on vB's future feature list.

I ran a couple of forums on different platform and I have never been really happy with anyone of them, except: vBulletin.

The overall quality of the vB code is best in the market.

[Zachery]

because most of us at some point or time have used phpbb in some way shape or form, where if we asked phpbb vs vB on the offial phpbb board we would get very one sided comments im sure

[necrotic]

I personally use phpBB because of the fact it's under the GPL liscence. Open-source software is what I use in 75% of the programs I run, and I find no reason to change that now. I love them all. Although I do find vB easier to run in some scenarios and users like it more (for the most part), I do not have the income to afford a liscence. Being that I'm only 16 and have a very busy lifestyle (band, school, winter drumline, The Drags), or I would most likely buy a liscence.

It really depends on how much you are willing to spend, too. For small sites without a good revenue, phpBB is great. However, if you're a site like HardOCP then vB is your best option in my opinion. They both have their advantages and disadvantages (price being the only one I've found in the versions of vB I've modded/admined).

[jonik]

I for one think the new IB 2.0 will rival it, to a good degree. The Multi-Quote option is just amazing, and the skinning ehancments and what not really look great.

[Matty Bwoy]

For sites when you can't afford vb, ipb has alot more features and is more stable than phpbb.

[msimplay]

phpbb = meh id rather go invision over phpbb

me too

[kanezfan]

to throw my two cents in...

i starte with IPB 1.0, upgraded to 1.1 and then to 1.2. When I got tired of having to add hacks to make it do things that vb 2.x does out of the box, I ponied up the $$$ and got vb. i played around with phpbb, it's a very basic product IMO. If you want a message board, phpbb will do the job, IPB improves on it a lot, but vb is what IPB aspires to be. infopop is ridiculously priced, and I can't see any features that justify its price. IMO vb is the top of the heap right now, and has been for the last 2-3 years.

[Sal Collaziano]

I agree.. phpBB is VERY boring on the Adminstration end. There's nothing to do. No functionality.. But it works very well for the end-user.. Still - it lacks options there as well..

You hit the nail right on the head regarding Invision Power Board. They hope to become vBulletin one day - and they're making serious progress. This will definitely keep Jelsoft on the ball...

Otherwise, there are really no good options. Everything else is either slow or lacking in one way or another. To be honest, I don't think phpBB is nearly in the same league as either IPB or VB. Sure, you've got Ikonboard and a couple of others - but they're just not very impressive - atleast not to me..

Infopop? Forget about them. I don't know how they could still be in business with their outrageous pricing. You can't have a successful, cutting-edge board without spending a lot of money. UBB.x and OpenTopic cannot be afforded by most people - and there's nothing special about it when compared to vBulletin or IPB. UBB.Classic is the best bet, I suppose - but it still lacks basic features compared to either vBulletin or IPB - AND it costs a lot more... I was a big advocate of Infopop years ago...

[kanezfan]

don't forget that ikonboard was created by the guy that create IPB. He left Ikonboard and I believe took most of his main staff with him, along with a lot of the fan base (for lack of a better term) I think 2.0 will be the last free release for IPB. If you ask me, infopop is created for the corporate type mentality that thinks that unless it's worth at least $1000, it can't be good enough for them. idiots

[Ricebowl]

I run a small gaming community that has 62,000 posts and about 500 members. But usually it's about 10-20 or so who post regularly. When I first started, I had phpBB and it was great. But then I found out about IPB and the features and it was definitely lightyears ahead of phpBB.

So that is where I'm at now. I started the web site with the forum in September 2002, and changed to IPB last summer. Now I'm on the prowl again, looking at VB because two of the forums that I post on have changed to it.

I never considered vBulletin because it was not a free product. And as such I never looked into the features it offered. Now that I have read through them for the upcoming vBulletin 3.0, I have to say I'm impressed.

But that alone won't take me away from IPB. It's the support that vBulletin will offer as part of the owned license. I still have to read more on that support, but if I get to have full tech support (including receiving help on creating my own "hacks") that will put me over the edge and convert me to vBulletin.

[Steve Machol]

Official support for hacks is not available for the simple reason that we cannot provide support for code we didn't write. Nonetheless all customers do have full acces to the hacks at http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/

[himerus]

Ricebowl....

I've posted before in this thread about my switch from phpBB to vB 3.0.0....

The "beta" vB3 is more stable and functional than any board I've ever looked at in a final release. vB3 has more features & settings than I know what to do with. It's an amazing product with amazing support, and countless communities out there that are willing to help with hacks & more. There is a reason that vBulletin charges for thier services, and that is because thier product is worth every penny & more.

I hesitated for almost 2 years because of the same reason you are still with a free board, and if I had it to do all over again, I would have started with vBulletin, and never looked back.

[Martin]

You're kidding me right? IPB is catching up, but it is not better than vB. Not even vB2 yet, especially since IPB 2.0 is not publically released yet.

and if you look at IPB 2.0's featureset, it will look awfully familiar to you. It doesn't seem like they've been wasting their time with their vB3 license.

Oh, and IPB is no longer free according to their website.

[nfinity8]

Sure IPB is still free !
Just the SUPPORT is not free anymore (at least on their official site).

The free version of IPB comes as a free trial, but it has no time and no feauture restriction

[kanezfan]

correct. the software will still be free (they call it a trial) but you will not be able to receive support on their official forum. they used to have a member to member support forum, but they have closed it now.