Is vBulletin better?

[Cee-estee]

I am a big fan of IPB, but I thought I might give vBulletin a chance. So I'm going to let you try and convince me that vB is better.

[Chroder]

As soon as there is a vB3 admin demo you won't even need to ask

[Floris]

To me, IPB feels like a polished up vBulletin version 2. Whereas vBulletin is currently at version 3. IPB is a good alternative for those who can't offord a professional software package like vBulletin to power their web site.

[Roody]

To me, IPB feels like a polished up vBulletin version 2. Whereas vBulletin is currently at version 3. IPB is a good alternative for those who can't offord a professional software package like vBulletin to power their web site.

Agreed

[Cee-estee]

IPB 2.0 is coming out soon...

And I want to see your opinion, not mine.

[Floris]

I was talking about their version 2.x

[klisis]

Ok, here is my opinion.
I bought Vb when there were no free ones that were as good as vb was around.
I was originally a UBB user but switched to vb years ago. I don't remember how many years. But I do remember UBB version was something like 4.xx

These days, I think there are free ones that are as good as vb, but I am sticking with vb because I've used it for so long and I am rather loyal to it. Besides it's already been paid and , no doubtly, vb is a great php software.
No matter how good vb is, people will always mention the price tag.

And I want to see your opinion, not mine.

[Chroder]

IPB has many options, many features (most of which vB has also). But once you get into the particulars of specific features vB goes the extra mile. vB allows you customize your board 110%, almost every single aspect can be turned on or off, changed or switched. Its hard to explain some of these features because I've been using vB for a while, but if I go back to IPB I'll be able to make a list of all the things I could do with vB that I couldn't with IPB.

I am looking forward to IPB v2, I'm going to try it and serisouly consider it as my sites software but I don't think I'll be switching.

Not to mention IPB is kinda tricking the users into paying. They say free 'trial' and you have to pay for addons etc., you don't even get support. Once you get all the things that vB offers for $160 (owned lisence) you've just paid IPB more.

[Cee-estee]

Well if you pay for IPB, it truely is a lot better. Almost half the users in the online users list are registered. Not because they were tricked, but because they think it's better.

And IPB is just as customizable. o.O

[Floris]

Why would paying for support make the product better?

[Chroder]

Well if you pay for IPB, it truely is a lot better. Almost half the users in the online users list are registered. Not because they were tricked, but because they think it's better.

I'm just saying that a lot of the IPB defense in these IPB vs vB attacks are 'you have to pay'. I think its ironic when people say that when they just spent $150 (going up to $199, I see).

And IPB is just as customizable. o.O

lmao. You wouldn't be saying that if you spent a month in vB then were forced to crawl back to IPB.

[cirisme]

I am a big fan of IPB, but I thought I might give vBulletin a chance. So I'm going to let you try and convince me that vB is better.

Everyone will have differing opinions on what is "better". If everyone had the same opinion, there would only be one forum software

You really can't go wrong with any of the boards out there. Whether it be PHPbb, IPB, or vB, you can build an excellent, thriving community. People have and people will continue to do so. There is no silver bullet to forums, your forum software usually has little to do with your success, you just have to put the time in to make a successfull community.

Now, since I'm convinced that everyone will have differing opinions on what constitutes better, I will only give you a couple reasons why I use vBulletin and continue to do so. First of all, when we started our forum, I had never really even heard of IPB. The only real options at the time were PHPbb and vBulletin. We started with vBulletin because we all had been using vBulletin forums for years, were very familiar and pleased with the general user interface, and features. PHPbb was somewhat lacking and unfamiliar, and had no guarantee of support. vBulletin had guaranteed support and the WOM(word of mouth) was that it was excellent.

Now, about a year later, we have a nearly complete vB3 and a somewhat new IPB2. vB3 I am really pleased with. I set it up on a test server and it was awesome, great features and many times faster than vb2...I wanted to switch right away. It has features that I've never before seen in a single forum package. The new style took my by surprise, and I didn't like it at first, but after using it a while I love all the details and time put into making it.

Having a heavily hacked forum... I just love the new code put into it, it makes hacking a very simple procedure. I also love the style system and the heavy reliance on CSS which majorly simplifies making a radically new look. I just really like everything about it and the level of innovation it brings.

Now, one might say that IPB2 has most of vb3's features, and that might be true...but I really can't have an opinion on that. I don't have any access to IPB's source code yet to see if I will like hacking it(really don't care for the current IPB as it gives me hacking nightmares... but that is totally subjective). Matt also has supposedly added many new awesome style options to IPB2 that makes things easier... but I can't evaluate that because I have no access to an IPB2 control panel.

So far, most of the new features that have been added to IPB2, as far as I know, have existed for some time in vb3. That's not a bad thing, there's a lot of ground to cover before IPB overtakes vb3 in the feature department, but for the most part everyone is copying features that vb is adding which I think shows that vB is really thinking and being innovative. I know that I'll be labeled a flame warrior, but I think vB has really innovated on alot of things and folks like IPB have yet to prove that they can do the same.(they probably can, but I will give them a few years of really innovating features I think are useful before I consider a switch)

Now, this all I know is subjective and has nothing to do with what is better. Just use whatever product you can afford and that has the most features you consider important. Some people are completely open source and will only use PHPbb/YaBB. Some people want the simplicity of IPB. Some people what the sometimes overwhelming configuration of vB. Whatever is important to you, whatever suits your needs most. Take your pick and run with it and focus on your community and I don't think you can go wrong.

[Shining Arcanine]

I am a big fan of IPB, but I thought I might give vBulletin a chance. So I'm going to let you try and convince me that vB is better.

Some features I noticed that Invision Power Board 1.3 has and vBulletin 3.0.0 doesn't have are:

Has nice colors
Different Templates than vBulletin
A differently organized control panel
Thread History
Last 10 Search Engine Spiders Hits
Debug information at the bottom of the pages

Some features I noticed that vBulletin 3.0.0 has and Invision Power Board 1.3 doesn't have are:
Subscriptions
Similar Threads
Scheduled Tasks
A Scheduled Log
Speration of User Titles and Ranks
Template conditionals
Access Masks
An FAQ and Manager
Anouncements, Global Anouncements and Announcement Manager
Super Administrators and Administrator Permissions
Custom User Profile Fields
User Reputations
Custom BBCodes
Loads of Update Counters Options
Merge Users
Referrals
And much much more

[ManagerJosh]

vB is great and so is IPB. However I find vB is slightly more innovative.

I can tell you how great vB is and same with everyone else here as well; However I get the feeling that no matter what we say, you will still like IPB over vB based on personal preference.

[rebelsrock06]

I am a big fan of IPB, but I thought I might give vBulletin a chance. So I'm going to let you try and convince me that vB is better.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA



sorry i couldnt help it, Is VB better YES it its, BYE FAR, VB is one of the best BB systems out on the market it has AMAZING features and tons of add ons I LOVE VB




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