Do I have to buy a license? To design skins.

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  • kwl
    New Member
    • Mar 2004
    • 3
    • 3.0.0 Release Candidate 4

    Do I have to buy a license? To design skins.

    Hi, I am a begginer in web and graphics design, lately I was working for a client (designing some banners for him) and I was asked if I could design a custom Vbulletin skin for him I replied that I have not done any skins before but I could give it a try, but I can't find any designers kit or something available for download on this site So I was wondering, Do I have to buy a license to be able to design skins? Please be kind, if it's a stupid question, I am totally new here, so I would appreciate to get an answer
    Thanks in advance
  • Floris
    Senior Member
    • Dec 2001
    • 37767

    #2
    No, you don't need a license to design something. (hehe)

    But yes you do need a license if you want to use vBulletin. Without the license, you can't get the files.

    You could ask your client to give you access to his admin control panel as administrator with permissions to access the style manager. You could then create a new style and set it invisible for the users to choose. Then you have all the freedom to design it on his web site and preview it.

    Comment

    • kwl
      New Member
      • Mar 2004
      • 3
      • 3.0.0 Release Candidate 4

      #3
      Originally posted by Floris
      No, you don't need a license to design something. (hehe)

      But yes you do need a license if you want to use vBulletin. Without the license, you can't get the files.

      You could ask your client to give you access to his admin control panel as administrator with permissions to access the style manager. You could then create a new style and set it invisible for the users to choose. Then you have all the freedom to design it on his web site and preview it.
      thanks for such a quick reply So basically if I want to design a skin and preview it locally on my PC I would need a license to do that, otherwise the only free alternative is to edit the style online - am i correct?
      And if I am, should I pay the same price for license or there are any rebates for designers (maybe , since I will need only to use it offline and not on website ?)

      Comment

      • Floris
        Senior Member
        • Dec 2001
        • 37767

        #4
        Hi there, it is quite simple actually: If you dont' need a license, how would you go about getting the files? Without a purchase you won't be able to receive member area or license details.

        You could purchase a leased license. These licenses grant you permission to run vBulletin for 12 months. This way you can design it for this and other clients within those 12 months and hopefully earn some of it back.
        (A owned licenses costs $160 which grants you permission to run vBulletin forever)

        If you think you will have more vB-design clients than purchasing a license might be a good investment. (It was for me!)

        And no, there are no discounts for designers, etc.

        Comment

        • Matthew Gordon
          Senior Member
          • May 2002
          • 3243
          • 1.1.x

          #5
          Or you could always ask for administrator access at their board to design a skin.

          Comment

          • TripleH
            Senior Member
            • Jul 2001
            • 832
            • 3.0.0 Beta 7

            #6
            I believe this is legal.. As long as you are only running this on your computer, I belive you can get the owner to download you a set of files that you can use to install vBulletin on your computer to design the skin... As long as you do not make it public that is fine as well...

            Comment

            • Wayne Luke
              vBulletin Technical Support Lead
              • Aug 2000
              • 73976

              #7
              Originally posted by TripleH
              I believe this is legal.. As long as you are only running this on your computer, I belive you can get the owner to download you a set of files that you can use to install vBulletin on your computer to design the skin... As long as you do not make it public that is fine as well...
              The owner of the license is allowed to install a development copy of those files. He is not allowed to distribute those files to a contract employee. By doing this, you are violating the license and the law.

              The short answer is that any developer who wishes to develop vBulletin Add-ons whether it be skins or hacks must purchase their own license to install it on their own server.
              Translations provided by Google.

              Wayne Luke
              The Rabid Badger - a vBulletin Cloud demonstration site.
              vBulletin 5 API

              Comment

              • TripleH
                Senior Member
                • Jul 2001
                • 832
                • 3.0.0 Beta 7

                #8
                Ah, thanks Wayne, I stand corrected...

                So it is also illegal for the owner to then install the files on a private server and allow kwl to access it to make his skin?

                Comment

                • Kings
                  Senior Member
                  • Oct 2002
                  • 186
                  • 3.5.x

                  #9
                  Originally posted by TripleH
                  Ah, thanks Wayne, I stand corrected...

                  So it is also illegal for the owner to then install the files on a private server and allow kwl to access it to make his skin?
                  No.

                  Comment

                  • Wayne Luke
                    vBulletin Technical Support Lead
                    • Aug 2000
                    • 73976

                    #10
                    Originally posted by TripleH
                    So it is also illegal for the owner to then install the files on a private server and allow kwl to access it to make his skin?
                    No, that isn't what you said.

                    Originally posted by You Said
                    As long as you are only running this on your computer, I belive you can get the owner to download you a set of files that you can use to install vBulletin on your computer to design the skin... As long as you do not make it public that is fine as well...
                    If the license holder installs it on a private server for development purposes he can allow access to developers under his contract. The license owner would then be held liable for any unauthorized distribution though.

                    The License Owner cannot download files and give them to a developer for installation on the developer's server.
                    Translations provided by Google.

                    Wayne Luke
                    The Rabid Badger - a vBulletin Cloud demonstration site.
                    vBulletin 5 API

                    Comment

                    • kwl
                      New Member
                      • Mar 2004
                      • 3
                      • 3.0.0 Release Candidate 4

                      #11
                      Thanks to everyone for clearing that up for me By the way what is a reasonable price to ask for a custom skin (only design with default coding)? And how much of coding experience you need to have to do a custom skin? I am askign that because I have seen pretty high prices (over 600$) for a custom skin on some deign studios sites. And I am how no PHP knowledge at all yet, so if you could clear that up for me, I would be gratefull

                      Comment

                      • RGSerge
                        Senior Member
                        • Feb 2003
                        • 115
                        • 3.0.0 Beta 4

                        #12
                        Well, the look of vbulletin is controlled by a template system, this uses standard HTML, so no PHP knowledge is required to create skins. PHP is just used to process the data ready for display to the user. So HTML, CSS and how to create images is all you need to know (along with how the templates are organised etc.)

                        As for how much some skins cost. A custom skin costs a lot of money generally, as does any custom design. To purchase a pre-made skin from a vendor (mass availability) is considerably cheaper.

                        That said, its not easy to make good skins. But by purchasing vbulletin you get access to post in the styles forum here, at the vbulletin templates site and vb.org (the modification forum). These forums are a great resource for learning how to make skins for vbulletin.

                        Comment

                        • TripleH
                          Senior Member
                          • Jul 2001
                          • 832
                          • 3.0.0 Beta 7

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Wayne Luke
                          No, that isn't what you said.


                          If the license holder installs it on a private server for development purposes he can allow access to developers under his contract. The license owner would then be held liable for any unauthorized distribution though.

                          The License Owner cannot download files and give them to a developer for installation on the developer's server.
                          Thanks for clearing that up Wayne....

                          So basically, the Licensed Owner is the person who has to download and install vBulletin, but he can allow devs to work on the site... you learn something new everyday... I thought that no one at all except for 1 person was allowed to work on the forum...

                          Comment

                          • kanezfan
                            Senior Member
                            • Oct 2003
                            • 103
                            • 2.3.2

                            #14
                            get the leased license and add its cost to the work you do for the guy.

                            off-topic: is there a tutorial on how to design skins somewhere? I've always wanted to try it out myself, but I just stare at all the templates in the admincp in horror and then go back to my boring life....

                            Comment

                            • andrew johnson
                              Senior Member
                              • Mar 2004
                              • 325
                              • 3.7.x

                              #15
                              Originally posted by kanezfan
                              get the leased license and add its cost to the work you do for the guy.

                              off-topic: is there a tutorial on how to design skins somewhere? I've always wanted to try it out myself, but I just stare at all the templates in the admincp in horror and then go back to my boring life....

                              and there styles forum in this site

                              Comment

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