Average annual cost still remains at $35/year when paying $130 now?

[David Copeland]

So if I purchase the pre-sale for Ver 4.0 at $130.00, I will no longer have to pay the annual (was $35/yr) for approximately the next 3-4 years (when Version 5 comes out)?

The math tells me that a MAJOR RELEASE VERSION from Ver 1.0 to Ver 2.0, and Ver 2.0 to Ver 3.0, and Ver 3.0 to Ver 4.0 - TAKES AT LEAST 3-4 years?

If so, then my one price of $130, divided by $35/year - comes out to an average close to nearly 4 years - which is the SAME AVERAGE ANNUAL COST, isn't it???

(Not as bad as I first thought, only Vbulletin gets my cash up front for the next 3-4 years instead of me making smaller payments each year).

----------

Is VBulletin hurting for cash this year in a sour economy? You will certainly get a minority of customers (me included) who will pay the $130, but the majority, in my opinion, will not pay.

There is a quote worth repeating:

If Seller wants Price, then Buyer gets terms ($35/year for 4 years)
If Buyer wants Price, then Seller gets terms ($130 now)

If this is true, and VB does not need the cash. then VBulletin would earn the SAME INCOME for Version 4.0 by keeping Version 5.0 under wraps for 4 years.

How about it?

David
(Fan of VB)

[tickedon]

Ray said previously in June 2009 they wanted to be knocking on the door of vB5 in 18 months. The link to the post is in the FAQ linked in my signature.

I would not expect another 3-4 year development cycle for v5 after v4.

[David Copeland]

Ray said previously in June 2009 they wanted to be knocking on the door of vB5 in 18 months. The link to the post is in the FAQ linked in my signature.

I would not expect another 3-4 year development cycle for v5 after v4.

Thanks for the tip.

I just looked back at the archives here when I first bought nearly 10years ago with Version 1. Promises of "knocking on the door" of the next major revision have been made ever since. And all of those promises were broken. In fact, Version 4.0 was promised earlier this year.

18 months from last June seems way too short, unless VB monkeys with mid-updates and makes them into full versions just to have a reason to ask for more money. If so, there will be another wrath of customer outrage.

If I get 2 years out of Ver 4, then that's $65/yr
3 years would average $40 or so

Who knows. I don't even think VB knows for sure what they will be working on in the next 18 months. My guess would be to further stabilize Ver 4 with unforeseen errors and issues to come.

[ra87]

Thanks for the tip.

I just looked back at the archives here when I first bought nearly 10years ago with Version 1. Promises of "knocking on the door" of the next major revision have been made ever since. And all of those promises were broken. In fact, Version 4.0 was promised earlier this year.

18 months from last June seems way too short, unless VB monkeys with mid-updates and makes them into full versions just to have a reason to ask for more money. If so, there will be another wrath of customer outrage.

If I get 2 years out of Ver 4, then that's $65/yr
3 years would average $40 or so

Who knows. I don't even think VB knows for sure what they will be working on in the next 18 months. My guess would be to further stabilize Ver 4 with unforeseen errors and issues to come.

Just remember, the suite upgrade when v5 is released will be $250.

Also remember, now that they have changed their price structure, the quicker they get to the new major release's, the more money they get So DO expect to see them in around 2 years time, and not the 4-5 years time that you seem you be expecting.

[Duramax 6.6L]

I think that they are getting a little pricey on their product. 70.00 a year and the basically jumping to 125.00 a year.

[slinky]

Also remember, now that they have changed their price structure, the quicker they get to the new major release's, the more money they get So DO expect to see them in around 2 years time, and not the 4-5 years time that you seem you be expecting.

There is no guarantee of this and it is misinformation. A major version upgrade is just a number. No one, even Jelsoft will (or probably can) guarantee whether version 5 is coming out 2 years after version 4 or just six months later.

[tickedon]

There is no guarantee of this and it is misinformation. A major version upgrade is just a number. No one, even Jelsoft will (or probably can) guarantee whether version 5 is coming out 2 years after version 4 or just six months later.

Jelsoft certainly can't, given they no longer own the rights to vBulletin.

No-one to guarantee a v5 release date, but we can go based on the information we've been given by vB staff. It's not misinformation, it's communicating information to other customers that is easily missed.

[David Copeland]

Just remember, the suite upgrade when v5 is released will be $250.

Also remember, now that they have changed their price structure, the quicker they get to the new major release's, the more money they get So DO expect to see them in around 2 years time, and not the 4-5 years time that you seem you be expecting.

Yes, I hope by the time Ver 5.0 is about to be released, VBulletin will offer a pre-release discount again at $130.00 for those who faithfully purchased Ver 4.0.

If not, that would be another disastrous move which would give more cause for customers to look elsewhere for a more reasonable priced forum software.

Last count, three million websites use forum software. That's $100 Million a year at $35.

Remember too how VBulletin got started! I was around back in those early days when the original software vendor made a similar move to hike their prices. Instead, a lot of folks vacated that software and started a new company - and named their product VBulletin.

Now VBulletin claims to have 90 competitors!

[nuno]

I remember well those distant years, and someone has yet to show me a product like vB that comes even close to it.

[tickedon]

Last count, three million websites use forum software. That's $100 Million a year at $35.

The last figure released by Internet Brands in their SEC filings indicate vB has 100,000 customers.

vB certainly doesn't have all 3 million forum owners using vB

[M3xital]

Ray said previously in June 2009 they wanted to be knocking on the door of vB5 in 18 months. The link to the post is in the FAQ linked in my signature.

I would not expect another 3-4 year development cycle for v5 after v4.

In this post,from14th Oct '09, Wayne is saying that it's gonna be at least 24 months between vb 4 and vB 5

Now if you doubt there will be at least 2 years between 4.0 and 5.0, think about this. We plan to spend 6 months for developing each point release plus testing. Currently at least 2 point releases for vBulletin 4 are planned. That is at least a year of development and 3-6 months of testings and deployment. If only two point released are done for 5.0, then you're looking at 15 months before we start 5.0. Add on 6 months of development and 3 months of testing and you're at more than 2 years. Especially since people with customized sites probably won't upgrade until 5.0.1 which will be several weeks behind the initial release.

[Baba Wawa]

With the new price structure, there can be no question but that new versions (major point releases) will be much more frequent than in the past.

Until now, vB had an income stream whether or not it released a new version. (the $40-60 renewal fees, from almost everyone).

Those days are over. Now it will have a major boost in income only when it releases a new point version. So we have to know those will come much, much more frequently than in the past.

[leftie]

With the new price structure, there can be no question but that new versions (major point releases) will be much more frequent than in the past.

Until now, vB had an income stream whether or not it released a new version. (the $40-60 renewal fees, from almost everyone).

Those days are over. Now it will have a major boost in income only when it releases a new point version. So we have to know those will come much, much more frequently than in the past.

But won't these major point versions have to have something very saleable otherwise people won't fork out big bucks for it, they'll just keep the version they have until it is worthwhile changing

[Baba Wawa]

But won't these major point versions have to have something very saleable otherwise people won't fork out big bucks for it.

Yes, they will. But that doesn't change the fact that, no matter what their quality, they will come much more frequently than in the past.

[Mark.B]

Yes, I hope by the time Ver 5.0 is about to be released, VBulletin will offer a pre-release discount again at $130.00 for those who faithfully purchased Ver 4.0.

Ray did indicate this would more than likely be the case. Plus, it makes perfect sense for them to do it under this new business model. I doubt you have anything to concern yourself with on that score.

Might not be precisely $130 mind you, it depends on what they price vB5 at. But I'd be amazed if they didn't repeat the current discount scheme in some way, especially as Ray has said it's likely.