VB vs IP?

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  • motowebmaster
    Senior Member
    • Mar 2006
    • 255
    • 3.5.x

    #31
    IPB is a different approach to community software. I wouldn't call it an alternative to vbulletin's problems.

    IPB is a complex application, that can take a bit of time to update during an upgrade. It relies heavily on a templating system that has been problematic for some. The templating orgranization/structure is nice, but some of the critical templates are simply too large.

    IPB is a well-integrated solution, with great support. However, I have seen some larger sites migrate to IPB and end up migrating again to something else (as well as some migrating back to IPB).

    I like IPB, but admit to some degree of "compensating" - there are issues, but historically they have better to deal with than a migration to vb4. My hope is that when v3.3 is released it will open some opportunities.
    Shawn

    Comment

    • Sage Knight
      Member
      • Apr 2011
      • 72
      • 4.2.X

      #32
      Originally posted by Stallyon
      This was copied from the FAQ:

      Since vBulletin is a "visible source" product, it is not possible for us to offer the full version of the software for evaluation. We do have an online demonstration system. You can open a sand boxed demo of the software for evaluation purposes using this system. Please visit http://www.vbulletin.com/admindemo.php to register a demo.

      The vBulletin Server Test Script will tell you if your current web server is capable of running vBulletin.
      I meant like a firsthand view of the features and settings which can give you a good idea if it fits your needs. It's pretty obvious that no paid community software allows the actual downloading of the files for maximum testing.


      Originally posted by beishe8
      Nexus is not the CMS, Content is the one which supposed to be the CMS.
      My mistake I mixed up both of them.

      Comment

      • J1mmy
        Member
        • Feb 2006
        • 92

        #33
        Originally posted by Sage Knight
        I meant like a firsthand view of the features and settings which can give you a good idea if it fits your needs. It's pretty obvious that no paid community software allows the actual downloading of the files for maximum testing.
        This is not true at all. IPB offers a downloadable demo you can install on your own server. Several ecommerce software also allow a free demo to be downloaded to.

        Fundamentally, if a company wants to buy a forum (esp at the price that vB sets) they are going to want to test run it in a realistic environment such as their own and be able to play around with it. I mean you can't even get a demo of the admin CP of vB which is an important aspect (particularly for those migrating from other software)

        Comment

        • Zachery
          Former vBulletin Support
          • Jul 2002
          • 59097

          #34
          Originally posted by J1mmy
          This is not true at all. IPB offers a downloadable demo you can install on your own server. Several ecommerce software also allow a free demo to be downloaded to.

          Fundamentally, if a company wants to buy a forum (esp at the price that vB sets) they are going to want to test run it in a realistic environment such as their own and be able to play around with it. I mean you can't even get a demo of the admin CP of vB which is an important aspect (particularly for those migrating from other software)
          Of vBulletin? Sure you can, http://www.vbulletin.com/go/demo

          Comment

          • J1mmy
            Member
            • Feb 2006
            • 92

            #35
            Originally posted by Zachery
            Of vBulletin? Sure you can, http://www.vbulletin.com/go/demo
            Fair enough, but there isn't an admin CP one cna use in their own environment on their own website and of course modify it according to their own forum

            Comment

            • Zachery
              Former vBulletin Support
              • Jul 2002
              • 59097

              #36
              You sure can modify it, not fully. But having an encoded limited demo wouldn't be much better.

              Comment

              • deityx
                Member
                • Nov 2009
                • 98

                #37
                Originally posted by BirdOPrey5
                Oh my... why would anyone want to make their vBulletin site look like a default IPB site? Their style is one of the worst things going for them...
                Says the person with mighty fine taste for avatars..
                // CRUNATUS.net

                Comment

                • Art Andrews
                  Senior Member
                  • Jan 2005
                  • 143
                  • 4.0.x

                  #38
                  We recently purchased an IPB community and it has been VERY interesting comparing it to our two existing vB communities (we have one large vB community and one smaller one, almost the exact same size as the IPB community).

                  IPB has a LOT going for it and a lot of progressive (it is actually hard to call them progressive at this point, they really should be standard features) features that I love including their handling of moderation, their integrated facebook and twitter connect (yes, vB has facebook now, but it is clunky at best) among a number of other small niceties. IPB feels relevant, current and makes your site look progressive. With that being said, to some degree it is a bit of a flash of outer beauty with an ugly core. IPB's SEO is terrible... and I mean TERRIBLE. Even with adding on additional plugins and making a number of changes, their SEO just stinks (not that vB's is the best, but comparatively, it is better). IPB simply doesn't have anywhere near the support structure in terms of a community that vB has (big thanks to vb.org). IPB's addons are subpar (chat, gallery) compared to the type of addons you can get for vB (usually from a third party). IPB doesn't have a mobile app that the individual community can build up for itself. vB may be a lumbering dinosaur compared to IPB, and it is definitely old, clunky and outdated, but it is much more robust, has a much larger support structure and at least for now, is what we will continue to use. We are actually considering migrating our IPB board to vB, but I just can't bring myself to pay for another copy of vB 4 which is the Windows Vista of forum software.

                  Comment

                  • J1mmy
                    Member
                    • Feb 2006
                    • 92

                    #39
                    Can you expand on what you mean by IPB has outer beauty with an ugly core, with examples?

                    I think if you're after a support community, vB has definitely got that going for it, but then again, not everyone wants to include mods and third party software to their forum - particularly sometimes when those features should have been included in the core forum package as standard.

                    Comment

                    • Alfa1
                      Senior Member
                      • Dec 2005
                      • 4165
                      • 3.8.x

                      #40
                      Originally posted by Brak's Buddy
                      IPB's SEO is terrible... and I mean TERRIBLE. Even with adding on additional plugins and making a number of changes, their SEO just stinks (not that vB's is the best, but comparatively, it is better).
                      Absolutely true. However, their new 3.3.0 release has some SEO improvements. Please let us know what you think of this.

                      Originally posted by Brak's Buddy
                      IPB simply doesn't have anywhere near the support structure in terms of a community that vB has (big thanks to vb.org). IPB's addons are subpar (chat, gallery) compared to the type of addons you can get for vB (usually from a third party).
                      IPB marketplace offers 3rd party developers an oppertunity to sell their addons. Something that vb does not and I see that addon developers are taking advantage of it. While their addon community is way behind vbulletins, it is growing steadily and I am seeing some really good thirs party releases, like social groups for example. Thats way ahead of vbulletins social groups.
                      Their official chat and gallery addons are awful. But IP.Blog, IP.Content, IP.Nexus are very good. IP.Downloads is not bad, but lacks the features that LDM or other download addons have.
                      Originally posted by Brak's Buddy
                      IPB doesn't have a mobile app that the individual community can build up for itself.
                      vbulletin has not been able to provide a well functioning app up to this point. So with both vb as IPS you can have your own app through tapatalk or forumrunner(now owned by vb/internet brands)
                      I buy 420 forums

                      Comment

                      • Pandemikk
                        Member
                        • Apr 2009
                        • 68
                        • 3.7.x

                        #41
                        From a developer stand point, IPB is terrible for making modifications. I have tried to make a simple SOTW mod, something that would take me no more than a few hours of dedicated work on vB, and it took me the an entire day just to find out how to even get started. The documentation is terrible, the developer tools are virtually non-existent, and there's no work I can judge off of because it seems everyone has their own way of making it work. Gave up on IPB coding after the first day and stuck to vB, where the plugin and product system is easy. Maybe if they made it easier to make third-party add-ons there would be more of them- and of better quality.

                        I found the look and feel confusing. For example, if you're banned from a forum it doesn't explicitly tell you this, it just gives you a generic could not log you in error. The ability to customize your forum is difficult.

                        I don't know. Maybe this stuff has been fixed as of late. But to me, IPB is not worth its price.
                        Rap Battles & Hip Hop Music - LyricalThreats

                        Sure glad he's former staff. Didn't even bother to validate my license

                        Comment

                        • Pandemikk
                          Member
                          • Apr 2009
                          • 68
                          • 3.7.x

                          #42
                          Originally posted by J1mmy
                          Fair enough, but there isn't an admin CP one cna use in their own environment on their own website and of course modify it according to their own forum
                          Are you saying IPB allows you to download their ACP to use on your own site in your own enviornment? Becase I highly doubt any company would allow users to download their software for free just so a user can "test" the ACP.
                          Rap Battles & Hip Hop Music - LyricalThreats

                          Sure glad he's former staff. Didn't even bother to validate my license

                          Comment

                          • Zachery
                            Former vBulletin Support
                            • Jul 2002
                            • 59097

                            #43
                            Originally posted by Pandemikk
                            Are you saying IPB allows you to download their ACP to use on your own site in your own enviornment? Becase I highly doubt any company would allow users to download their software for free just so a user can "test" the ACP.
                            I believe he means that IP.B has a encoded/time limited demo for use on your own site. But their site seems to say otherwise: http://www.invisionpower.com/suite/demo.php

                            Comment

                            • Pandemikk
                              Member
                              • Apr 2009
                              • 68
                              • 3.7.x

                              #44
                              "Unfortunately, our demo system is currently full. We limit the number of active demo accounts on our system so all users can experience good response times from their demo account. Accounts are refreshed constantly so please try again later. "

                              "Some functions that would allow access to the database or file system are disabled in the demo. We don't provide FTP access for demo installations, so some freedom you'd have with a full installation will be unavailable. Unfortunately, we're unable to offer a private demo of IP.Chat at this time. Apart from these minor restrictions, your demo is fully functional. "

                              I really don't understand what IPB's demo has to offer that vB doesn't. In fact, I'll go a step further and say they offer the same thing except I've never seen vB say their demo's are full.
                              Rap Battles & Hip Hop Music - LyricalThreats

                              Sure glad he's former staff. Didn't even bother to validate my license

                              Comment

                              • Zachery
                                Former vBulletin Support
                                • Jul 2002
                                • 59097

                                #45
                                I don't think we've ever limited our demos, we do close the system down for upgrades from time to time to keep the software up to date, no new demos are made until they all time out, at which point we upgrade.

                                Comment

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