Some of this is stuff I have complained about in regards to VB even a year or so ago.
IPB use to have a roadmap. The problem I believe came about when the roadmap was out there for quite along time, then VB announced 3.5 and many of the features that were on that roadmap ended up in VB 3.5. Coincidence? Possible. Or not. Who knows. But I do remember the outcry after that. Since then I have never seen a roadmap for IPB future releases. Likely because of that incident. They still announce releases but don't announce feature sets until its almost ready. The reasoning is simple. You know the product is coming but it makes it much more difficult for competitors to 'rip' the ideas from you and incorporate them into their software, than 'announce' before you do, that those features are coming for their next release as well. Making it look like they are the innovators when in fact they are not and are only playing catchup. Possibly because of their own lack of ingenuity.
It's always expected a few things like IPB's new profile system will have something similar for VB soon. And that IPB will borrow a feature from VB. But there's a fine line between borrowing and just plain ripping. It also shows shortcomings of whatever that company is. I'm sure anyone that lives in the UK could find what IPS's and VB's sales are if they know where to look.
In the end its a game of catchup. Maybe VB 4 will change things. Its hard to say. But I do agree, VB has been losing ground. At least to some extent. And anyone not considering IPB or even some of the free software serious competition, are only being fools.
IPB use to have a roadmap. The problem I believe came about when the roadmap was out there for quite along time, then VB announced 3.5 and many of the features that were on that roadmap ended up in VB 3.5. Coincidence? Possible. Or not. Who knows. But I do remember the outcry after that. Since then I have never seen a roadmap for IPB future releases. Likely because of that incident. They still announce releases but don't announce feature sets until its almost ready. The reasoning is simple. You know the product is coming but it makes it much more difficult for competitors to 'rip' the ideas from you and incorporate them into their software, than 'announce' before you do, that those features are coming for their next release as well. Making it look like they are the innovators when in fact they are not and are only playing catchup. Possibly because of their own lack of ingenuity.
It's always expected a few things like IPB's new profile system will have something similar for VB soon. And that IPB will borrow a feature from VB. But there's a fine line between borrowing and just plain ripping. It also shows shortcomings of whatever that company is. I'm sure anyone that lives in the UK could find what IPS's and VB's sales are if they know where to look.
In the end its a game of catchup. Maybe VB 4 will change things. Its hard to say. But I do agree, VB has been losing ground. At least to some extent. And anyone not considering IPB or even some of the free software serious competition, are only being fools.
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