Why vBulletin?

Roswell · 03-23-2008, 06:09 PM

As a bit of a web nerd (and active supporter of a certain forum script

), I'm curious as to what the reasoning behind using vBulletin was around here. Not that I dislike it, there are just other solutions that are cheaper (read: free) that may be easier on depp's pocketbook

qwertypete · 03-23-2008, 06:46 PM

Well, I would think that since vBulletin is a one time fee, that it's already paid for, so it doesn't burn any more holes through his wallet. Additionally, vBulletin is the best forum software out there, and if I had a site that was popular, that would be my first choice

. Hope I helped.

Roswell · 03-23-2008, 06:47 PM

Unless he wants updates, then it continues to be $30/year, which is more than $0/year

qwertypete · 03-23-2008, 07:11 PM

I unno... I just know that vBulletin is the best... but we won't know till he replies.

depp · 03-24-2008, 12:14 AM

I've run several forums sites over the years and tried out a lot of good software. getDare used to run on PHPbb and later PunBB (this is really awesome free software).

The reason I decided to shell out for vBulletin is because of the ease of upgrading and security patching. The free forums seem to be targeted a lot more often by exploits too. vBulletin has an awesome plugin hooks system that makes custom code changes easer to work with. You can build plugins that modify the code so you don't have to re-edit everything you did earlier by hand. The vBulletin hooks system is super powerful and I don't think any of the free solutions yet have something equal to it.

I got tired of having to do a ton of work each time I upgraded. vBulletin is easier, and I believe more secure a solution. Also the vBulletin team publish security patches as plugins. That means critical security updates are a few clicks and not a few hours.

depp · 03-24-2008, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwertypete

I unno... I just know that vBulletin is the best... but we won't know till he replies.

vBulletin rocks but Invision is good too. The reason I stay away from Invision is they have been a less than honest company in the past. I simply don't trust them. They make do make great software however.

Roswell · 03-24-2008, 08:39 AM

*makes a passing reference to the fact that phpBB3 has recently been released and now uses an auto-updater

*

depp · 03-24-2008, 10:27 AM

PHPbb is great software but the security side of it scares me still a little bit. The fact is there is a lot of great forums software. I am just in love with vB.

Roswell · 03-24-2008, 11:10 AM

Regarding phpBB, there haven't been any security vulnerabilities since an internal security audit was held circa 2.0.18-ish, and phpBB3 was audited by selektions, which is a company ran by one of the original PHP core developers who's sole job was security

(no major exploits found either).

/phpBB <3
//open source ftw
///vB business practices = fale
//slashies

depp · 03-24-2008, 12:30 PM

I dunno. I think vBulletin is the best out of the box in my opinion. I've used just about everything and have had the least amount of hassle with it in the long run. phpBB may be better at the moment but I am very happy where I stand now.

Also check out miniBB it is a super basic forums script but is the easiest to build onto and hack I have ever seen. Adding features is a breeze and it has a great security history. Has quite a few plugins available for it too. The code it outputs is very clean. Easy to build into an existing sites look and feel. The code, simplicity, and speed of this script is top notch and help make it really fun to work with. Not feature rich out of the box but can easily bend to fit your needs.

Roswell · 03-24-2008, 01:18 PM

The one thing I like about phpBB is it's pretty easily extensible. Relative to a lot of other scripts, it's pretty easy to code in what you like (I'm not one for using pre-made extensions, my ways are best

) I've looked through miniBB before but some of their syntax makes me want to cry.

The only other issue I have with vBulletin is most of their extensions or whatever they call them are not checked for security before being listed on their website, and many of the popular ones (including the blog one you're using) have a track record for stupid security holes that no decent programmer should use (ie, not even using addslashes()).

Edit: And I'm not criticising your decision -- I've always been of the persuasion that people should pick the software that works best for them. Just engaging in friendly nerd discussion

depp · 03-24-2008, 09:27 PM

I do like this debate. What I think is cool is there is a lot of great forums software out there to use today

. I sort of miss the old days though when UBB was the gold standard. I used to think that was the most awesome piece of web software ever written.

Roswell · 03-24-2008, 09:37 PM

The only thing I disliked (still do) about uBB is the threaded style. I just never really got used to that. Drupal's forum node works much like that and that's the first thing I disable if I use it (tend to custom code myself). Also, if you've ever looked at the source, it's a piece of bleeding, crumpled spaghetti.

The competition also helps things keep rolling along

One thing I like about phpBB3 is the fact that it's got a few features that the rest don't. As a coder, type-aware database handling is a brilliant feature.

As for vB, while I like it, both its price and its rather crappy permissions system cause me to dislike it. Plus, as a coder, the extensions or what-have-you are nothing more than a load of crap in general. Some people don't like phpBB3's MOD installation system (by hand, although an auto installer is in the works), but I do as it allows me to see up-close and under the hood. I like to know what I put into my website

03-23-2008, 06:09 PM	#1
Roswell Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Behind You. Posts: 161	Why vBulletin? As a bit of a web nerd (and active supporter of a certain forum script ), I'm curious as to what the reasoning behind using vBulletin was around here. Not that I dislike it, there are just other solutions that are cheaper (read: free) that may be easier on depp's pocketbook

03-23-2008, 06:47 PM	#3
Roswell Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Behind You. Posts: 161	Unless he wants updates, then it continues to be $30/year, which is more than $0/year __________________ Limits: No pee/scat, no mess, nothing too painful, no family, no public. Likes: Ice, Dice Dares, etc. If you have a dare for me, PM me.

03-24-2008, 12:14 AM	#5
depp SysOp Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Here, now Posts: 3,532 Blog Entries: 51	I've run several forums sites over the years and tried out a lot of good software. getDare used to run on PHPbb and later PunBB (this is really awesome free software). The reason I decided to shell out for vBulletin is because of the ease of upgrading and security patching. The free forums seem to be targeted a lot more often by exploits too. vBulletin has an awesome plugin hooks system that makes custom code changes easer to work with. You can build plugins that modify the code so you don't have to re-edit everything you did earlier by hand. The vBulletin hooks system is super powerful and I don't think any of the free solutions yet have something equal to it. I got tired of having to do a ton of work each time I upgraded. vBulletin is easier, and I believe more secure a solution. Also the vBulletin team publish security patches as plugins. That means critical security updates are a few clicks and not a few hours. __________________ The border between the two isn't all that clear. I'll be able to enter it soon. In full range. Full motion. I'll translate myself into it.

03-24-2008, 08:39 AM	#7
Roswell Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Behind You. Posts: 161	makes a passing reference to the fact that phpBB3 has recently been released and now uses an auto-updater __________________ Limits: No pee/scat, no mess, nothing too painful, no family, no public. Likes: Ice, Dice Dares, etc. If you have a dare for me, PM me.

03-24-2008, 10:27 AM	#8
depp SysOp Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Here, now Posts: 3,532 Blog Entries: 51	PHPbb is great software but the security side of it scares me still a little bit. The fact is there is a lot of great forums software. I am just in love with vB. __________________ The border between the two isn't all that clear. I'll be able to enter it soon. In full range. Full motion. I'll translate myself into it.

03-23-2008, 06:46 PM	#2
qwertypete Distinguished Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 937 Blog Entries: 1	Well, I would think that since vBulletin is a one time fee, that it's already paid for, so it doesn't burn any more holes through his wallet. Additionally, vBulletin is the best forum software out there, and if I had a site that was popular, that would be my first choice . Hope I helped.

03-23-2008, 07:11 PM	#4
qwertypete Distinguished Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 937 Blog Entries: 1	I unno... I just know that vBulletin is the best... but we won't know till he replies.

03-24-2008, 11:10 AM	#9
Roswell Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Behind You. Posts: 161	Regarding phpBB, there haven't been any security vulnerabilities since an internal security audit was held circa 2.0.18-ish, and phpBB3 was audited by selektions, which is a company ran by one of the original PHP core developers who's sole job was security (no major exploits found either). /phpBB <3 //open source ftw ///vB business practices = fale //slashies __________________ Limits: No pee/scat, no mess, nothing too painful, no family, no public. Likes: Ice, Dice Dares, etc. If you have a dare for me, PM me.

03-24-2008, 12:30 PM	#10
depp SysOp Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Here, now Posts: 3,532 Blog Entries: 51	I dunno. I think vBulletin is the best out of the box in my opinion. I've used just about everything and have had the least amount of hassle with it in the long run. phpBB may be better at the moment but I am very happy where I stand now. Also check out miniBB it is a super basic forums script but is the easiest to build onto and hack I have ever seen. Adding features is a breeze and it has a great security history. Has quite a few plugins available for it too. The code it outputs is very clean. Easy to build into an existing sites look and feel. The code, simplicity, and speed of this script is top notch and help make it really fun to work with. Not feature rich out of the box but can easily bend to fit your needs. __________________ The border between the two isn't all that clear. I'll be able to enter it soon. In full range. Full motion. I'll translate myself into it.

03-24-2008, 01:18 PM	#11
Roswell Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Behind You. Posts: 161	The one thing I like about phpBB is it's pretty easily extensible. Relative to a lot of other scripts, it's pretty easy to code in what you like (I'm not one for using pre-made extensions, my ways are best ) I've looked through miniBB before but some of their syntax makes me want to cry. The only other issue I have with vBulletin is most of their extensions or whatever they call them are not checked for security before being listed on their website, and many of the popular ones (including the blog one you're using) have a track record for stupid security holes that no decent programmer should use (ie, not even using addslashes()). Edit: And I'm not criticising your decision -- I've always been of the persuasion that people should pick the software that works best for them. Just engaging in friendly nerd discussion __________________ Limits: No pee/scat, no mess, nothing too painful, no family, no public. Likes: Ice, Dice Dares, etc. If you have a dare for me, PM me. Last edited by Roswell; 03-24-2008 at 01:38 PM.

03-24-2008, 09:27 PM	#12
depp SysOp Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Here, now Posts: 3,532 Blog Entries: 51	I do like this debate. What I think is cool is there is a lot of great forums software out there to use today . I sort of miss the old days though when UBB was the gold standard. I used to think that was the most awesome piece of web software ever written. __________________ The border between the two isn't all that clear. I'll be able to enter it soon. In full range. Full motion. I'll translate myself into it.

03-24-2008, 09:37 PM	#13
Roswell Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Behind You. Posts: 161	The only thing I disliked (still do) about uBB is the threaded style. I just never really got used to that. Drupal's forum node works much like that and that's the first thing I disable if I use it (tend to custom code myself). Also, if you've ever looked at the source, it's a piece of bleeding, crumpled spaghetti. The competition also helps things keep rolling along One thing I like about phpBB3 is the fact that it's got a few features that the rest don't. As a coder, type-aware database handling is a brilliant feature. As for vB, while I like it, both its price and its rather crappy permissions system cause me to dislike it. Plus, as a coder, the extensions or what-have-you are nothing more than a load of crap in general. Some people don't like phpBB3's MOD installation system (by hand, although an auto installer is in the works), but I do as it allows me to see up-close and under the hood. I like to know what I put into my website __________________ Limits: No pee/scat, no mess, nothing too painful, no family, no public. Likes: Ice, Dice Dares, etc. If you have a dare for me, PM me.