vBulletin question

[deronsizemore]

I recently had a post about choosing PunBB for a forum. I really don't have 160 bucks to blow on a forum right now, hence the reason for maybe going with PunBB.

I've used SP and WSP and other forums which run on vBulletin so I'm definitely more familar and like vBulletin more, it's just the money issue.

Do you think I'd be better off to get a lease license first just to see if the site will stick...or go ahead and waste 160 bucks?

This decision really shouldn't be this hard..but I feel like vB has more features, than PunBB but the latter is obviously free which I like!

[Chris]

The backend features of vbulletin are really top notch. I don't know if vbulletin has an importer for PunBB. So if you were to go with a free one you might use phpbb instead so that atleast you know if you want to switch later you can easily do so.

[deronsizemore]

The backend features of vbulletin are really top notch. I don't know if vbulletin has an importer for PunBB. So if you were to go with a free one you might use phpbb instead so that atleast you know if you want to switch later you can easily do so.


Isn't there some security issues with phpbb? Seems like i heard that somewhere.

[MarkB]

Yeah, phpbb is very much prone to hacking, unfortunately.

You might want to consider a leased vBulletin license to begin with ($85/year), if that would be an easier hit on your pocket.

[Mal]

phpbb is also surprisingly backwards in terms of hacks/modules and updates.

Five years ago I used a Perl based forum that would check the author's site on a daily basis for update and then proceed to update itself overnight when needed. All modules/skins etc were installed via an interface or checkboxes, and would always work after the core automatically updated. Only reason I stopped using it was the guy that wrote it got bored and moved on. But should give you an idea about how basic phpbb actually is.

[s2kinteg916]

Once you go vb youll never look back... Just visit vbulletin.org and see how many hacks/mods they have now.

[CreationNation]

If you purchase it outright, you can always use it for another site if the one fails (I've done this).

[James]

I'd say it's best to go with the full license; it gives you updates for the first year anyways. Further years of updates are only $30.00, but you don't really *have* to update, I suppose.