If we went from v3.8 to v4.x, then the future did not look bright long term for v4/5/6, or less bright, and we decided vb was not suitable in the future. Could the data be exported and re-input for use in v3.8 again? Could the v4 data somehow be exported into MyBB? Or other software? If we stayed with v3.8 are there better options to go to other software? I'd like to keep this thread strictly technical.
Paid software usually provides you import tools for both 3.8 and 4.0. IPB does that for you for a small fee, or you can just use their import tool for free.
Right after I started this thread another one almost identical to it was started. It seems staying with v3.8 until we are sure of what to do might be the best approach. If we were to migrate v3.8 -> v4.2 -> IPB v__? -> ??? possibly v3.8 then, MyBB, ???, ??? Things would be much simpler if the future was more clear. I should probably ask in the IPB section about the IPB conversion tools. Later when more information is obtained.
If you upgrade from 3.8.4 to vbulletin 4 there is no going back without losing all the posts made while running vbulletin 4 unless IB adds a 3.8.x importer to Impex. You could import the vb 4 data into another product that has a vb 4 converter and then convert that into 3.8.4. You will be able to migrate to another product. IPB already has a vbulletin 4 converter and I'm sure most of the others will eventually have one.
AWS mentioned what I was thinking. The only way, I believe, to go from 3.8 to 4.0, then back to 3.8 is if you actually go: vB 3.8 -> vB 4.0 -> Convert to IP.Board (or anything else that ImpEx can import from) -> use ImpEx to 3.8. If ImpEx was able to go from 4.0 -> 3.8 directly, then that'd be much easier... but such is not the case, unfortunately.
Impex is written by vb/IB right? Should I download a copy of that now in case they remove support for v3.8 in the future? I've never used Impex and do not know how they do those types of things. I do know that people can still download the older versions of vb though, at least at this time.
