So, how is XenForo's closure/lawsuit really changing anything?

Discussion in 'Community Forum Software' started by CM30, Oct 22, 2012.

  1. CM30

    CM30 Regular Member

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    About its competitors? I mean, I hear a lot from XenForo advocates about how XenForo's downfall will lead to less competition for vBulletin and Invision Power Board and them doing things considered as 'anti customer' or not in the best interests of forum admins.

    But I'm sorry, I don't buy it.

    vBulletin and Internet Brands are practically never going to listen to anyone. Heck, vBulletin under Kier and co never really listened to anyone either. I doubt they even care about how to improve forums or what XenForo is up to, and I suspect vBulletin 5 will practically never be 'great' regardless of what market pressure it's under.

    And is Invision Power Board really doing anything that wrong? Yes there are a lot of things I want them to change, but I think they know what they're doing as far as what direction forums need to be taken in. Admit it, standalone forums aren't really the be all and end of all of communities now, and the concept of a suite is actually good one. I use most of their software (blogs, gallery, downloads, etc) and I like it. I like not having to find third party add ons for useful site features, not having to maintain and link multiple third party scripts like I had to with vBulletin and not having to go through a bunch of coding changes whenever I upgrade to a new version. Or losing features just because I upgraded from one version to another.

    Seriously, this obsession with minimal features and making up the difference with add ons can go to hell, only geeks and programmers like the concept, the average Joe wants features.

    And what exactly is XenForo really inspiring? How is it really some kind of revolution? It's decent, but that's it. I see pretty good forum software with a fairly average style and one or two features other scripts don't have. The only reason it even caught on was because of who made it, admit it. If Kier and Mike weren't involved? Probably would have died alongside Burning Board and all those other solutions people and groups are working on.

    Yes, competition is a good thing. That's an advantage of a capitalist system. There's a reason I similarly dislike anyone stupid enough to think the world would be better if there was only one forum software/games console/computer brand. But XenForo isn't a revolution. It isn't some kind of saviour of all forum software. If it fails, it won't mean vBulletin and Invision Power Board will somehow go downhill and make all the wrong choices (the former has already made them all even with XenForo as competition) Someone will come in and fill the gap with new paid forum software, I've already seen quite a few recent attempts. If forum scripts out now aren't pleasing everyone, hey, someone'll probably eventually make one that will.

    As for the community... well, considering XenForo's fans are basically the equivalent of a bunch of disgruntled forum members going off to start their and bad mouthing their original staff in the process, I couldn't care less if it falls. And I hope any new software attracts a new crowd, not disgruntled people from vB's support forum.
     
  2. Superboy

    Superboy Most Likely, I'm Insane.

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    This is probably the most truthful post regarding this whole mess i have seen. I enjoyed reading your post :)

    Not too generalize(but i kind of am), I find a good majority of the XF community(the zealots) the type of people who simply love to complain about something. They are so anti-vb that they moved to Xf and to them, it is heaven. Now with the current issues, they are now turning on xf bashing it as you said. Some have contemplated coming to IPS....From a customer point of view and a member of IPS forums, i honestly hope those people don't come simply because i like the community and i'd hate to see their negativity bring the site/company down. Of course, IPS staff is more diligent and thus i'd doubt anything to the level of what happened/is happening at xf.com would occur..

    Xenforo fans truly remind me of Apple Iphone fans.....I do think(like apple) that XF did sort of show people that certain things can be done in a modern way. But there is nothing innovative of it as a product. A good poduct(mostly yes) but it's not innovation especially when basic features are missing from the product.

    XF hasn't really had a major release in awhile....1.1.3 does not count. If anything 1.1.3 was merely something to shut people up in my opinion.
    XF hasn't seen a major release in awhile so it is almost like it isn't even there even if it hasn't died(yet). Yet, the other companies are still throwing their products out and improving them.

    It really does make me laugh sometimes when people say that they'll stop owning forums if XF dies/closes....because we know it isn't true. Like with VB4, they'll mass migrate to another software(or back to VBulletin).

    I remember before leaving XF and going to IPS, I made a thread on the XF forum asking about various features and i was told
    A. it's coming in 1.2 or a later update(hmm...where's 1.2 now?)
    B. So and So is working on this resource and it should be out in a few months...or there is a resource but it hasn't been updated since 1.0.x

    It's a decent software....in my opinion only slightly better than most free software but as you said above....With or Without XF, i don't see their existence or lack thereof as a threat to IPS or Vbulletin well-being because i'm sure both companies have an idea where they want to go.
     
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  3. dojo

    dojo Regular Member

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    All I care is that I have choices. I really have no liking to have 1-2 platforms that are just not competing or being a monopoly. Cause that leads to crap products and client support. I'd love it if each year we'd have at least one new forum platform being released by someone. Competition breeds progress and gives us, the customers, the chance to get a great product/support.
     
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  4. CM30

    CM30 Regular Member

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    Agreed. As you say, more competition is better. It's just I don't think XenForo is some exceptional standout in this, if a few new paid forum scripts started up after the lawsuit, they'd be just as good competition to IPB as XenoForo is/was.
     

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