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IPB vs. vBulletin

SNN

By SNN
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SNN Rookie

SNN

Posted
Posted

Okay, I'm sure you guys have all seen endless topics about this, but this is a serious question, disregarding the recent news of vBulletin 4, why should I switch to IPB?

What coding advantages do I have here? I already know the vBulletin backend and frontend as if it were on the back of my hand. How easy would it be to learn how to code for IPB?

I would like to see some actual answers. No trash talk, no bullcrap. Serious answers.

Thanks

Edit; Wow, no comments so far? No attempts of even saying a few features that IPB has that vB doesn't?
How about I make this request simple, what learning curve would I have to learn to integrate pages and create modifications for IPB3? I'm an interested coder.

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bfarber
bfarber

You can do virtually anything with IPB, with the right amount of knowledge/assistance. For instance, if your banner rotation script is just a php script, you can easily do includes in our template s

IP.iBaLLiN
IP.iBaLLiN

I'd like to start out with the obvious. The IPS support has beyond excelled and exceeded my expectations. If you have any issues, they'll fix them for you, not tell you how to fix it. The community is

Brunlea
Brunlea

Quite sure a lot of vB customers will be moving to IPB quite soon and more questions will be asked, lol.

IP.iBaLLiN Collaborator

IP.iBaLLiN

Posted
Posted

I'd like to start out with the obvious. The IPS support has beyond excelled and exceeded my expectations. If you have any issues, they'll fix them for you, not tell you how to fix it. The community is great, and the modding community is improving. I don't know much about coding, but I do know an increasing amount of file-edit free modifications made possible through the new IPB hook and application system. I'll let the experts tell you about the coding. :) Just letting you know that my experience so far has been great.

Morsolo Rookie

Morsolo

Posted
Posted

I'm in the same boat as SNN... I'd love to move to IPB but the biggest problem I have with it is modifications.

It is so darn easy to go into the Style Templates in vB and just edit up a storm, or add some simple stuff and integrate it. IPB is all PHP and external pages. At least, it was when I tried it. Forgive me if it is moving along ;)

SNN Rookie

SNN

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Well I certainly hope they do explain a little bit should I need that help. It's no way to learn just to have people do it for you.

Mat Barrie Experienced

Mat Barrie

Posted
Posted

Integrating pages is beyond simple. IPB can virtually be included into your website as just another component thanks to the OO design (i.e. just include the files, call IPSMember::create() and you've just registered a user in IPB). And you can do the opposite and include your website in your forum via IP.Content (sold seperately - but sure as shoot not for $200 seperately).

  • Management
Matt Grand Master

Matt

Posted
  • Management
Posted

Hello,

It's worth quickly noting that this forum is a pre-sales forum so only staff can approve posts in it and make direct replies. If you would like, I can move this into our feedback area which will receive more attention from the community.

In a nutshell, IP.Board is PHP 5 OOP utilizing a front controller system with an underlying registry to service database connections, incoming variables, viewing member data and caches. The controller files are responsible for collecting content and then pushing it to the display later where HTML logic and special tags format the data.

The display controller is abstracted so you can write your own handler for different formats. IP.Board ships with a handler for HTML and XML but you can just as easily write a layer that handles WAP or anything else you need.

As for coding advantages, well, that's a very good question. IP.Board 3 is a brand new framework written from the ground up. And it is important to note that it is a framework that you can use. The forums are effectively just an application inside the framework. As is the Blog, Gallery and Calendar, etc. What this means is that you can utilize this power when writing your own applications. There is almost no need to make hacks or edit code. There are integration points in almost every area; searching, sessions, member sync, etc. it's all there for your use.

We have good and solid database abstraction, good real re-useable classes for common tasks (managing XML, importing skins, etc). We have several static classes for text wrangling and member management. I could go on.

There is also a hook system that allows you to insert code in almost every IF and FOREACH block within the default templates. You can also override the basic controller classes very easily.

Put short, IP.Board is not a procedural mess of code that requires open heart surgery to apply basic modifications.

$newMember = IPSMember::create( $data ); IPSMember::load( $memberID, 'all' ); $member = IPSMember::buildDisplayData( $member ); $photo = IPSMember::buildProfilePhoto( $member ); IPSMember::save( $memberId, $memberData );







Mark Grand Master

Mark

Posted
Posted

[quote name='SNN' date='14 October 2009 - 07:07 AM' timestamp='1255500472' post='1866305']
Well I certainly hope they do explain a little bit should I need that help. It's no way to learn just to have people do it for you.


Oh of course - if you ask us where a setting is, we'll show you. I think IP.iBaLLiN meant if, for example you said "my members aren't able to log in" - rather than saying something like "okay, well first check this, then that" and continuously going back and forth, we tend to look for ourselves and come back with what the problem was.


The thing I hear most from vBulletin converts is how amazed they are that we'll install and upgrade the software for them at no extra charge :)

optrexnz Proficient

optrexnz

Posted
Posted

I moved from vB a few months ago. Its the best thing I ever did and after yesterdays news I am even happier. Seriously, I was heavily modded and knew vb like the back of my hand. I tested and tested and at first the transition took some getting used to, but its worth it. The conversion is really really simple.

Get a community license, do a conversion, test it and just redo the conversion when you go live.

It takes a while for the replies as this section is moderator approved.

Enes K. Apprentice

Enes K.

Posted
Posted

Now i am using vb and want to change to Ipb. The biggest problem in my eyes is the URL Problem. In my vb forum i´m using vbseo to make my URL´s SEF. I would leave my URL structure the same after the upgrade to IPB, because of Google etc... Is there a script out there to do this so? I´am going to buy the community suite.

Mark Grand Master

Mark

Posted
Posted

[quote name='Enes K.' date='14 October 2009 - 12:07 PM' timestamp='1255518478' post='1866369']
Now i am using vb and want to change to Ipb. The biggest problem in my eyes is the URL Problem. In my vb forum i´m using vbseo to make my URL´s SEF. I would leave my URL structure the same after the upgrade to IPB, because of Google etc... Is there a script out there to do this so? I´am going to buy the community suite.


Yes. We have scripts which will handle taking members from your old URLs to the new

Alex K. Proficient

Alex K.

Posted
Posted

Just to clarify, the script will also work for Google and other search engines - When they next re-index your site they'll update to the new links, so you won't lose search engine ranking.

Kellie Apprentice

Kellie

Posted
Posted

I am a customer who switched over to IPB about 4 months ago. Before then, I was a very loyal vBulletin customer.

What can I say about IPB? Well, the software is awesome. It is easy to use, I love the admin interface and quite frankly -- it is way easier to skin than vBulletin. The permissions system is abundantly easier to navigate and set compared to vBulletin. The promotions systems also easier to set. And did I mention that it's easier to create a custom skin (or theme)?

The community is awesome. I have also found that there are many talented designers and a plethora of skins and graphics to choose from.

Anyway, that's my opinion. I have a vBulletin license and an IPB license. I am actually considering to sell my vBulletin license for a second IPB license... even in the wake of the vB4 release.

SNN Rookie

SNN

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I've used IPB before, Kellie, and I've always seemed to find it harder to skin. I just like a simple editor like vBulletins'. (Chances are, if it's true how easy it is to code for, I'll end up recoding the styler for personal use. Unless of course there's been an overhaul to the IPB3 style editor)

And I'd love to see the feedback from the community. So it'd be great if this were moved to the feedback forum. :)

Mark Grand Master

Mark

Posted
Posted

[quote name='BacTalan' date='14 October 2009 - 12:43 PM' timestamp='1255520598' post='1866383']
Just to clarify, the script will also work for Google and other search engines - When they next re-index your site they'll update to the new links, so you won't lose search engine ranking.


Yeah, it puts up a 301 redirect message



No problem - moved :)

And I'd love to see the feedback from the community. So it'd be great if this were moved to the feedback forum

Alex K. Proficient

Alex K.

Posted
Posted

[quote name='SNN' date='14 October 2009 - 06:07 AM' timestamp='1255525623' post='1866420'](Unless of course there's been an overhaul to the IPB3 style editor)
IPB3 is a complete rewrite and the style editor is much improved over IPB 2.3's, I'd recommend trying a demo and seeing how it compares with the one you've used previously.

Luke Mentor

Luke

Posted
Posted

[quote name='Mark' date='14 October 2009 - 02:12 PM' timestamp='1255525928' post='1866424']
Yeah, it puts up a 301 redirect message



No problem - moved :)


It's also worth noting that you can change the FURL style with some changes. You may be able to match exactly the same URL style as before. The only issue is topic/post/user id's. The converter should keep these the same, but then again it might not. I've never had to convert from a competing product before.

SNN Rookie

SNN

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I'm still over at vB.com, but they're loosing a lot of business due to their recent failure to gain community feedback. Internet Brands is crashing vBulletin, it seems so... but that's not a discussion for here :P

AzzidReign Newbie

AzzidReign

Posted
Posted

[quote name='SNN' date='14 October 2009 - 03:49 PM' timestamp='1255556998' post='1866631']
I'm still over at vB.com, but they're loosing a lot of business due to their recent failure to gain community feedback. Internet Brands is crashing vBulletin, it seems so... but that's not a discussion for here :P

lol and how many of us called THAT coming once we heard the news IB bought out jelsoft...

I'm trying to get some answers through the support tickets...but they are pretty much ignoring me now.

I think I'll be moving over to IPB due to the fact that I'm seeing the admins mingle with their members and seem to know some of them; rather than lynching users for asking questions.

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