Hi there, I'm considering buying a UBB license, tho I'm wondering how soon version 8 will be out the door for two reasons:

1. a license includes free upgrades for a year. I'd hope to have version 8 within that timeframe, and not just the initial release, but I assume that patches and tweaks will be occurring quite a bit for the near future after its release, and I'd hope to have a solid and somewhat settled version of the forum before that year of upgrades ran out.

2. I assume, though I may be wrong, that upgrading to version 8 would require, or best be done with a clean install, and I wouldn't want to put lots of effort into setting up version 7 only to have to wipe it all for version 8.


Non-version 8 queries:

Is it pretty easy to create your own themes and colour schemes for the forum? Is it html done, or is there an interface that lets you pick colours for different bars and things?

Does UBB have many important functions that aren't available as mods for SMF? Maybe that's a silly sounding question, but I'm entirely new to considering running forum software and I'd like to ask it anyway.

Are there any solid reasons why you (whoever's reading this) prefer UBB to vBulletin?

Thanks for taking the time to read/respond to these questions.

I'll do my best to answer your questions and others might come behind me, or even before I finish posting this, to chime in as well.

1. Timeframe on v8. It's hard to say right now, but by the time new members area access would be expiring we'll definitely have a few updates put out. With a couple new developers, things are moving along quite nicely. It's a complete overhaul with an entire new look, so I'll be able to give out more info on some sort of timeframe hopefully fairly soon.

2. There will be an upgrade script to easily update your version 7.x forum to version 8. So no need to start with a clean install.


Creating your own themes and color schemes is fairly simple as long as you have a little knowledge of CSS. There is an editor in the control panel that allows you to change things and view your changes as they are done.

I can't really say on SMF, as I've never run one, but we're definitely seeing quite a few SMF converts in the past couple months.

I won't go into vBulettin. It appears to be some things going on over there, but I don't have a firm knowledge to really comment on it. Since I'm the lead developer on UBB.threads any opinion I could share on that would be entirely subjective as well So I'll let someone else comment on that part.

I think we have several threads around here on why we prefer the UBB to alternatives...

One of which being that a lot of things that come standard with UBB.threads would normally cost extra with vbulletin. That and even with all the "extras" UBB.threads is still MUCH cheaper.. and the user/staff support of UBB.threads is second to none in any industry and definately the best in the computing/software industry.

Just an outside perspective on your questions.

Dunny

Thanks!




Using the search didn't turn up anything of much significance in the matter. If you know of a couple threads off-hands, I'd love to read them.

this is a good example of why we should have tagging

Rick, you meant to type that there is NO need to start with a clean install, right?

yes, i'm quite sure he means that (what YOU said, that is)

No, all content will be lost when upgrading to version 8. Even those of you with millions of posts. Too bad, you get to start over

It is not April 1 yet Rick.
Don't put the scare in everyone again.
LOL

Ah, you're right. Ok, the upgrade script will keep 1 post for every user that you have, so you won't have to start completely over

You are a glutton for punishment.
Hope the posting gods go easy on you!

remember last April Fools day with the new direction for UBBthreads post.... I wonder if that was just him being a prophet after all?

Yeah Rick nice job creating pandamonium in all of our online lives

Dunny

Well, I purchased a UBB license, and one of the deciding factors (amongst many others) was that I strongly dislike the general look/feel of vBulletin, and find the UBB style, when done right, looks pretty slick (although in other examples it does look tacky [but so can vBulletin, so w/e]).
One example is ubbccentral's style. It looks and feels fantastic, imo. Another example, and the forum that has impressed me most in its tailored design and awesome functionality, is the one for the Shroomery.

Since I have already purchased my license, this is a post-sale question:

When v.8 rolls out, will there be an option to keep using what might then be called a "classic" ubb look, such as the one ubbcentral currently uses? I know about, and look forward to the new designs that the ubb team come up with, but some people don't like the overly rounded look that a lot of "modern" forums have. The soft, yet defined corners of ubbcentral are very appetizing, imo

Thanks for the purchase and welcome to the club

As for your post-sale question. The new skinning system will be flexible enough that I'm certain we can put out a skin that will look very similar to what we have now.

i just had a college flashback

Remembering those cow pastures we used to visit at night.

Memories!

Cow Tippin, All Right.

Actually I was talking about shroom picking.
But cow tipping was fun too. Especially when you had a newbie with you that never did it. You could get a lot of mileage out of the new guy for fun.

snipe hunting ?

Snipe hunting is what we did to tenderfoots in the boy scouts.
WOW! Another memory lane item.
You may not have had those mushrooms in your part of town.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocybin_mushrooms

Is what I am talking about.