You may want to vBulletin and speak to them there about downgrading... Typically we help people upgrade, not go the other way <img src="https://www.ubbcentral.com/boards/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
I'm curious, have you thought about UBBThreads? You can convert your license for only $75 dollars and because it uses MySQL, you wouldn't have to worry about the CGI files...
You may also want to look at our own hosting plans - you can easily import your UBB.classic into UBB.x and never need to worry about server load again. <img src="https://www.ubbcentral.com/boards/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
-- Charles Capps UBB.classic™ Developer Having problems? Open up a support ticket!
Yes it could be done, but we do not assist our customers in doing so, especially when they want to go to a competitors products. I'm sure you can understand our position... I think most, if not all companies would have the same policy!
I'm sure that there are people at vBulletin who could instruct you on the procedure for downgrading.
However, financially speaking, you could save alot of money by converting over to Threads...
So your not going to give me support ona UBB product I ordered?
Even if I decide to switch to vBulletin, I am still going to have my UBB license and I will just use the UBB for something else.
You helped other people downgrade from version 6.0 to 5.45, I've seen posts everywhere. can't you pretend I'm doing it because a hack didn't work or something, heh.
All I'm saying is it would have been just as easy for me to lie and say I need to downgrade because an upgrade went wrong - and either way I think you guys should at least tell me how to do it... =/
I've never downgraded, except for this past April 1 when ubbdev went to v5.47e for a day... argghhh, we won't do that again. This next April I think we'll use an alternate template set to make the site look like a purple phone book, and call it our "vb-skin" <img src="https://www.ubbcentral.com/boards/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
Downgrading to a 5.x is much different than going from a 6.x to a 6.x. Also, when assisting our customers in going from a 6.x to a 5.x, they weren't doing so to go to a competitor.
You will always receive support on your UBB. You will not receive support on going to a non-Infopop product... and to be honest, I find it hard to believe that this troubles you. Try going to vBulletin and asking how to import to an Infopop product. They won't tell you <img src="https://www.ubbcentral.com/boards/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Another issue is the fact that many features have been added, new member profile feilds (custom titles, and avatars to name two) going backwards is not a matter of just changing files. A lot of work mostly manual editing of memberfiles would be needed. The fact remains that it may be possible but the work involved could deter you from downgrading. Wouldn't it be cheaper to change hosts than to buy another board and go thru all the changes needed only to possibly end up starting your forum over?
What are you facing as far as server load? Do you have figures you can share, so we can aid in your decision? If you were to do as Charles suggested you could convert your UBB.classic to a UBB.X just for going with Infopop's hosting services. a UBB.X comes with it, and has the new backend everyone has asked for .
Member Field Strip - English Version (#!/usr/bin/perl)
Hacked your UBB.classic to add extra member profile fields, and now you have to remove them to upgrade? Download this file.
Downgrading is possible but not easy as mentioned. This script might be able to help you with the memberfields that have been added if you have access to the members area. And/or the VB import script I am sure can easily be modified to deal with the new format and I would assume VB will be doing so in the future as to "keep up with the Jonses".
On the flip side I agree with you should also look at UBBThreads as well as IP's hosting plans. These are both great products. The hosting plan will also give you peace of mind in terms of configuration and up time as well as getting "free' upgrades.
Good luck in your endevours what ever they end up being <img src="https://www.ubbcentral.com/boards/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
...Steven Hostboard.com The first & only production UBB powered by MySQL
It does seem a little odd that if the cgi files are the "real" issue - you would pay $10 more than you need to for MySQL, instead of converting to Threads with IP's assistance.
As far as downgrading - given the potential danger to the integrity of your member files and post histories, if things did't work out, who would you turn to for support if the VB conversion went south?
I doubt that VB would want to know, and IP could not support what would then be a VB based problem.
If you truly value your years of member activity, don't compromise it, stick with IP and upgrade to threads, or at the very least wait until VB have "caught up" enough to provide you with a supported transition.
-------------------------------------------- I'm depriving a village somewhere of an idiot !
I looked into threads, and it looks great and all, but it seems like its rather knew (which it is) and lacking many features that other boards like it have.
About he hosting options - I'm not sure I could afford hosting for my ubb.classic - I would basically need a dedicated server, and I cannot afford that.
My UBB Accelerator is running 91% of the requests and we still get some overload problems.
Thanks again for the help as I continue to make my decision.
Ever heard of wwwthreads? Infopop aquirred it and renamed it ubb.threads. It's been around for a while, and has literally tons of features. Recently version 6.0 was released with the advent of templates. To edit the look and feel of the forums.
"About he hosting options - I'm not sure I could afford hosting for my ubb.classic - I would basically need a dedicated server, and I cannot afford that."
If you were to use Infopop hosting you get a ubb.x with it. Which uses a mysql backend. <img src="https://www.ubbcentral.com/boards/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Depending on how desperate the situation is, it may be a wiser decision to hit the "Off" button in your control panel and wait it out. Jelsoft's apt to release a 6.3 importer soon, and it would spare you the potential problems of downgrading.
