24 replies to this topic

[akonze]

I am actually running my board (1,500 members, 40,000 postings) on vbulletin 3.8 and the vb blog. I tried out vb 4.0 a year ago and was shocked about this version. This weekend I also tested the vb 4.1 suite. Sadly not much has changed and therefore I decided to switch away from vbulletin. As I dont want to waste my time again, I have several pre-sale questions:

1. To fully convert my actual vb3.8, which uses forum, groups, albums, subscription & blog, I do need IP.Board, IP.Gallery and IP.Blog. Is that correct? Or do I also need IP.Nexus for the supscriptions or IP.Downloads for the attachments?

2. Do I have to pay for the conversion? Or is it possible to do this myself (I have little php & mysql skills)?

3. vbulletin had a large extension directory at vbulletin.org. Does IPB also support extensions? If yes, is there a directory?

4. How complicated is the templating? In vb4 it was pure horror to crawl through hundreds of variables. As time is money I don't want to spend many days on changing the template to my needs.

5. What are the requirement for IPB? Actually I run my board on php5 and mysql4.

6. Does IPB support advertisement in the forum? I have a contract with an ad supplier and have to integrate several banner positions (Leaderboard on top, WideSky at the right side, Medium Rectangle and Full Banner in the postings).

7. My board is in german. Does IPB support german? Are there language packs for either frontend and admin backend?

Ok, thats it for now. Sorry for all the questions, but I am very unsure if I do the right now.

[zamericanenergy]

I just came over from vb yesterday and the experience thus far here has been a great relief. Hope I am not out of line but here is what you want that I have found so far keyed to you questions.
  
1.

2.

3. Go here http://community.inv...ower.com/files/
and go here http://community.inv...pplication-r156
and go here http://community.inv.../developer.html

4. Go here http://community.inv...gory/110-skins/
and go here http://community.inv...&module=skingen
and there is probably more yet undiscovered

5. go here http://www.invisionp...equirements.php
and down load "compatibility checker"

6. go here http://community.inv...ntegration-r346
and run the demo from here http://www.invisionp.../suite/demo.php

7. go here http://community.inv...uage-packs-r449
and there is probably more yet undiscovered

"unsure if I do the right now" you mean "unsure if I am doing the right thing". Was not lost in translation. I would pay these guys to do the port from vb ( they say they will, but I am sure there is some fine print)). Sounds like you need to Take a break so put the monkey on their back.

The look and feel may be slightly different and you have to judge if you customers will accept it. So I think it would be wise to like maybe give them a link to a demo site for them to play with and then poll for their opinion on the matter and take it from there. You know your clientele it is a social network after all.

hope it helped
david

[akonze]

Ok, it seems I can not run IPB. I tested my server with check_requirements.php file and here's the result

IP.Board 3.1 Requirements Checker

Checking minimum version (5.2.0)...Pass

You are running PHP 5.2.17

IP.Nexus Only: Checking for ability to load Zend Guard encoded files...FAIL
Not able to run encoded files such as IP.Nexus. You can still use IP.Board, IP.Downloads. IP.Blog, IP.Gallery, IP.Content, IP.Chat

Checking memory limit (128M or better recommended)...WARNING
Your memory limit: 40M. You can still proceed but we recommend you contact your host and request the memory limit be raised to 128M to prevent possible issues.

Checking for SPL...Pass

Checking for DOM XML Handling...Pass

Checking for GD library...Pass

Checking for GD2...Pass

Checking for mysql support...Pass

Checking for JSON...Pass

Checking for openSSL...Pass

Please also remember that MySQL 4.1 or higher (MySQL 5.0 or higher preferred) is required for IP.Board 3.1. Ask your server administrator to check the version of MySQL on your server if you are unsure.

Sadly (I think) I need IP.Nexus for the paid subscriptions I have in my vbulletin. Maybe someone from IPB can answer my first question, to see if I am right or wrong.

[zamericanenergy]

Akonze

thanks for the heads up on "zend Guard" I had not run check_requirements.php on my server.

1. here is IPB zend Guard write up http://community.inv...zend-guard-r536

2. here is zend Guard free download to be run on server http://www.zend.com/...guard/downloads

3. here is German language pack http://community.inv...german-deutsch/

I am doing this for my own edification Akonze and don't mean to get in your way. After all, we hit IPB nearly at the same time so I just thought we could ride together.

I can't answer you question number 1. But they are going to get back with on a similar question I had. I have posted some questions in this forum too. Now if I were in your place I would go directly to whoever here at IPB does the porting from vb for a fee and see what they say. You have a lot of euro's at stake and that question deserves to be elevated above this forum to marketing and/or engineering. I don't know? That is just what I would do.

david

[Cloaked]

You got it right you'll need Gallery, Blog and forum.

You can convert it yourself. They have the converter scripts available for download.

[Novawave]

akonze, on 15 February 2011 - 10:14 AM, said:

Sadly (I think) I need IP.Nexus for the paid subscriptions I have in my vbulletin. Maybe someone from IPB can answer my first question, to see if I am right or wrong.

There is also a more simple subscription system available called IP.Subscriptions, if you don't need a full store. It doesn't need Zend.

[akonze]

Novatech, on 15 February 2011 - 11:27 AM, said:

There is also a more simple subscription system available called IP.Subscriptions, if you don't need a full store. It doesn't need Zend.

Is there a description of this anywhere? I could not find it on the main page.

What I need is a function equal to the 'paid subscriptions' in vbulletin. I have some supporters who paid a small amount of money and got access to a special usergroup and forum in return. They can choose between a 3, 6 or 12 month subscription and can pay through Paypal.

[AndyMillne]

The converter will only currently convert vbulletin subscriptions to IP.Subscriptions it is not possible to convert *directly* to Nexus.

When Nexus is installed and run for the first time it will check to see if IP.Subscriptions is installed and prompt to see if you want to convert them for use in IP.Nexus.

You do not need to use Nexus if all you are looking for is support for your vBulletin subscriptions. You will also not need IP.Downloads to convert forum attachments.

[zamericanenergy]

Akonze

Your two problems revealed by check_requirements.php

1. IP.Nexus Only: Checking for ability to load Zend Guard encoded files...FAIL
Not able to run encoded files such as IP.Nexus. You can still use IP.Board, IP.Downloads. IP.Blog, IP.Gallery, IP.Content, IP.Chat

2. Checking memory limit (128M or better recommended)...WARNING
Your memory limit: 40M. You can still proceed but we recommend you contact your host and request the memory limit be raised to 128M to prevent possible issues.

I had the same issues with my IIS 5.0 system reported by running check_requirements.php

1. what worked for me was to download the zend optimizer following the instructions in the for me .EXE installer and we were good to go. zend passed.

2. what worked for me As far as the memory issue open your php.ini and search for "memory_limit" and change the value to 128m and we were good to go.

NB: I had an openSSL issue. which was resolved by enabling openSSL in the php.ini again. There is probably more to do for me regarding SSL, like certificates and all but I will get to it when I need'm and maybe never on my lab server.

akonze, on 15 February 2011 - 11:56 AM, said:

Is there a description of this anywhere? I could not find it on the main page.

Now I did a search in documentation and followed the instruction in ACP of demo site and nowhere did I find where IP.subscriptions comes from. it certainly is not listed at neither    Tools & Settings  > System Settings nor in ACP My Apps tab pull down. We need to get this figured out. What IP.app is it in? Can we see it in the demo so we can understand?

Now if I could get answer from Mark RE: "Pay per Topic" over on my pre-sales question thread, I will spend money today and get on down the road.


david

[zamericanenergy]

Akonza

here is instructions to convert http://community.inv...onversions-r175

We note the fine print says "no matter what software you run, you will retain your members, forums, topics and posts". That don't say nothing about your store/subscriptions. But Euro's grease all skids and maybe they will take care of your subscription too.

here is download for converter http://www.invisionp...ite/convert.php

I will try converting my phpBB test forum and see how the conversion goes

david

[akonze]

Ok, thanks for all your answers. I also have tested a demo account now. Here is my final conclusion on my questions:

1. Negative: vbulletin 3.8 and blog can not be fully converted to IPB by only buying IP.Board, IP.Gallery and IP.Blog. There are no paid subscriptions in this three modules. I checked this in the demo. There is also no information about the 'IP.Subscriptions' in the demo anywhere. Also no information about that on the website. So you also need IP.Nexus to convert the subscriptions.

2. Positive: A conversion can be done by the user. A conversion script is available for free download, so you can test it before you even buy IPB.

3. Positive: There is an extension directory available with about 1,200 extensions, free and buyable. The name 'marketplace' is a little bit confusing and should be replaced by 'extensions' or something like that.

4. Negative: Templating is also very complicated in IPB. You also have to dig into tons of template and CSS files to change things. Furthermore the access to the 'skinning & design' forum is restricted and you can not access styling guides before you buy the software.

5. Negative: IP.Nexus, which I need for my subscriptions, requires Zend Guard. This is not installed on my webhosting and as I do not have a root server I can not install it myself. It also is not completely understandable why this part of IPB has to be crypted. What do they have to hide? However, sadly this is the point why I probably have to stay with vbulletin as IP.Board does not support such a simple thing like paid subscriptions.

6. Positiv: A simple ad system is integrated. It is hidden well in 'Admin CP -> System -> System Settings -> Ad Code Integration'. Sadly it supports only a few banner positions and they are always on top or below something. It is not possible to add a skyscraper banner at the right or left side, to add a banner inside forum postings and also not possible to use modern floating banners. So you have to edit template files and integrate them by yourself.

7. Positive: There are about 70 language packs for IPB available, including 11 german. I could not download them due to restrictions and so I couldn't install them into the demo version to judge the quality.

All in all I found IPB a good and strong forum system. It offers some very nice features, which vbulletin does not offer at all or doesn't offer them in this quality. But templating is also very complicated and, like in vbulletin, I probably have to pay a designer to change this to my needs. Also conversion from vb to ipb is not fully possible for me due to the missing subscriptions in the core. Furthermore I will never have access to IP.Nexus, which has some nice features too. IPB should think about the code encryption to open this addon to a wider amount of buyers. And IPB is more expensive than vbulletin. The vbulletin suite would cost me 250 USD as I update (new buyers have to pay 285 USD) and it would offer forum, blog, album, paid subscriptions and a CMS (which I wouldn't need). IP.Board, IP.Gallery, IP.Blog and IP.Nexus (for the subscriptions) would be 288 USD. If also would add the CMS feature, than IPB would be at 311 USD.

I will sleep about this decision, but I think I will stay with vbulletin 3.8 for now. Three month of updates would cost me 50 bucks and I have no installation, no conversion, no templating and so on. Finally let me say, that I am a little bit disappointed, that I got no qualified answer from a IPB company member.

[Claudia999]

1. IPB don't have Groups.

2. Both. If you let IPS make the conversion you habe to pay, but there's a easy conversion script.

3. Look at IPS Marketplace

4. I'm thinking that templating here is a little bit better than in vB, but that's my small opinion The best way for your own experience is a 5-day-demo-account

5. Do you have a (managed) server or a shared hosting account? In (managed) server you can have a entry in .htaccess to have higher "memory Limits".

6. For the banner at the right side I had to set the code in my template. For the other positions IPB has build in support I think.

7. Yes. My board is in german too. And a german language pack do you find at http://www.ipbsupport.de For frontend you can translate almost all words, in backend it's not all.

[akonze]

Claudia999, on 16 February 2011 - 04:47 AM, said:

1. IPB don't have Groups.

Of course does IPB support groups. I tested this in the demo version. You find them at 'AdminCP -> Members -> Member Groups -> Manage User Groups'.

Claudia999, on 16 February 2011 - 04:47 AM, said:

5. Do you have a (managed) server or a shared hosting account? In (managed) server you can have a entry in .htaccess to have higher "memory Limits".

My problem is not the memory limit. My problem is, that I can not run IP.Nexus but I need it as it is the only way to convert the paid subscriptions from vbulletin.

[Robulosity2]

akonze, on 16 February 2011 - 07:36 AM, said:

Of course does IPB support groups. I tested this in the demo version. You find them at 'AdminCP -> Members -> Member Groups -> Manage User Groups'.



My problem is not the memory limit. My problem is, that I can not run IP.Nexus but I need it as it is the only way to convert the paid subscriptions from vbulletin.

Have you considered just maybe asking your host to set it up.... or you know, just getting a host that supports encoding because if your host is running PHP5, and running process limits at 40mb it's a clear sign they are over selling

[Claudia999]

akonze, on 16 February 2011 - 07:36 AM, said:

Of course does IPB support groups. ... You find them at 'AdminCP -> Members -> Member Groups -> Manage User Groups'.

Thanks, but we don't mean the same.

IPB has user groups, sure. But IPB don't have "interest groups" like vB (http://www.vbulletin...forum/group.php).

[.Ian]

akonze, on 16 February 2011 - 04:13 AM, said:

Ok, thanks for all your answers. I also have tested a demo account now. Here is my final conclusion on my questions:

1. Negative: vbulletin 3.8 and blog can not be fully converted to IPB by only buying IP.Board, IP.Gallery and IP.Blog. There are no paid subscriptions in this three modules. I checked this in the demo. There is also no information about the 'IP.Subscriptions' in the demo anywhere. Also no information about that on the website. So you also need IP.Nexus to convert the subscriptions.

Subscriptions is free to all licence holders - I think the conversion would go to this and not Nexus.

There is a more comprehensive advertising module in Nexus which includes the ability to sell adverts.

[akonze]

Robulosity2, on 16 February 2011 - 07:47 AM, said:

Have you considered just maybe asking your host to set it up.... or you know, just getting a host that supports encoding because if your host is running PHP5, and running process limits at 40mb it's a clear sign they are over selling

I have a managed server completely for myself running at 1&1 in germany. They do not change the configuration of the server for stability reasons and their setup is very conservative. But this discussion leads to nothing. The software company says: 'Let the hoster install Zend. We do not change out software.' The hoster says: 'Let them provide uncrypted software. We do not change our setup.' This does not really help me.

Claudia999, on 16 February 2011 - 08:08 AM, said:

But IPB don't have "interest groups" like vB (http://www.vbulletin...forum/group.php).

Ok, now I understand what you mean. I don't need these interest groups. So this is no problem.

.Ian, on 16 February 2011 - 09:27 AM, said:

Subscriptions is free to all licence holders - I think the conversion would go to this and not Nexus.

Sadly no one can approve that. I can not find anything about that 'IP.Subscriptons' mentioned above. I searched the main site and searched inside the demo installation. Nothing. It's really a pain that no officials from IPB can help me with a detailed answer.  

[bfarber]

akonze, on 16 February 2011 - 04:13 AM, said:

Ok, thanks for all your answers. I also have tested a demo account now. Here is my final conclusion on my questions:

1. Negative: vbulletin 3.8 and blog can not be fully converted to IPB by only buying IP.Board, IP.Gallery and IP.Blog. There are no paid subscriptions in this three modules. I checked this in the demo. There is also no information about the 'IP.Subscriptions' in the demo anywhere. Also no information about that on the website. So you also need IP.Nexus to convert the subscriptions.

IP.Subscriptions is not installed in the demo, but is available freely in your client area upon purchasing an IP.Board license.  When you install it, it allows you to create subscription packages your members can purchase.  Additionally, the converters will convert your paid subscriptions to IP.Subscriptions.

I understand there is not a lot of information available about our free subscription manager module, however you can rest assured it is available, it is free, and it will cover your needs based on what you have described.  It is, in effect, very similar to the vBulletin subscription module (in terms of functionality).

akonze, on 16 February 2011 - 04:13 AM, said:

4. Negative: Templating is also very complicated in IPB. You also have to dig into tons of template and CSS files to change things. Furthermore the access to the 'skinning & design' forum is restricted and you can not access styling guides before you buy the software.

Sadly, this is the nature of large, complex, dynamic web software.  All forum software have similar constraints and issues, vBulletin included.  I would hazard a guess that your existing forum software is not as "scary" to you, because you are much more familiar with it.

Our template system is very powerful, and really is not much different from any other template system out there.  It has tags to accomplish some dynamic functionality, but otherwise is just a lot of HTML to lay out the structure of the page.

If you have suggestions on how to simplify our templates, feel free to share.

akonze, on 16 February 2011 - 04:13 AM, said:

5. Negative: IP.Nexus, which I need for my subscriptions, requires Zend Guard. This is not installed on my webhosting and as I do not have a root server I can not install it myself. It also is not completely understandable why this part of IPB has to be crypted. What do they have to hide? However, sadly this is the point why I probably have to stay with vbulletin as IP.Board does not support such a simple thing like paid subscriptions.

As previously stated, you do not need IP.Nexus for simple subscriptions.

If you did, however, you could utilize the ioncube instead of Zend encoding.  ioncube encoding often supports run-time loading of it's loader files, so it often works on hosts that do not install it directly to the PHP engine.  Regardless, most hosts will enable/install loaders for either zend-encoded or ioncube-encoded files if you ask them to.

We encode the software for everyone's protection.  Since this application deals with collecting money and payments from members (beyond what a simple subscription system can do), we felt it was only proper of us to do everything we can to ensure the security for all of our customers.



If you have any further questions don't hesitate to ask.

[akonze]

First of all thanks for taking some time and answer my questions. This helped me a lot in my decision finding.

1. If IP.Subscription has the same features than the vbulletin paid subscriptions, than I am satiesfied. I don't need more (at least at the moment).

4. Well, I'm not scared, but I know that a more complex template system means it will cost me more money to change the forum to my needs. Of course I understand, that the complexibility also gives me more flexibility. But personally I don't need that high flexibility. For me, less would be more.

5. Ok, I understand your point. It is much more challenging for a potential attacker to find a bug he could use, when the source files are crypted. I can ask my provider, but I know, they won't change anything. They are too big.

[akonze]

bfarber, on 16 February 2011 - 10:06 AM, said:

As previously stated, you do not need IP.Nexus for simple subscriptions.

Sorry to reopen this again, but while informing myself about a roadmap, I came across this statement from official IPB member Charles:

Quote

Other Important Changes

    * IP.Subscriptions, our simple application to allow you to sell member group promotions on your community, will be updated to work with IP.Board 3.2 but this will be the last update to IP.Subscriptions. IP.Subscriptions has been around for many years - long before communities were assumed to bring in revenue - and it's time to retire it to focus on our more modern application: IP.Nexus. After the release of IP.Board 3.2, IP.Subscriptions will be considered end of life (EOL) and will no longer be supported. Clients should switch to the new IP.Nexus product which is continually updated and contains many more opportunities to monetize your community.

Source: http://community.inv..._1#entry2076512

So... I guess this means, that after 3.2 I can dump my board and switch back to vbulletin again? Or pay 75 bucks for a simple subscription system? I mean, I don't want to sell t-shirts on my website.