Board upgrade/changes down the road

[jimnyc]

We have been using vBulletin as the host software almost since day one. After some shitty other testing we eventually moved to vbulletin software in 2003 somewhere? 2004 latest. And then this board, which started in 2007, has been using vbulletin since day one.

I always upgraded when necessary and of course always applied all security patches that may have come out. We're now using version 4.2.5 of the software, which was the last supported version in these series before the upgrade to the 5.x series.

A lot of folks complained at other places and even all over VB's pages in their community support forum. There were lots of various complaints and upgrading issues. So that's why we sit here on the 4.x series for like 4 years now after the 5 upgrade came out. But they stopped supporting the 4 series awhile back. So no more help from them and we've been managing without.

Now enters a few new issues. The version of software that vbulletin 4.x series, the PHP software version used, is being deprecated and will be history. The board apparently won't run on the newer versions. Then it turns into a "Ménage à trois", as the MYSQL version, suffice to say will also no longer be used.

****

So this leaves us with a decision to make. The easiest would be to upgrade to the latest version of the vBulletin 5.x series. Seems the majority of complaints/issues have mostly been resolved via all the updates in the past few years. And then as far as any bloat or how it operates - I think it's more about what you do with the software, what portions you enable and utilize, setup the back end and make many many many changes and have it appear mostly like now and mostly operate like now. There would be a lot of new additions to take advantage of. And the appearance, when I say mostly like now, I mean theme wise that I would like similar appearance in military and honor, and maybe additions there too, and make it clear it's about political discussions as well. I'm willing to pay for whatever upgrade is necessary or any other software if that ends up being the choice.

So as far as vBulletin 5.x series. Some examples I can share.

This is vBulletin themselves, default install:

https://i.imgur.com/EaaHlmi.jpg

just another example I found:

https://i.imgur.com/3H9x1lm.jpg

probably a starter, bland appearance and minimal forums:

https://i.imgur.com/IMjeMCr.jpg

I just thought this one looked cool. None of the images tell us much more than various appearances:

https://i.imgur.com/Ly61hFt.jpg

the only one thus far I found in full size mode:

https://i.imgur.com/KDgc0l3.png

Some other software in the mix, of which I'll talk about if any interest, but we are certainly not limited by vBulletin. Quite a few other leading platforms, and many with importers to convert over the software/forum.

I think more are switching to Xenforo than are upgrading.

https://xenforo.com/community/

A few others that look good too. We can discuss and check them all out.

Simple Machines - https://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php

MyBB - https://community.mybb.com/

PHPBB - https://www.phpbb.com/community/


https://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php

https://community.woltlab.com/

[SassyLady]

Thanks for the update Jim. I'm sure you'll choose the one that is best for everyone. I looked at all of them and pretty much any one of them will require some adjusting. You might get a few "Hey, what happened here?" PMs.

How soon before you change?

[jimnyc]

Thanks for the update Jim. I'm sure you'll choose the one that is best for everyone. I looked at all of them and pretty much any one of them will require some adjusting. You might get a few "Hey, what happened here?" PMs.

How soon before you change?

All up to us in how long - unless my host should eliminate earlier versions of PHP & MYSql, earlier than thought.

Just a matter of coming to a decision, forking up the pennies, the hard part in the upgrade process, then a LOT of work afterwards. Even if we were to stay with VB, all the work done over the years is lost & all the plugins and other things I purchased as additions, also all lost. :death: So other than preserving the posts, which will happen no matter the choice, the rest will be from scratch.

The upgrade is always scary when it's larger levels as you don't want hiccups. Of course why backups are important! :thumb: Plus, we may not be the busiest, but are well into 900,000 posts that need to be moved. Most is in the SQL database, which of course gets converted in the process. :( Whichever choice and platform, should put us back into another place where we'll be good to go with both services of php and sql for some time to come.

I'll try to make it smooth, and that usability isn't a whole lot different than now. Perhaps a few things in different places & maybe some even better new options. :dunno:

And Fwiw - While vBulletin is still a leader and a force - the closest rival and some say even better is Xenforo. And that company was spurred by angry developers from vbulletin! So the folks writing the software should have a familiar feel behind things.

[SassyLady]

All up to us in how long - unless my host should eliminate earlier versions of PHP & MYSql, earlier than thought.

Just a matter of coming to a decision, forking up the pennies, the hard part in the upgrade process, then a LOT of work afterwards. Even if we were to stay with VB, all the work done over the years is lost & all the plugins and other things I purchased as additions, also all lost. :death: So other than preserving the posts, which will happen no matter the choice, the rest will be from scratch.

The upgrade is always scary when it's larger levels as you don't want hiccups. Of course why backups are important! :thumb: Plus, we may not be the busiest, but are well into 900,000 posts that need to be moved. Most is in the SQL database, which of course gets converted in the process. :( Whichever choice and platform, should put us back into another place where we'll be good to go with both services of php and sql for some time to come.

I'll try to make it smooth, and that usability isn't a whole lot different than now. Perhaps a few things in different places & maybe some even better new options. :dunno:

And Fwiw - While vBulletin is still a leader and a force - the closest rival and some say even better is Xenforo. And that company was spurred by angry developers from vbulletin! So the folks writing the software should have a familiar feel behind things.

13094

[Bilgerat]

13094





Pretty much wraps it up for me too (lol)


https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRyuJdMvCPZZum5ETAIaLDVzx9wtmuVJ KJyZA&usqp=CAU

[hjmick]

Your old board is using XenForo.


Just an FYI, not a suggestion...

[jimnyc]

Your old board is using XenForo.


Just an FYI, not a suggestion...

Yeah, that was the first I think I saw it. But then after going to vB daily, I eventually saw that the developers, or some of them, had moved and started their own deal.

It is one of the most powerful & most supported. I think it's also how you set it up all the way around so that folks don't hate it & also the community involved so no surprises. :)

[Evmetro]

Your old board is using XenForo.


Just an FYI, not a suggestion...

One of the boards I hang out on uses that xenforo like his old board uses. I've never had any problems with it. The "us" one had some kind of problem where it quoted too many people in the conversation instead of just who you quote. The "pj" xenforo works better.

[jimnyc]

One of the boards I hang out on uses that xenforo like his old board uses. I've never had any problems with it. The "us" one had some kind of problem where it quoted too many people in the conversation instead of just who you quote. The "pj" xenforo works better.

When it comes to quoting and nesting of quotes - that's all setting that can be changed on the back end of both Xenforo and VB. I too have seen some setup where like 99 quotes can end up in a reply.

I like just plain quoting and multi-quoting myself. :)

[Abbey Marie]

Do whatever’s easiest and cheapest, Jim. You have my support whichever you choose.

[jimnyc]

Do whatever’s easiest and cheapest, Jim. You have my support whichever you choose.

Thus far, the more I am looking into it, the more I'm leaning towards Xenforo. I like them as a company, and I like their support group. I like their software and that's what matters.

Anyone wants to look at snippets of info, go here - https://xenforo.com/features/discussion/

And across the top navigation bar, you can click the areas like (content, discovery, moderation, users...). Can also click on "Solutions" at the very top for more info. Or click on "Community" up there to go to their own forums. which is a wealth of information for those who run things.

[Evmetro]

Thus far, the more I am looking into it, the more I'm leaning towards Xenforo. I like them as a company, and I like their support group. I like their software and that's what matters.

Anyone wants to look at snippets of info, go here - https://xenforo.com/features/discussion/

And across the top navigation bar, you can click the areas like (content, discovery, moderation, users...). Can also click on "Solutions" at the very top for more info. Or click on "Community" up there to go to their own forums. which is a wealth of information for those who run things.

I like the xenforo more than v. The mobile features of xenforo are pretty nice, and I usually hate most mobile versions of any site. Its the only one where I don't toggle desktop mode.

[jimnyc]

I like the xenforo more than v. The mobile features of xenforo are pretty nice, and I usually hate most mobile versions of any site. Its the only one where I don't toggle desktop mode.

More options to get various mobile versions made down the road too! Can easily get some default tools or pay $$$ and get one made just for here. Another reason I like the Xenforo.