Why is Invision so popular?

[Trix.Neo]

Hi Just wondered why this board is so much more active than the phpBB2 forum, is it a lot better or is because you get more bugs :D ?

nEO

[Japlabot]

IPB is a better software product, but a lot of their sales came to be because IPS(The company) released version 2 betas for free claiming that IPB will always be free, and then when it became final, they made it into a pay product and anyone that wanted to keep their board but didn't want to buy it was left with a buggy board with security holes that wouldn't be fixed unless they bought the final version of 2.0.

IPB is a great product, but don't trust IPS.

[Trix.Neo]

I see cunning blighters!

Thanks for the warning!

[Tomi]

IPB is a better software product, but a lot of their sales came to be because IPS(The company) released version 2 betas for free claiming that IPB will always be free, and then when it became final, they made it into a pay product and anyone that wanted to keep their board but didn't want to buy it was left with a buggy board with security holes that wouldn't be fixed unless they bought the final version of 2.0.

IPB is a great product, but don't trust IPS.

Oh wow, just because they lied about that you're going to say don't trust them. The final version was available for about a day or so, before they switched. If you were in Matt's, Charles' and Lindy's shoes, you'd probably do the same thing. You'd go for the money to still provide that quality product, because how exactly are you going to pay all of those technicians working in your company office? Unlike most forums like Invisionize, IPS staff that work in the office aren't volunteers, they're actual paid employees.

And no, I'm not defending them just because I'm a customer. It's because I hate seeing people like you saying that because as a company/business, they had to do that. They couldn't go on for free much longer without the quality dropping. I don't see anyone bull****ting as much about vB because they're paid. Never trust what a company says fully, especially if it's "we'll stay free forever" or whatever. phpBB isn't a company, it's just a group of volunteers; not paid. IPS are paid employees - see the difference?

[Joel]

Oh wow, just because they lied about that you're going to say don't trust them. The final version was available for about a day or so, before they switched. If you were in Matt's, Charles' and Lindy's shoes, you'd probably do the same thing. You'd go for the money to still provide that quality product, because how exactly are you going to pay all of those technicians working in your company office? Unlike most forums like Invisionize, IPS staff that work in the office aren't volunteers, they're actual paid employees.

And no, I'm not defending them just because I'm a customer. It's because I hate seeing people like you saying that because as a company/business, they had to do that. They couldn't go on for free much longer without the quality dropping. I don't see anyone bull****ting as much about vB because they're paid. Never trust what a company says fully, especially if it's "we'll stay free forever" or whatever. phpBB isn't a company, it's just a group of volunteers; not paid. IPS are paid employees - see the difference?

It was a cheap move, you have to admit that. What's done is done, but that was done badly.

And from what I read on the IPS boards, only 2 or 3 people actually code the thing (and 1 of those 20 or 3 is new). So the rest of the staff deal with what? It sure doesn't sound like IPB fills their days.

[Coolme]

^ wow, only 2 or 3 people? That's kinda of amazing considering how good IPB is. Personally, I think IPB is easier on the eyes, and more user-friendly than the other boards.

[Pajter]

Just look at it. It's very well coded, very user-friendly, good looking, and has more than enough functions.

[conma2cang]

i like invision :)

[Miuku.]

1. Build a relatively good product or at least equal to competition.

2. Release it for free.

3. Wait until it has gathered enough people so it becomes 'critical' to them.

4. Go fully commercial, drop all support for existing 'customers' and leave them hanging unless they pay you cashola!

5. ...

6. PROFIT!

But that's not priceless, priceless is having fanboiz roam forums defending their actions for you! :yes:

[Trix.Neo]

Im kinda wishing I hadn't asked :blink:

I onyl asked bcos I posted in the phpBB forum on here and the board looks a bit dead, any of you guys know phpBB well enough to make new templates as I need some guidance ;)

Neo

[Stokkolm]

Im kinda wishing I hadn't asked :blink:

I onyl asked bcos I posted in the phpBB forum on here and the board looks a bit dead, any of you guys know phpBB well enough to make new templates as I need some guidance ;)

Neo

As far as all time biggest boards go phpBB has some much bigger ones than IPB. Go to www.big-boards.com and see for yourself. IPB is better because it has a dedicated staff to work on it. phpBB only has volunteers who work on it when they feel like it (which isn't very much IMO). I used to be a big fan of phpBB but after posting on their development board they've turned me off. The devs are quite rude and to be frank, it shouldn't take 5 years to release a new version...volunteer or not.

[CaptainSlow]

As far as all time biggest boards go phpBB has some much bigger ones than IPB. Go to www.big-boards.com and see for yourself. IPB is better because it has a dedicated staff to work on it. phpBB only has volunteers who work on it when they feel like it (which isn't very much IMO). I used to be a big fan of phpBB but after posting on their development board they've turned me off. The devs are quite rude and to be frank, it shouldn't take 5 years to release a new version...volunteer or not.

I have to agree with you there. The amount of time it has taken the phpBB devs to bring a Beta of Olympus out is unbelievable. In the end I chose Invision Power Board for overall security and ease of use.

[Matrix XII]

IPB Just looks better, it feels more professional, that's the quick answer. lol

[acido00]

FREE vs. COST

[Trix.Neo]

Well im make a shopping system on my own with the intention of releasing a new version every 3 months or so.....

http://www.shop-trix.co.uk/

[Blainex]

But it an all this IPB and PHPBB how can you guys leave out SMF i agree IPB was a good board seeing i used to use it but SMF is'nt all that bad either VBulletin is slowly fading out of existence phpbb it starting to suck i say the top 2 boards now are SMF and IPB:)

[Japlabot]

Oh wow, just because they lied about that you're going to say don't trust them. The final version was available for about a day or so, before they switched. If you were in Matt's, Charles' and Lindy's shoes, you'd probably do the same thing. You'd go for the money to still provide that quality product, because how exactly are you going to pay all of those technicians working in your company office? Unlike most forums like Invisionize, IPS staff that work in the office aren't volunteers, they're actual paid employees.

And no, I'm not defending them just because I'm a customer. It's because I hate seeing people like you saying that because as a company/business, they had to do that. They couldn't go on for free much longer without the quality dropping. I don't see anyone bull****ting as much about vB because they're paid. Never trust what a company says fully, especially if it's "we'll stay free forever" or whatever. phpBB isn't a company, it's just a group of volunteers; not paid. IPS are paid employees - see the difference?

I'm not faulting their product. IPB is really good software. But it's the fact that the company were stringing users along right thoughout the version 2.0 beta and those few days which version 2.0 final was free, that 2.0 was going to always remain free. Right until the very end. I can understand wanted to release a pay product to be a business, but it' the way that they did it was deceptive. Those that didn't download 2.0 final in the first day or so were left high and dry because distributing 2.0 final from somewhere other than IPS was illegal. And even if you got 2.0 final for free, you wouldn't be able to get security updates for that.

In addition to that, they made a complete cover up of what they did by deleting posts and threads on their forums that made a mention of what they did, deleted posts that quoted that "IPB will always be free" from the past (posts dating back before they were even considering making it pay only), and BANNED PAYING CUSTOMERS that questioned it. That's right! BANNED CUSTOMERS that PAID for the privlege to be a member on their board. Highly illegal because they had their licenses revoked without violating any license agreements, and were asking questions on the forums that they paid to be on, which they are quite entitled to do.

Also IPS were chums with the Neowin staff at the time. IPS has previously been a Neowin sponsor to provide the Neowin servers at a time when Neowin were on the brink of shutting down for good (Neowin's previous hosting was too expensive for the Neowin admins to afford. In fact, IPS' sponsorship was the reason why Neowin converted from vB to IPB at the start of their sponsorship). IPS were a great company when they were generous enough to sponsor such a large hosting requirements. Because Neowin had a this good rapport with IPS (even though they were no longer sponsors at the time), the Neowin staff did a moderate amount of censorship on the issue themselves (Not nearly to the extent of IPS, no bans, just forbidding any new topics on the issue).

I don't know if this is still true or not, but IPS even built a backdoor in version 2 so that they could remotely access(and then disable or deface) boards that were not legally licensed. They could check the license keys remotely by adding ?ipscheck=1 to the end of the index.php.

To answer your statement, they could of announced that they were going to make it pay-only before they did it so users had a chance to understand that "IPB will always be free" is not true and whether they want to purchase it or not. I'm not comparing it to vB, I don't know about vB's business practices but in any case I wasn't recommending/comparing vB. I was making a statement about IPS on their own merits. And yes I would agree that phpBB is an inferior product, but that wasn't the point. As lazy as phpBB are, at least they arn't going to screw you.

In short, I'ld say that IPS is definately NOT a company to be trusted, and not the kind of people I would want to ever give my money to.

Edited April 6, 2006 by Quick Reply

[Super8 and Tab]

IPB Just looks better, it feels more professional, that's the quick answer. lol

+ i find it more convenient, i am used to it as most of my fav. forum all use IPB.

and phpBB sucks.

[AionXn_]

lots of mods/skins you can install too :yes:

[Wheazel]

Someone told me Invision is faster then phpBB, can handle more users with same resources.

Anyone has some feedback on this?

[Trix.Neo]

Shhh dont ask I managed to get them argueing when all I want is some phpBB2 help :cry:

[Tomi]

It was a cheap move, you have to admit that. What's done is done, but that was done badly.

And from what I read on the IPS boards, only 2 or 3 people actually code the thing (and 1 of those 20 or 3 is new). So the rest of the staff deal with what? It sure doesn't sound like IPB fills their days.

Yeah, I will admit that it was done badly.

Matt and Brandon code the boards, yes. But the rest of them are there to support the hundreds (I'd imagine) users in need of support. And there are other devs that work on other projects, may I note.

[primexx]

I'm not faulting their product. IPB is really good software. But it's the fact that the company were stringing users along right thoughout the version 2.0 beta and those few days which version 2.0 final was free, that 2.0 was going to always remain free. Right until the very end. I can understand wanted to release a pay product to be a business, but it' the way that they did it was deceptive. Those that didn't download 2.0 final in the first day or so were left high and dry because distributing 2.0 final from somewhere other than IPS was illegal. And even if you got 2.0 final for free, you wouldn't be able to get security updates for that.

In addition to that, they made a complete cover up of what they did by deleting posts and threads on their forums that made a mention of what they did, deleted posts that quoted that "IPB will always be free" from the past (posts dating back before they were even considering making it pay only), and BANNED PAYING CUSTOMERS that questioned it. That's right! BANNED CUSTOMERS that PAID for the privlege to be a member on their board. Highly illegal because they had their licenses revoked without violating any license agreements, and were asking questions on the forums that they paid to be on, which they are quite entitled to do.

Also IPS were chums with the Neowin staff at the time. IPS has previously been a Neowin sponsor to provide the Neowin servers at a time when Neowin were on the brink of shutting down for good (Neowin's previous hosting was too expensive for the Neowin admins to afford. In fact, IPS' sponsorship was the reason why Neowin converted from vB to IPB at the start of their sponsorship). IPS were a great company when they were generous enough to sponsor such a large hosting requirements. Because Neowin had a this good rapport with IPS (even though they were no longer sponsors at the time), the Neowin staff did a moderate amount of censorship on the issue themselves (Not nearly to the extent of IPS, no bans, just forbidding any new topics on the issue).

I don't know if this is still true or not, but IPS even built a backdoor in version 2 so that they could remotely access(and then disable or deface) boards that were not legally licensed. They could check the license keys remotely by adding ?ipscheck=1 to the end of the index.php.

To answer your statement, they could of announced that they were going to make it pay-only before they did it so users had a chance to understand that "IPB will always be free" is not true and whether they want to purchase it or not. I'm not comparing it to vB, I don't know about vB's business practices but in any case I wasn't recommending/comparing vB. I was making a statement about IPS on their own merits. And yes I would agree that phpBB is an inferior product, but that wasn't the point. As lazy as phpBB are, at least they arn't going to screw you.

In short, I'ld say that IPS is definately NOT a company to be trusted, and not the kind of people I would want to ever give my money to.

I was actually taking you seriously untill I got to the part about the backdoor and ipscheck=1...

Now I laugh at that post.

[SadJoker]

IPS screwed me over. Basically, I had an account and logged in one day and couldn't get in. E-mailed and talked to IPS reps and they just ran me around in circles never doing anything productive. Eventually gave up.

However, I must say phpBB is vastly inferior to IPB. As a piece of software, I love IPB, but I don't trust IPS.

[Japlabot]

I was actually taking you seriously untill I got to the part about the backdoor and ipscheck=1...

Now I laugh at that post.

No, it's true. Go to any version 2.0.x IPB site and type index.php?ipscheck=1 to the end of the address and you will get their license key.

eg: http://www.getpaidforum.com/forums/index.php?ipscheck=1

[Trix.Neo]

I have to admit I thought you were a bit off the mark with that part of your comment but I will give credit where credit is due... I wouldn't have thought they would do that but they apparently did :o

Interesting idea....