ubuntu is a free/open source soft, why not the board is one of the open source also??

[Gandalf]

Hello,
i was just wondering about this, ubuntu is a free/open source project, why the board is a paid one?? vbulletin cost a lot and it's not actually the best board, personnaly i tried phpBB (sucks) vbulletin( sucks, the smile don't even work here ) invision board (good enough) SMF (the best),
i don't know but i've found SMF being one of the best board soft running world wide, it has automated everything, stable, fast and secured, check i on http://www.simplemachines.org
my forum is on http://www.siemens-mobiles.org/forum/index.php (or just http://www.siemens-mobiles.org to see the mambo-smf integration)

hope to get some comments about this subject, just want to know why vbulletin board is used and not SMF for example

[kassetra]

hope to get some comments about this subject, just want to know why vbulletin board is used and not SMF for example

Well, vbulletin is what the administrator chose. What I believe is that vbulletin had all of the features that the administrator wanted and he was also comfortable with setting it up and using it.

It's his personal preference - and since it doesn't affect the users greatly, I feel that it's also his choice.

[Gandalf]

Well, vbulletin is what the administrator chose. What I believe is that vbulletin had all of the features that the administrator wanted and he was also comfortable with setting it up and using it.

It's his personal preference - and since it doesn't affect the users greatly, I feel that it's also his choice.

yes indeed i know that, just asking (if you want the administrator about that ) because it's a bit strange you know

[kassetra]

yes indeed i know that, just asking (if you want the administrator about that ) because it's a bit strange you know

Hmmm. I'm not sure I find it strange, actually. I don't see why if Ubuntu is free as in cost that the forums should be free as in cost as well.

[az]

I had asked the same question. It would look better to run a server with ubuntu and host the forums with a bb package that were actually a part of the dirstribution.

But the fact that it would make a great impression is not really important. The proof is that there is a great portion of the Ubuntu community around this website.

It's like political correctness. Does it matter than the stamps used to mail out the ShipIt cds are not made from recycled paper?

[HungSquirrel]

I think the site originally used phpBB. Unfortunately, commercial solutions such as vBulletin and IPB seem to have better features and security reputations than their free counterparts.

[kassetra]

I think the site originally used phpBB. Unfortunately, commercial solutions such as vBulletin and IPB seem to have better features and security reputations than their free counterparts.

Hmmm, I don't think this site ever did, actually... and it really comes down less to better features and security - and more to what exactly the administrator was looking for, or as close to exact as possible.

In this case, I believe vbulletin had close to exactly what he wanted.

[TravisNewman]

Hmmm, I don't think this site ever did, actually... and it really comes down less to better features and security - and more to what exactly the administrator was looking for, or as close to exact as possible.

In this case, I believe vbulletin had close to exactly what he wanted.

It did use phpBB for a while, yes. When I came aboard (early-mid october) they had just switched to vbulletin.

[Gandalf]

I think the site originally used phpBB. Unfortunately, commercial solutions such as vBulletin and IPB seem to have better features and security reputations than their free counterparts.

who said that???
well SMF is open source, vbulletin is closed source
linux is open source, windows is closed source

just by this two lines you should know what i mean now

[TravisNewman]

I think everyone knows what you mean. It's not a difficult concept. The forums are running a close source forum package, and Ubuntu is open-source, and some people think that's a conflict of interest.

However, using your same point in comparing two things that are open/closed source:

The Linux Kernel is open source, BitKeeper, the program that Linus Torvalds uses to organize the kernel source, is closed-source.

There are places for both open and closed source software, and there's no reason that the two can't cooperate and interact. If you can't find something to fit your needs that is open source, and don't know how or don't have enough time to program your own, then closed source, proprietary software is sometimes what you choose to do, unless you want to sit and twiddle your thumbs waiting for someone to come up with an open source solution.