See, I used to have a phpBB and converted it to IPB about a year ago, because I "liked the IPB features". I've been an all out IPB supporter since the early versions of iKonboard, but now IPB have disbanded the community that helped Matt create the legend that he did.
I have been debating with the "new" management since six months ago, when I created a debate about whether disbanding the community is going to serve any good purpose. Well, I was restricted from posting any further.
Here's what I posted on my own forums:
I think I am going to have to go back to phpBB, even though IPB is currently much better software.
See, the thing is that IPB is been hijacked by a new money hungry management. No matter how much I try to tell them how their new plan is ruining the "legend" that Matt created, they wont listen.
I was banned from making posts at IPB six months ago, because of my "opinions" and "predictions". I predicted that the support for IPB would die out because of their new "policies".
My prediction was correct!
Now, over at IPB you are no longer allowed to discuss certain things unless you are a "paying member". The VERY LARGE (but now dying) community that helped IPB to become the legend that it became has been totally disbanded, lined up against the wall and almost literally SHOT!
See, this is not the end of IPB's problems. Now that they're TYRANICALLY commercial, it's almost impossible to find OS that you can use with the board. This makes it close to useless, regardless of HOW good the board or the code is.
I think I'll have to stick with OS all the way. Not because I wont pay, but because it's impossible to find supporting software for other software that NO ONE WANTS TO SUPPORT!
..especially when the "management" behind this software PREVENTS people from making "addons" freely available without CHARGING THEM! ..which is exactly what IPB is doing.
Isn't this totally senseless?
IPB has decided to fly solo.
Bye bye IPB
I really loved IPB. I was a dye hard supporter since the early versions of iKonboard. No one will change my mind.
IPB is dead.
MrLeN
I recently got fed up with trying to make posts on the board and management blocking me, so I sent an email telling them that they've created a thorn in their side.
..I got banned all together. So, after being "THE" man for promoting IPB and using their boards since day one (except for a few phpBB's I've had running), I'm now totally the opposite. I used to host iKonboards for free, for many people. I used to host IPB's. I am furious about their treatment of me, the attitude that has been directed towards me by management and the fact that they don't care about the GREAT community that's now all but dead and being blocked, banned and silenced.
So, now off I go to "convert" my IPB. The situation is WORSE than I thought! I've been hunting through threads and forums for an hour only to find that there's NO decent IPB 3.0 to phpBB converter, and if I convert my forums, everyone is going to lose their passwords.
Also, noticed that Fantastico doesn't support IPB anymore, further than that they specifically recommend that people choose another forum software!
During my searches, I have found that there are SO many people online that are as unhappy about this situation as I am. It's not because they had something free and now they have to pay. It's the fact that Matt specifically stated that IPB will always be free, and then they go "BANG" ..and slap everyone with a version that's not only free but can't be converted!
I am now TOTALLY anti-IPB and I've good a good mind to even create a whole website on the topic. IPB is a failure as a company, and an infection to the Internet. Now I've got to try and work out how to get out of this mess (as I am sure many thousands of others are doing)!
IPB are demanding MONEY from OS developers that have created plugins for the software, so no one can support IPB because no one can destribute any "freeware" without paying IPB money. If this isn't absolutely rediculous, then what is?
IPB is dead, and I'm personally going to help give that company it's last few kicks into the gutter where it belongs.
I feel sorry for Matt and the legendary community. But maybe I shouldn't feel sorry. Matt just sold his soul by his own free will. In a year from now, IPB will be a "memory".
MrLeN