From Infopop's newsletter:

We've begun working on a new message board product that will attempt to combine the strengths of both of our current downloadable message board products (UBB.classic and UBB.threads).

This new product, yet to be named, is being written in PHP and will run on a MySQL 4 database. It will replace both UBB.classic and UBB.threads and be Infopop's sole downloadable message board. UBB.classic and UBB.threads license-holders will be able to download the next generation product when it becomes available, so long as they have a current member area subscription for their product. We will also be ensuring that versions of UBB.classic and UBB.threads remain available in the member area well beyond the release date of the new product.

Finally, the new product is not simply an upgrade from UBB.classic and UBB.threads. This is an entirely new product and, as such, moving to it will require a data import from your existing message board. If you have a valid UBB.classic or UBB.threads license, however, you will not have to purchase a new license to use the new product!

Consolidating our development efforts on one downloadable message board should result in a better overall product, improved support, and faster development cycles. We'll release more details about the new product over the coming months, but the current projection is for a Spring 2005 release date.

To summarize:

-- The new product is being written in PHP, running on MySQL 4.

-- Your existing UBB.threads or UBB.classic license will apply to the new product.

-- New development on UBB.classic and UBB.threads will cease, with the exception of bug fixes.

-- Old versions of UBB.threads and UBB.classic will remain in the member area, even after the new product is released.

-- If you move from UBB.classic or UBB.threads to the new product, you will actually have to import your data to the new message board (it is not simply an upgrade). This means some settings/information from your current board may be lost (because not all of features/settings will be the same).

-- Release of the new product is not expected until Spring 2005.

So much for that "we'll be supporting UBB.classic for years to come". Might actually be a good thing, if they make the new product any good. UBB.classic's look and ease of use combined with a MySQL database. About time.

I just want to know if I'll be able to import my UBB.classic into it completely (polls 100% included). Otherwise it makes more sense to go with vB, I'm sure it'll be cheaper. Details, please, Charles! I want to know what will get imported, and what UBB.classic features we've grown used to, if any, will be lost.

P.S.
This product better look much better than UBB.threads, or you have little hope of getting any converts from us UBB.classic users.

So much for that "we'll be supporting UBB.classic for years to come".

We will. It'll still be in the Member Area, you can still get help for it. We won't be actively developing it, but you can sure get support for it.

As for the import process? We'll be more able to answer that when the importer has been started on. Right now we have nothing to import into.

Our goal, of course, is complete importation.

Some things won't come over in the same way, as the feature might be slightly different in the new product.

For example, it's likely that the new product will use topic-style private messages (like Classic), so for UBB.threads users, their standalone private messages will be imported into topics.

Other features might be removed or changed in some way as to make certain settings invalid (like the complexities involved in the Recent Visitors controls).

Porting the Classic model of private forum access - and password protected forums - is also going to be very interesting. We'll have to decide on either the express permission model or just shove everyone into a group upon import.

(I speak in generalities here not because I don't know what's going on, but because I don't want to give you guys information that may later become invalid.)

So is development of UBB.classic and threads officialy over now, and nothing new for these two will be released until the new product sees light of day?

Also, will this new product have a more competative price? Because php boards are a dime a dozen, most free even, and vB, the best one out there, is way, way cheaper than any UBB...

Development in terms of new features has stopped, yes. Any future releases will be for bugfixes only.

ok, so will I have to buy a new license to use this?

Oh, and will all the hacks I installed in my forum move over to the new version?

Ian, read the original announcement

If you have a valid UBB.classic or UBB.threads license, however, you will not have to purchase a new license to use the new product!

No, none of the hacks you have added to your perl based UBB.classic will carry over to your php based board.

Well, then again, anything you do wouldn't surprise me in the least, so I'll answer with "probably not easily"

Yey, now Ian has to learn more php :x...

Can't wait to play with the new code

oh yeah... if we get to vote for a new name, I vote for: ubb.über

mebbe: ubb.über v4.7

"Gizmo was here" sounds peachy... But then again just "UBB" works

I vote for "Ultimate Bulletin Board" or "UBB"

UBB.classicthreads
UBB.phpmysql
UBB.thefinalsolution
UBB.whodathunkit

First of all, I would like to say hi to everyone!

This is a step in the right direction for Infopop but I would like to list a few suggestions:

1. Coding:
The most critical shortcoming of UBB.classic is the code base. It is messy, cluttered and unorganized and although Charles did an excellent job refactoring and enhancing it, it still suffers from it's original code base.

I believe that the development team should spend a good time designing the software because the more you design now, the less you have to code later. Maybe something like MVC design pattern should help. There is no need to rush.

Also, some competitors fell into the trap of using OO syntax with function-oriented approach. So be aware

BTW, are you guys considering using PHP5 features?

2. Features:
Despite the fact that UBB.classic is outperformed in terms of features and performance by many competitors, it has features that non of them has: professional-looking interface, balanced feature set and an easy to use Admin CP. I believe that the new product should concentrate on having a good balance between features and usability.

3. Price:
As Gladius said, the price should be reconsidered as most competitors are cheaper than the current price points of UBB products.

Imaage ideas:

Note that none of these images are official, and are only my ideas of what Infopop should consider.

These image ideas are based on my former ideas for UBB.threads 7.0, but modified to keep UBB.classic users happy. Note that I also removed the subforums from my forum index idea.

• Next Generation UBB Main Index
• Next Generation UBB Forum Display
• Next Generation UBB Thread Display (flat view)
• Next Generation UBB Thread Display (threaded view)
• Next Generation UBB posting form
• Next Generation UBB search page
• Next Generation UBB User List main page
• Next Generation UBB User List
• Next Generation UBB My Home (profile area)
• Next Generation UBB My Home (private messages)

The price never really bothered me; I mean we're paying for the time and effort of the coding team to do what they do best; code. Granted it is a bit pricy they are quality products.

Pink Jazz, no offense but that's a little too "threadish" for my liking... The classic UI IMHO looks about 900% better than threads.

All I can say for "colors" in posts; I pray we have a way to disable it... Last thing i want is to visit my dark blue board and see a red post lol...

The search itself doesn't look half bad, but I keep staring at the menu system for threads; I never really liked it; classic does it fairly clean and one gets used to it; I hope that if they go to threads way of viewing things that we have an option to choose between them...

The userlist, not bad; however it looks like every-other "userlist" out there (look at PostNuke and PHPNuke for example.

I must say, I do like the My.UBB Home (I made a name! My.UBB! it'll never be used, but still )...

The new model isn't traditional MVC, but there is a clear line between the templates, the code, and the database bits.

The new codebase is mostly function-based rather than OO. OO isn't practical in PHP4. Which answers the next question.

I'll remain silent on the rest.

Wow, good to hear that

About OO in PHP4, I would have to agree but I've seen an open source application called Plog which incidently is a blogging application, it is bloody well written in a style similar to Java Struts and makes full use of OO programming.

Anyway, as long as there's a good sense of organization - whether OO or not - I'll be happy

Good luck

UBB.1337

Some of that stuff is pretty good, PinkJazz.