[dndog]

Adding a monetary aspect to this site would ruin its origins and flavor...capitalism is the true killer of open source and the wonderfulness of the community we have here at vBulletin.org.

One of the main reasons I chose vBulletin over any of the competition was the fact that it had one of the most supportive and helpful hacking communities. By installing many free hacks and experiencing my own stumbles along the way, I've learned a lot about php, all due to this community.

As soon as a paid hacks section is added, people will release hacks for the wrong reasons. Hack-making is NOT that profitable of an enterprise (as many have first gone commercial, then end up releasing their hack free at vB.org), and I think we at vBulletin.org should keep it this way, promoting open source and doing things for the good of everyone. If vBulletin.org fosters/supports the idea that hack making could be profitable, if vBulletin.org allows a large member base to see these paid hacks and increase the sales of them, and if vBulletin.org makes no real reason for its members to release hacks for free, we will end up with only a selection of free hacks that are small modifications, and large hacks (vBadvanced, v3arcade) as commercial only.

Is this good for everyone, or only for those few who make these hacks?

[Justice]

And I feel like everyone's forgetting the big picture. These hacks benefit Jelsoft the most, because many of the major vbulletin updates contain features inspired from hacks. So let me get this straight... I have an innovative idea for my forum, pay a programmer some ridiculous amount of money to get an exclusive, fancy hack, and then vBulletin later adds this feature to their software for everyone else for free? That's counter-productive for the webmasters paying for hacks, only benefiting the coders and Jelsoft. Why can't we just keep the current system, but employ a stronger donation system. We keep things open source and communal, and the coders get some financial compensation for their efforts, and Jelsoft gets a stronger product. Win/win for everyone.

[vissa]

Here are some of my ramblings.

Originally I wondered why VB.org didn't list all the commercial hacks available. It would be nice to see them all in one place. I don't like having to scour the net to find them. HOWEVER, as I have come to use and love VB.org, I can say that I think it would detract from the quality and quantity of free mods for vbulletin. I own 3 licenses (soon to be 5) and I must say that if it wasn't for free mods here, I might be using some other product (free or commercial).

If there are to be commercial listings (which I think is very likely): I would say that the charge for inclusion should be on the high side. This would hopefully prevent the tiny mods/hacks from trying to go commercial. Also, you would be providing them with quite a good source of advertising and it shouldn't come cheap. The ones who are currently making good money in the addon business can surely afford it. That is the main purpose of this discussion - to include the commercial mods.. I don't think it should be to encourage existing free mods to go commercial.

My biggest worry is that developers of existing mods will change over to commercial once a new version of VB comes out and leave their existing users with the option of removing their mod or paying a fee to continue using it. Although I personally have funds to support this, I would be very upset if I saw this happen to a lot of mods. I've already seen it happen so some here. There should be some mechanism to prevent this from happening (or at least put some restrictions on it). Also, there needs to be a mechanism to prevent users from taking a buggy mod and charging for the then fixed mod (as I've also seen attempted).

Finally, I think it is ESSENTIAL that some part of the site be devoted to discussion of commercial mods. It doesn't have to be within the directory itself, but I think it's important that we be able to rate and comment on commercial mods just as we can the free ones. There should be no "free ride" for the commercial mods vs the free ones.

-vissa

[Jagged Tooth]

I'm happy for vBorg to show commercial hacks as long as they are shown in a different forum to all the awsome free ones .

[theodonnells]

Bad Idea! People want everything for free!And they will usually find it.So whats to stop another site popping up with the same hacks for free, who's going to check for copyright, whats to stop unscrupulous coders selling other peoples code!
Wait a minute if i could learn coding!!!!!!
Yes its a great idea im all for it...
Im off to learn to code and will release some really bad hacks very soon.

[waza]

I think it's a bad Id because a lot of free hacks will get paid hacks as soon as this comes here.
It will kinda ruin the free sections, I guess.

However it's nice if we should have a place where all paid hacks are together and you don't have to search for hacks.

[tormodg]

I support the idea of making vbulletin.org primarily a website for discussion of free plugins while opening up for paid sponsorship (ie, the directory). Making money off vBulletin hacks isn't an Evil Thing and it is good to see that it can be treated seriously.

I applaud this proposal and am in favor of it.

[VodkaFish]

I'm all for a commercial directory. I don't wish to get into some philosophical pissing match with some here, so I'm just posting my support for the idea.

[MThornback]

I think that allowing people that have the skill to produce something that people want to buy the ability to market it here is a good idea. I also agree that it shouldn't be allowed to rule the site, because this is an excellent resource for people like me who know enough to change, but not make it ourselves...even if we try

My only suggestion is that maybe those who wish to market their hacks, be required to create 1 free hack for every 5 or so paid ones they make? In order to keep the site true to its original intentions and keep us one big happy family

[Techguy1]

I speak as a user of the site, rather than a contributor. Most of the changes I have made are very specific to our site, but I have used quite a few hacks from here.

I think while a good idea generally, and perhaps helpful to people with bigger hacks, however I believe it will have a negative effect on this community and as many people pointed it out may cause its ultimate demise.

[djjeffa]

Well Ill keep this short
The up side I think there would be alote of great advance hacks
The down side we might have to pay for some of the simple hacks as well.

Now dont get me wrong. I think its great of all the coders that have done free hacks.
If hacks are only costing like $5 then I would have no problem paying for them but when they start geting around $25 up I probly wouldent want to pay that much and Im sure smaller non profite sites would agree as well.

[Mythotical]

I highly don't agree with the directory being fee based as that would defeat the purpose of the topic being brought up. I have disagreed with this from the beginning but things have changed my mind and now I agree with it, but not the fee based part. It should be kept free as the rest of the site is free to use, why charge those of us who have released hacks and style for free a fee to post up our links in a directory where someone can buy a style that we made to sale?

Either way if it goes, it goes, if it doesn't then it doesn't, but I just want to state that charging a fee to have your link in there is ridiculous, its beyond that really. Now if the fee was say a few dollars a month then that would be fine but I have this odd feeling that its gonna cost $10+ to have your link in the directory.

My 2 cents
Myth

[MRGTB]

I thought the same thing as Paul when I read this. Sorry, I've nothing against good coders making a buck for there work. But the whole way this as been designed and thought out to make cash for vb and the staff, while at the same time done quite clever to shun all liability in doing so. Doesn't sit well with me. It just sounds as though you want to make money of the backs of others and carry no responsiblity at the same time.

Sorry, but that my view.

[mclark2112]

My first reaction is, I like it, I have always known there is a world of paid for hacks and styles out there, but have never been able to find them. On the other hand, by making it easier for people to find paid hacks, it will encourage more to go that route....

I still say go for it.

[Vizionz]

its a bad idea for sure. you give the hackers there own section where they make profit there is no way there gonna conti9nue to work on free hacks. why would u chooce to do something free when the time you spent on a hack can now be offered here and people will be forced to buy it if they want it. so look for this site to slowly die and users start switching to other forum software where they can get free hacks and a free community.

I do understand big hacks like galleries Download databases Role playing games. Journal systems having a charge but i cant see paying for little hacks like colored user names or welcome panels