Opinions on the blog (questionable?)
Hi all,
Sorry, i have to appeal recent blog posts on Vanillas Blog because the are far to easy to unmask. And more than a good selling position the could make people to go away from Vanilla. I think almost everyone who has come across the idea to run a forum or worked with one before will strife away because of those arguments against self-hosting.
http://vanillaforums.com/blog/philosophy/self-hosted-community-software-risk/
http://vanillaforums.com/blog/philosophy/why-you-should-choose-a-cloud-hosted-forum-solution/
I do understand that marketing has to be done in this or that way. But i'm pretty sure this is running the wrong direction when to appeal new users. Its more than that... it creates an aura of "deceiving somebody" by making them feel unsecure about the OS version (maybe it's again a North America versus Europe mindset, arguments like this wouldn't be possible in Europe). The setting of use of software does have such a great range it can surely not be caught by those arguments.
A "major company with thousands or millions of members" will be sure to have their IT guys in this, they run audits, secure servers and so on. More than that they should host themselves to secure user data on their end. Very often they are obligated by law to do so.
Sorry, i hope it's ok to express this feedback. But wouldn't it be better to make people use the OS version so they jump on the train later, when their communities rise instead putting the self-hosted idea as non professional, problematic and insecure?
From my opinion (but as said i'm not the one in charge of the business model) strengthening both appeals OS and Hosted would be much healthier for Vanilla.
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Comments
I am more put off by the memes and grammar errors than the message.
Seems pretty balanced compared to other marketing material.
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@hgtonight: Hehe, better graphics next to the articles would be nicer yes. I offer my help. I do not like to compare especially the things i love. Their are outstanding and i always want to follow them the best ethics possible. But it's just my idea and will stay.
I think this is focused on their business end and not on the open source. It makes sense to me and it does not put me off to the free version .
People have choices. The open source has it's disclaimers about it being offered as is without warranty and the end user is solely responsible for their utilization of the free software.
This means that if there is a problem you are on your own or get help from others like you in a community forum about the software. Anything free , means no dedicated support. No promises .
This does not mean that everyone who uses free software will be compromised with security issues etc. However for those who can't or do not know how to manage their software successfully , the best answer is the hosted solution.
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@phreak
every discussion you use the word strife or strifed. I don't understand.
a : bitter sometimes violent conflict or dissension . b : an act of contention : fight, struggle. 2. : exertion or contention for superiority. .
https://www.google.com/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=strife+definition&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
what are you trying to say "when you say strife?"
I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.
Streit=strife=controversy
I still do not see the controversy in all this. Seems reminiscent of throwing the baby out along with the bath water no?
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@thanks V
before will "controversy" away because of those arguments against self-hosting.
strifed = controversied.
I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.
People need to realize that there is a business side to Vanilla and that is much more important than the altruistic option since it is what pays the bills. We are only pilot fish on the shark .... Those who want more help or management etc. are better served by getting the hosted solution. If their forum is part of a business enterprise , they are better off getting the hosted solution .
If they are not capable coders and such, they are better off getting the hosted solution. It is a matter of need.
Most security issues and otherwise are caused by the users themselves. Because they did not back up or because they did not update. If people can't manage their software, they are better off getting the hosted solution.
There is no controversy when there are choices .
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I'm not sure why you re posting this on the Open Source forum.
It has nothing to do with our community.
I meant strife in the context of = move away, wander away.
@whu606: Because i think that empowering both streams would be much better for both versions. I just felt it was a little bit black and white arguing in the blog post to encourage the thought of using the hosted version. Thats ok but makes the OS part of Vanilla look a bit bad, but instead i think the OS version doesn't need to be put down. Its just a different concept, both marketed positive could be more fruitful. The audience they are targeting with "millions of users" are usually not blog readers and are adressed by the sales crew directly.
@vrijvlinder: I do not consider the work that you do for Vanilla as you "are only pilot fish on the shark". Frack the navy! The work, feedback and all the things you've done are uncountable hours... aren't you marketing the product itself extensivly and isn't this the value you have to the Vanilla team!
@phreak
I think if you say "move away", it is more understandable than strife.
My opinion, I know you have issues with things @phreak - but these would be more useful if sent to vanillaforums.com or the developers themselves than in this forum.
totally agree with you @whu606.
because we can't do anything about it anyway and it is directed at vanilla team. But to each his own.
personally - I think the blog articles are perfectly fine, and well written. It is just how I would expect an article to be written to persuade people to use "said product". Nice job @Adrian. You are doing what Marketers do, "express why to use your product". Don't take any umbrage here, or let the critics bother you. "I suggest you tell other people who want to market a product in a different way to create their own product and market as they like".
I'm having a sinking feeling on this thread
probably for the best 
I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.
Could you be referring to Wanderlust Syndrome ?
Well there is nothing anyone can do for that since that is a human condition.
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@Lincoln: You can set this to sink if you like. I understand it in this case.
@peregrine and @whu606:
Yep i agree and see it's not the best place here. But Feedback is this or that way a very good usually.
@vrijvlinder: Yeah, and in human history "Wanderlust" was especially popular within communities who felt limited.
@phreak, were you looking for the word strafe?
To everyone else, this seems fine for an off topic discussion. If any other company/blog would have written it, would it still be worthy of discussion? How would you react to it?
Not all criticism is bad.
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You misunderstand the motivation for the work, at least in my case, I do it for myself and hope others can also benefit . Pilot fish also have parasites and other tiny fish that hang around for bits. It is all part of the food chain . We as a community of users and developers do this for ourselves. If we had no personal interest in the code or it's purpose, we would not be part of it.
No, I am using Vanilla forums open source software to market my forums and content for free. I should pay them for letting me do it.
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true.
and I paraphrase the devil's horse comment used by phreak in the past
but that doesn't mean you need to ride the devils horse against every "member of the vanilla team" in here.
I think the problem is lack of categories on the forum.
The new category should be "If I created Vanilla and spent years developing it, this is how I would Market it, but since I don't should i really be telling people how to market their software repeatedly ad nauseum - narf - sputter".
I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.
I think @Adrian is doing a great job with the Corp. This is about business and it is not our business
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better yet. put some work into some themes and upload them in the add-on section, since we are talking about open-source software.
I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.
Hear hear!
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Uh, so many comments and hard critics against me. Polarizing phreak. I will check back tomorrow (bedtime) but want to close with some wise words of Richard Millington. See screenshot... Its a very good book by the way and i hope he isn't offended putting this page into this context here. This part is about community sense you Vanilla OS forum cracks, noobs and bastards (like me).
@hgtonight: Yep, this word. Learnt something tonight. Thanx.
I don't see anything harmful in that blog posting. They are offering their service and the arguments are valid.
I see the OS version of Vanilla as a sidekick of the commercial platform. They do not need it to make it OS but it might be of value for them because that way they get a lot of feedback and help without having to pay for it. We get a great software for free. I'm absolutely happy with that deal.
I think @vrijvlinder summed it up perfectly: it is not our business. The Vanilla team is giving away something for free and we have no justification to ask for more.
But that shouldn't keep us from demanding more from time to time ;-)