My vBulletin license expires in one month. It's an "owned" license, so I could, in theory, continue running this site on this version of vB forever.

"forever", however, is a relative term, as eventually some massive security hole will be discovered and the site will get hacked and all your precious posts will disappear into the void only to be replaced with links to viagra and other pharmaceuticals.

So, I have a choice. I can drop $200 on vB 4.0, which will turn the forum into this: http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/

Basically, after giving them $250 last year, they want another $200 from me to buy vb 4.0. I can't just continue to get upgrades for 3.8, because they're greedy, money hungry assholes. I have to buy the new version in order to keep CD 'secure'. And then I'd have to upgrade to vB 4.0 because they're not going to release any more 3.8 updates anymore.

The other options I have:

1. convert to phpBB or simplemachines forum. Both are free, but both are kind of obnoxious to use. I don't know any forum that's successful that uses either.

2. Move to Invisionboard. It will cost me $150 and $50 a year thereafter. The forum would then look like this: http://community.invisionpower.com/ The company is less money hungry apparently, and has a licensing structure similar to what vBulletin had.

3. the aforementioned "let the site run until it explodes".


So, help me out here, CD. I'd love everyone's input. If you have other ideas, great.

I'd also appreciate it if the thread could remain somewhat constructive. I know we love our shitposting but really this is sort of serious business.