When we relaunched MyBB under the GNU GPL license (open source), we did so to help out the open source community and to hopefully see something new and original. We also did so as we believed we’d receive some valuable contributions back to the MyBB community. We didn’t release MyBB under the GNU GPL so people would take MyBB, and turn it in to cheap clone of a competitors product. Whilst there’s technically nothing wrong or illegal doing so, it’s disappointing to see.
LiteSoft are developing LiteBulletin, a direct clone of the vBulletin user interface plastered directly on top of MyBB with the addition of vBulletin’s recently developed social networking features (social profiles, comments, etc). Of course, LiteSoft did this and at the same time vBulletin caught up with them as (I’ve heard) they were using actual images from vBulletin itself. They’ve now changed the infringing material.
I just thought I’d also take a look at the LiteSoft website to see what they’re up to with their project, and not surprisingly they’ve also essentially taken the layout of the vBulletin website! Do they not have the ability to come up with a design and content themselves? Even the spacing is essentially pixel for pixel! (You’ll notice their screenshot too contains the infringed theme images)
Don’t even get me started on the favourite icon…
The reason why this is particularly annoying to myself (and no doubt some of the MyBB team) is that this isn’t going to help the “MyBB is a vBulletin clone” comments that come past every so often. Whilst LiteBulletin is it’s own separate product, it’s based directly of MyBB and MyBB is mentioned in both the source code and on the footer of the forums.
The LiteBulletin Features page too, seems to bare quite a few similarities in layout to the vBulletin Features page whilst the content bares quite a few similarities to the MyBB Features page. (Whilst MyBB is GNU GPL software, our website and the content of our website is NOT)
If imitation is indeed considered a sincere form of flattery, vBulletin must be pretty happy right now.
If you’re thinking of forking MyBB, then please, I urge you to not be like LiteBulletin – instead develop something new and unique. Improve upon what everyone’s expectations of discussion software is.
Comments
rh1n0 (December 6th, 2008, 11:52 pm)
Good rant. I’ve been keeping an eye on progress too.
How unfortunate.
Pachel (December 15th, 2008, 12:50 am)
Well this is not fully true the code is not stolen and no wonder he hates you you just find all reason to crack somebody off.
Vbulletin has accepted litebulletin and does not complain about it they even wished them luck on it so this is the best bullshit ever.
Kioshi (December 15th, 2008, 1:46 am)
First of all, hello world. It’s me, the developer of LiteBulletin.
I have to clearify a few things which I cannot let standing alone here withour any proof.
“The LiteBulletin Features page too, seems to bare quite a few similarities in layout to the vBulletin Features page whilst the content bares quite a few similarities to the MyBB Features page. (Whilst MyBB is GNU GPL software, our website and the content of our website is NOT)”
The information for the features page was taken of Wikipedia, nothing else.
“If imitation is indeed considered a sincere form of flattery, vBulletin must be pretty happy right now.”
vBulletin is not happy but they are also not angry. They just wanted to know if we are going to release it with their theme (as you know Chris, we had the original vB style up in the past).
The favicon was made even before MyBB was open source and before we planned to make a vB clone.
To your 2nd blog entry about us. It was indeed a coincidence because we decided that quite a while ago:
23rd November, 2008, 03:29 PM
“Guys I need your opinions.
As you know, we want to get rid of the vB thing as much as possible and would like to start with that as soon as possible. That will include template changes and so on. The first version will run with those vB-ish templates but any upcoming new releases (LiteBulletin 1.2) will be with totally new templates. [...]”
That announcement has been made to announce the release date but I though I put in some news about LiteBulletin so everyone knows what to expect of future releases.
So I wrote the rest to you in the PM I dropped you.
Regards,
Kioshi