vBGallery to Photopost Import

[StuartDH]

As the original vBGallery (vbadvanced Gallery) to Photopost import no longer works with vBGallery, are there any plans to bring out a new version so that customers can move from vBGallery to Photopost.

Reading through lots of posts I don't think I'm the only one that feels as though vBGallery is being left behind with slow progress in developments, and so I think it's going to be either a move to Photopost 6 or move to a gallery made by the competition.

Will there be a new import script, or should we be looking at moving to Coppermine, Menalto etc instead.

Stuart

[Chuck S]

Import scripts are made to import from competitive products to our product. Hense the importers we have are from competitive products. vbadvanced vbgallery was a competitive gallery hense there is an import script for that. There are no plans for us to release a script to go from one product to another. The present script though for you to alter the few queries to update those table names for vbgallery.

Why would we release an import script to go to another product we also manufacture? You are entitled to your opinions on vbgallery. However all facts speak to the contrary. We have released many versions updates and also added many new features and it has not been even 2 years yet. We added vbulletin 3.5 and 3.6 support with 4 revisions for 3.6 alone in like a year. I do not know how much you remember about the script back then but what we recieved was riddled with bugs that had not been fixed so we spent like the first 6 months just ironing out old bugs.

[StuartDH]

Originally Posted by Chuck S

Why would we release an import script to go to another product we also manufacture?

Because surely if customers aren't happy with the way vBGallery is going or they just want to run their gallery with features that vBGallery doesn't offer (like nice urls), their only other option is to go elsewhere and you lose customers?

Originally Posted by Chuck S

You are entitled to your opinions on vbgallery. However all facts speak to the contrary. We have released many versions updates and also added many new features and it has not been even 2 years yet. We added vbulletin 3.5 and 3.6 support with 4 revisions for 3.6 alone in like a year. I do not know how much you remember about the script back then but what we recieved was riddled with bugs that had not been fixed so we spent like the first 6 months just ironing out old bugs.

Fair enough, we'll just have to agree to disagree. I'm looking at it from a customer's perspective as someone who's been using both products for several years. Ironing out the bugs is great, upgrades for 3.5 and 3.6 support is essential, but I can't help thinking that feature development has slowed massively, and it's unlikely that it'll catch up with Photopost or competitor products anytime soon.

Originally Posted by Chuck S

The present script though for you to alter the few queries to update those table names for vbgallery.

Sounds easy enough (although I wouldn't know how to do it), but if it's that easy, why not simply offer it as a supported script?

Stuart

[Chuck S]

Yes we shall disagree on that point Lots of new features have been added it is not the same product we got 20months ago.

As far as the importer thats a possibility but thats not my call as to whether we will decide to release something like that.

[StuartDH]

Originally Posted by Chuck S

As far as the importer thats a possibility but thats not my call as to whether we will decide to release something like that.

At the risk of sounding a bit harsh, that's probably put the nail in the coffin as I've read the same barrier to change in many posts on these forums...look at how long it's taken to put a simple link on the buying page for vBGallery.

It makes perfect business sense to do it (unless there's a strategic management decision that's being kept under wraps), it's seems to be a very simple thing to do, it would get the support of lots of customers and yet for both the vBGallery buying link and now probably the import script we'll wait years for it to happen.

I don't know how you put up with the flack all day Chuck. Who ever is pulling the strings should really start to delegate and trust you guys with the power of autonomy you deserve. I rarely come on these boards as it seems to be loaded with frustrated customers and I can't help thinking that you devs get a raw deal.

[Chuck S]

Welcome to corporate America. I work here and get paid to provide product support and other specific things like develop Reviewpost and Classifieds. That leaves very little time for anything else. Michael or I are employees thats it. Developers have no say in when a product is added to a store or what direction it takes etc when sites here are updated etc. Here is the cold hard truth. Sure we take flack and I think it a bit offending that this continues to this very day almost 2 years later because vbGallery isnt at others expectations.

When we aquired the application in 2005 we made two promises. One is we would support the customers and two we would continue development. We promised nothing else. Legally our company could have thrown the application on a shelf and does not have to support the application in anyway. We have honored both promises without fail and vbGallery has had numerous improvements and features added customers wanted.