First of all, I know it all will sound really mad. But the facts can't lie.

Two days ago miniBB was removed from Wikipedia. The reason of deletion is: Seemingly non-notable software. No coverage in reliable independent sources that I can see.



Who does see that way? Who knows. The person named "FASTILY". Two days ago the same process was initiated by the person named "Mailer Diablo". Actually we don't know those persons real names. We don't know their faces. We know nothing about them. The #1 source of information on Earth with the big intention to trust it, appearing first in any search results, is ruled by the unknown anonymous source.

Calling the branding software, which is the only forum software so far under a registered trademark, which is developed during almost 10 years, and which is used on thousands, if not millions, websites around, non-notable???

Obviously, these persons haven't tried any search engine, including worlds favorite Google, to check references. Obviously, with this step Wikipedia confirms its unreliable status as an information resource. Obviously, we don't need any references from such website anymore.

Another assumption of why miniBB can't be found in Google, is that Google intentionally lowers our websites ranks. It counts only about 500,000 of references of miniBB keyword, at the time their closest competitor, Yahoo, shows about 3,660,000 results. If you search for "miniBB" in Google, you will find reference to the original www.minibb.com only on the 6th or 7th results page.

Why is this happening? Google doesn't like free mind theories like this. Also their service is regulated by those who pays them.

Software giants do not need a stable program which just works. They are developing bugs and mistakes in their software all the time, because the main goal of programmers and their bosses is money and not an idea. Nobody is interested to install the program and run it for years with no changes. And especially now, when we released the Compiler, and miniBB made a step to something big and seriously stable, it is obvious, that we are going more and more under attack of competitors.

Sooner or later, when you search Google, you will find pre-paid results even if they won't be announced that way. Sooner or later, Google will owe your life. Use their browser, and you will be monitored in terms websites you watch and time you spend on them. Use their Adsense, and you will be monitored on how much money you earn. When you drive in a car which uses GPS navigator connected to Google maps, your speed and destination are monitored. Whatever you use from Google, you are monitored.

And if you are monitored, you can be programmed.

We've been requesting reconsideration in Google for our domain few times, with no result or response. Obviously, now is the time to fight more windmills. This project was a Don Quixote initially. Now I must say, we don't have to care about big daddies anymore.

Like any other inventors in the human race history, it appears that we must share the same fortune. The fortune of not being known because not having enough of funds to wash brains.

Now we all can conclude that Internet becomes the most untrusted source of information the human race ever had.

For little projects like miniBB, which are really related to the exchanging free information with no control, it is very difficult to survive in this giant can of trash, if you are trying to be honest and accurate, not a selfish little king of your own room.

The most important question is that there is no sense to survive in it. When you sit hours without movement and stare in the same letters on the monitor, this process obviously starts washing your brain. You are being programmed. Just now. Even if the only you read is this..

For many months I was personally rethinking my future, and unfortunately, I am supposed to conclude that I have related too much time to computers and I am not able to re-learn in any other area, even if I would try to. I am already a slave of information technology, which will eat or kill me, sooner or later. All I can do, is nothing.

Most probably, it's the proper moment to ask our community, if our forum software project needs further development. I guess, Google, Facebook, Twitter and Wikipedia will make everybody happy in the closest ten years, at least. You don't need personal programs and personal forums anymore. Just join the big can of trash, and it will add colors to your life.

Do you agree?.. ;-)

Dear Paul, Wikipedia is a resource for slackers! Wikipedia is full of inaccuracies. I'm not surprised. :-D

I believe the times when people wake up are sooner than later. I don't use facebook, twitter and other 'buzz' stuff and now when I even read about these names I only assure myself I will not be using all this meaningless crap for the masses. You're right that big forum software 'developers' actually CREATE bugs so that they could be paid to 'fix' them and users dependent on them.

Before I chose a forum software (a few years ago) I did research and couldn't understand why so many 'webmasters' preferred the 'known brands' despite they are heavy, buggy, and hard to customize without core modifications, not SEO friendly etc. Instead, I was hooked with miniBB and could create a few completely different and successful forums like nothing else.

Several times I noticed other forums based on the 'mass software' have actually IMITATED and stole from miniBB. Other times I noticed some '$100 an hour' developers used miniBB MySQL engine as a backbone to their own 'custom' project (without any reference to miniBB, of course). I think these lazy and sleazy people pollute sites like Wikipedia and others so that they could parasite from the real developers like you.

But I see a positive change coming. All it takes to break the monopoly (especially search engines monopoly) and it goes in the right direction. I cannot imagine with time people will spend more time on facebook, twitter, and other boring monopolized stuff that has empty, censored, and recorded content and a nice package. Humans and the Internet are much more than that. These days who reads "New York Times" or "Wallstreet" only wastes time because it's a second-hand, old, and manipulated information. The real information can be found on forums and ... below the article as user comments.

Every year I notice people are more and more aware they are being watched, tracked, categorized, and packaged. There must be a break point that will make all people aware of what's going on with their information hosted by the 'nice guys.' On one of my miniBB forums when asked in a poll why they come back to the site, one of the first reasons was that it was like nothing else; several times people asked what forum software was used because they liked it. They also liked their privacy. That is one of the most important reasons this project should continue with twice the speed, despite the temporary 'problems' created by competitors and kool-aid drinkers. It's funny they couldn't find a fault in the scripts themselves (like security or similar), that tells a lot :) Not to mention the timing of their actions equals the time of releasing the Compiler that allows even a newbie to easily install all addons they want.

"Build and they will come" is a famous saying. I would change it slightly to "Build and they will be returning."

PS. This post about malicious actions of Wikipedia editors, even 3-year old, reveals a lot about their inner procedures: http://technoracle.blogspot.com/2007/08/has-wikipedia-been-hijacked_16.html

Thanks for sharing support for us, Tom.

The link you provided just showed me once again, that it's better to use censored information source. Wikipedia bots... they auto-deleted the page, probably due to lack of references. Hard to have references to a new concept. Exactly what we experience now (btw I visited this page today and already don't see references to those who deleted the article; most probably they have read our news now ;).

I'm still wondering what kind of references a "free encyclopedia" would need. References from its own pages? Most probably even 500,000 of mentionings in Google are not enough for it, and the record in USPTO is also not enough.

You are also right that we experience abnormally large amount of copyright removals from our software. Most probably it's a fortune. People don't understand that they are killing the project that way. Ok let's see what happens next... Like initially, we're still able to keep this project on the hobby position, because we're not tied up to it financially a lot.

Dear Paul. You have created a perfect piece of software and been improving it everyday. You are respected! MiniBB is the only forum software that I trusted 100%!

That's another very important aspect - FREEDOM. When you're tided up by different business deals or partnerships you pretty much give up your freedom for some more bucks. Now you can freely tell what you think and do what you want to do without worries.

I have a forum that I know would bring me some $ if I allowed some partnerships or 'serious' advertisers, but then I would have to keep the forum censored so that everything's nice and doesn't offend anybody. I got request 'Listen, we'd love to advertise on your site, but you'll need to make sure people don't talk about this or that, otherwise it may destroy our image.' For now I choose freedom, but who knows, I may sell my soul if I get lazy down the road ;).

MiniBB isn't the only software project affected:

http://mail.jabber.org/pipermail/jdev/2009-December/087962.html

Paul, you did a great job, if you are considered as an opponent it's already a victory.

I think you should start making more money on your software, there is nothing wrong with selling your software even for a small amount it will make a big change, more over if you are selling a great product.

Hi,

I'd like to let you know I'm with you. First you should not care that much about google, I know is more a principle but the fact is people who install minimbb doesn't relay on google and wiki.

I run your board since 2004 and I got it from a script link site. I did recommend it to other people looking for something light. So mouth to mouth and script links are more important in my opinion then google.

Thanks for your responses, guys. Now I see we're not alone in this information technology wars.

That really makes me calm, and I hope to work on another piece of miniBB perfection in the nearest future :-)

Keep Don Quixote! If anything, support firepower ;-) You make a good product!
Sorry for my bad English

Yeah, I gotta say, keep working on MiniBB. It's a beautiful forum.

It'd be great if there was a FluxBB -> MiniBB converter. If there was, I'd convert my forums in a heartbeat.

I think, authors of this software should not pay a big attention to Google and Wikipedia, and just search for the new markets. Google and Wikipedia have their own targeting audience. Most probably it's a pop audience. These companies are advertised in a big mass media, which stands for animals crowd. Mostly English-speaking btw.

What is the sense to propagate alternatives in a pop crowd? It is your fault. Propagate alternatives in the alternatives crowd.

As I understand correctly, miniBB was invented in 2001, when Wikipedia was not even planned, and Google only started its rotation. If you were strong enough to hold on the water all these years, that truly means you should not care.

Just make more of your promotions in Russia or China, for example. They are huge markets with a very big potential. Making international support available, you can open new horizons.

But of course, just keep this project. I run it on 2 of my websites for years now and I will be totally disappointed in Internet technologies, if you close it now. So far miniBB is the best for my requirements :-) Quick, light and bugs-free script. A miracle nowadays.

Thanks Follower,

we already thought about providing a Russian version and support for miniBB. May be it will come true soon :-) But definitely, we need to finish our English manual first, before any translation.

Yes, you're right about expanding markets! It's a formal business strategy.

Unfortunately, we don't know Chinese :-( else it would be a big advantage...

It's time to enter the Russian market. The truth will and frustration! Russian love all for free ;-) But, on the other hand will be many proposals and a lot of extras. This market is really big.