I can't believe you split the software into 100 pieces at a minimum of £10 a piece by the time you add them all up, it will be £300, why would anyone pay for your software while he can get a free software elsewhere?

This is ridiculous, don't call it open source please

Because it is not.

There are far better packages out there for FREE meaning they don't cost a penny.

I've brought this letter from the miniBB's Contacts page box, and it was actually received 3 days ago. Unfortunately, recently I don't have enough of time to share it to the wasteful emails, but this email seemed specifically interesting to me.

Of course, the person getting such kind of letter, would receive a negative emotion at first. The last sentence says it all: if somebody comes to you and says there are far more better something that you have or offer, you'd feel shamed and angry.

But let's take closer to the analysis of this letter. You will see how an non-meaningful or meaningful information could manipulate your emotions.

The message starts with the "I can't believe" phrase, which clearly proposes miniBB as an unbelievable product. So far so good for me: nothing to feel but a proud that you created something which people can't believe in.

But further, it all goes sad way. Adam obviously messes up something in his perception of zeroes, and the view of the Universe.

miniBB is a standalone product and is not split into pieces. Paid plug-ins may add some extra functionality to the software, but it also freely works without them, like on our default forums. It's a standard approach used by many other programs, which add new functionality to the "demo" version as soon as you purchase the software key.

Even if we consider that the software is split into pieces, even if we call this "a piece" - it's false that there are 100 pieces. There are currently only about 30 pieces, from which only 10 are paid (20 i.e. 2/3 are free), and these 10, in total, do not exceed $150. They actually don't exceed the price of the software which works for few years. You also never asked to buy all pieces at once, like in any other software. You can make it as cheap as possible for yourself, making the choice of payment.

I would ask Adam: hey man, where did you get these numbers? We write one thing, you perceive another thing - didn't you think there is something inevitably wrong with your perception then?

The next sentence is ridiculous. Why would anyone pay for your software while he can get a free software elsewhere? - oh well, I would rephrase the question: When would anyone pay for your software...? - and the answer is obvious: after getting, after using of the free software.

The good thing can't come for free. This is just everything you should keep in mind regarding things. There's another thing, if you can't allow the good thing, that's why you're using the free thing. Or if you are too greedy and angry yourself. But that doesn't mean free is better than non-free in any meaning. We live in the world of choices, and everybody makes his own choice. Someone would like to pay for quality. Someone just wouldn't like to pay. Those who pay know what they pay for. It seems, you are just not from this crowd. Nothing to add - stay where you are. How miniBB would be involved in that?

miniBB is purely open source. Accordingly to Wikipedia, "The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials". All miniBB codes, even the Premium add-ons, all are open source. Nothing decoded or ciphered. Everything is opened to your editing and watching.

Here Adam has the contradiction with himself. He obviously just don't know what the term "open source" means.

Ok... now let's go more deeply into the most dangerous last sentence. This phrase is actually a never ending cycle of proofs, because it has no proofs. What is better and what is worst? How to compare them? What kind of packages Alex is about? The phrase means nothing.

Resume: this letter may come from the non-educated person, who is weak in maths, visual perception and terms. It's hard to tell what this message means, because it consists of the non-meaningful and false phrases. And if so, it can't affect the emotional side of the reader.

It only made me smile :) We can't rich the Absolute, we only can drink it. That's what I thought reading it.

I can say that MiniBB is coming into a big and powerful Community!
When something grows up and becomes famous, of course some people get jealous about it, but if something is small so nobody knows or even care about it!

MiniBB is a simple and fast forum, I think The "add-on" (plug-ins) made it more powerful and professional forum!
Here you are Paul, Congratulate to you and MiniBB software!

Why do some pay for Internet access when others sponge off the free connectivity offered by Starbucks?
Who knows ... and who cares?

Sweet! Please do tell us what they are.

The default classic miniBB is free of charge; tech support for miniBB is free--within reason; and here is the bonus: Paul's often humorous random thoughts come absolutely free! ;-)

Keep smiling -
mb

Mr Adam,
I just happened to read your post, and I think you are wrong. I just integrated minibb it into my existing website, and every thing worked spot on... the docs too were to the point. I think Paul and team have done a marvellous job with this product, and am sure there are plenty more like me who really appreciate the effort. It is opensource, and if you have the knack for it, go write some code to suit yourself.
Paul, am really sorry to see that you need to read post like adam's..

It takes energy to be angry. Some people have nothing better to do with their energy, and for some reason frothing at the mouth tastes good to them.
I started to make a website for my upcoming wedding, and looked for a free BB to have as something "a little extra" for the attendees. I am extremely pleased with miniBB, and because of its versatility, have actually ended up integrating my stuff into it instead of vice-versa. I have had to do a lot of customization, and it has taken me time, but in the end it has made the entire site a lot better.
Kudos to Paul and Team, chins up old boys.

Thanks!
It's very pleasing to receive feedback like this :)

Thank you Paul&Co for a good forum software ... actually the best one for me(us).

I think it's over 10 years now I've been using miniBB. And it's still as small and beautiful all programs should be!

Last week I decided to go for your forum software once again. After a look in Secunia it seems to be a security risk to select something else.

The only bad thing I can say about your excellent open source is that it's too easy to change. Now I'm in a situation where the upgrades feel quite heavy. Should have left the source as it was. But that's not your fault.

So, being a programmer for over 30 years, I have to admit that I could not make miniBB better than it already was.

Thank you Adam giving me the opportunity to not agree with you.

Thank you. Good to know there are still left thinking persons on this planet :)

Wow. An awful lot of energy spent on someone would could have simply been ill informed from the start. Effective support typically includes further probing to make sure you understand the issue. There was no probing here, only hasty rants and stroking of egos. Sad.

Paul, you could have cut your initial reply down by 50% or more and still have provided useful information to the OP. I came into this post in hopes of learning something about miniBB, perhaps how the term "open source" applies to the project, as I did not previously know. Instead, I learned how quick you are to judge, and all to willing to ridicule folks in your quest to be funny for the crowd. Again, sad.

Thanks for the enlightenment.

It's not the support thread. On my forum, I also can allow threads which are not about support, can't I? My reply is not about support as well. The person actually didn't ask for any support. So I just didn't provide what is not asked. Also I'm not sure what did you you mean using this sentence. Do you mean with that, miniBB is not effectively supported?

Yes! The thread is about that. It's a philosophy. It's not sad, it's funny. Sad you don't have such sense of humor to interpret it differently.

Who are you to tell me what I should do and what I should not? At least you know my name, so I should know yours to answer this question more correctly. But I may ask another question in advance - who is OP? Do you think that using abbreviation of two letters you've made your thought more clear?

I suppose, you still don't know what the term open source is about. So I think, to make yourself looking damn good in my eyes, go and study this term first. Then download miniBB and study if it's open source or not. Then buy the cheapest add-on and study if it's not the open source. Then tell me your decision on that.

Until that, it really seems you didn't come to the proper thread. More definitely, it seems you judge me on things you don't even understand.

You are welcome... but I'm not sure you have become enlightened enough because of that. It's obvious you didn't even want to become enlightened. So there is actually no enlightenment. Sorry.