If something is paid, it doesn't necessarily mean it is better. This is an easy math, folks - look at bog-board - list largest, most successful forum boards on the net. Biggest and best forums don't use vbulleting. Some do, but they are just ripping themselves off by using an extremely overpriced script that's not worth high price any way you look at it. Plus it's a continuous expense. You're never done paying with VB. It's the most overpriced, least bang for a buck script in existence. In addition, it's the least SEO friendly so if you bought VB license, let me just say this -->
I dont think people are ripping there self off ... If they are willing to pay and enjoy the script than why not? Vb i have noticed at this site is way more user friendly than any other forum script i have used I mod at iwebtool.com and seen the backend of the script and its very nice and easy to use
Opinion varies, I personally like phpBB3 but a lot swear by SMF and some go by MyBB. It all boils down to individual preferences, really hard to quantify which is the best of the lot.
I don't know where you came to that conclusion, but phpBB is an excellent board that is widely used, especially because of its huge skin database.
The old one is basically install and you can start using. Easy for user, but it is also too easy for hackers. The new one has much more features, more complicated and at least till now, far safer from hackers....
phpBB3 is so great ! specially after being considered from Joomla to be Joomla main forum after leaving smf. Security is no more a major issue with phpbb3 . I prefer phpbb over VB because i have a lot of forum ideas that i like to implement and i cannot afford lots of VB licenses for all of my ideas So i suit my case with phpbb as the best free forum option. 1 option is missed in phpbb which is WYSIWYG . There is one forum that i consider better from VB and phpbb .. it is a chinese forum i forgot its name .. i will try to remember it and get back here..