For serious vB Developers-Investors

Hello to all,


As I'm quitting vB community I'm accepting quotes for selling the copyrights and source code for the following vB Major additions:

1. vbClubs
2. vbNews
3. vbArticles
4. vbPals
5. vbMates
6. vbFClassifieds
7. vbFEngine
8. Member Index
9. vbJournal
10. vbDigiShop
11. vbDonator
12. vbPhotoVote

There are also ready, blocks for use with vBa CMPS for:

1. vbNews
2. vbArticles
3. vbMates
4. vbDigiShop
5. vbPhotoVote

Please note that:

1. I'm selling the rights and code as long as they'll remain in status: vBulletin addons. I'm not selling the rights to use the PHP code as stand alone PHP scripts, something that I'm doing now quiting vB community.
2. I'll continue having the rights to use the code as stand alone PHP scripts.
3. Please note that since Sep 22th, 2007 all my source code has been copyrighted by United States Copyright Office.

For can email me any serious offer for seperate module(s) or for all as bundle at: maria@microhellas.com


Thank you
Maria

I don't want to rain on the parade, but why would anyone want to buy the source code for a script and have it limited in use by the person selling it?

You just posted: You can buy the rights to my scripts, but you can't turn them into anything more than what they already are because that is what I am doing.

Truth be told, I think someone would have to be downright confused in the head to go along with this plan. You keep the copyright but they get the scripts to fix/improve and you keep access to the code? You have got to be out of your mind!

Originally Posted by Rich

I don't want to rain on the parade, but why would anyone want to buy the source code for a script and have it limited in use by the person selling it?

You just posted: You can buy the rights to my scripts, but you can't turn them into anything more than what they already are because that is what I am doing.

Truth be told, I think someone would have to be downright confused in the head to go along with this plan. You keep the copyright but they get the scripts to fix/improve and you keep access to the code? You have got to be out of your mind!

Sorry, but English is not my native language, so I'm easily misunderstandable. So I'll try to be a bit more clear.

The reason for which my mods have great success in sales its that I didn't follow the way that other developers are doing. I never developed modules which are working like forums inside forums. I used my own function. Even for emailing I didn't used vbmail() function (something so easy to use) but I had my own ones.

What I used from vB are the standard for queries, usergroup permissions and vbstyle. Nothing more. That's why all my mods are working without any modification from version 3.5.x to 3.7

By doing this, the code is easily portable to work as stand alone PHP scripts, something which means a more wide market. Just to change query_read to mysql_query, use a template engine like smarty and the mods can work without vB.

So, the only that I prohibit is to use this code as stand alone script. I don't care if the potential buyer will use the functions to build other vBulletin modules. Just to work only inside the vB community.

And finally, as I know this restriction, I'm not expecting to sell them for a fortune. eg vbNews which has alone in less than a year 274 sales (around $10,000), I can accept to sell it in around $2,000. I'm not asking crazy prices, but I'm not selling them for some dollars.

Hope that now I'm more clear

Please note that since Sep 22th, 2007 all my source code has been copyrighted by United States Copyright Office.

YOU own the code. According to what you posted, you have it copywritten.

Unless you are willing to release the copyright, which means you lose any rights to the source, this is not a good deal for anyone.

If you are making as much money as you claim selling these products, wouldn't it be a better endeavor to hire someone to come over and handle the vBulletin aspect while you develop the standalone? This way you still receive a commission on those sales, retain full control over the source, and can continue to expand in your market.

Dropping the products completely, and losing that income completely isn't sound business tactic.

I have to call a spade a spade here. Something just isn't adding up with this offer.

As I stated, unless you are willing to drop the copyright, this is a very bad deal for anyone. They will never legally own these products. If they rewrote them from the ground up and copywrote their own code, then it would be legal. if they were going to do that however, it would be more feasible to just open a blank page and start coding.

If anyone looks into this deal, and she states the copywrite has been dropped, i suggest you confirm it with the U.S Copyright Office.

As the deal currently stands, this is a bad endeavor for anyone interested.

Originally Posted by Rich

This way you still receive a commission on those sales, .....

Somehow this is what I'm doing but in a slight different way. Instead to get a monthly commission, I'm getting infront a fix amount of money.

As for your curiosly if I'm getting such money, this is something that is easily proven with the monthly sales reports from PayPal and 2CO. And to correct my mistake before (I've calculated the sales of vbNews in rush), it's actually $16,532 and not $10,000. Just from vbNews.

Hello Maria,

This forum is for selling vBulletin-powered forums.

Is there a forum for sale?

Originally Posted by Ace Shattock

Hello Maria,

This forum is for selling vBulletin-powered forums.

Is there a forum for sale?

You're right and sorry for it. Yes, the full site/forums is including (MadeByMary: Building Communities).

I apologize for it and if I'm still out of topic you can remove my post.

Maria

Why would you give up $16,000 in annual earnings from one product just to take $2,000 up front? That doesn't make sense from a practical standpoint.

The biggest issue though has nothing to do with the money. It has to do with the copyright. You said you have copywritten the code. That means YOU own it! If I decided to buy your scripts, will you be signing the copyright over to me? Unless you sign that copyright over to the new owner, YOU will continue to own that code. They aren't paying for the scripts, they are paying you to sell them. The problem with that is you could come in at any point in time and stop them from selling them if you still hold the copyright.

It would be a legal mess, but on all technical aspects, it would be YOUR code and they would ultimately be screwed.

Unless you ammend to dropping the copyright and signing it over to the new buyer, I would have to say that everyone should avoid this deal like the plague.

Originally Posted by MicroHellas

You're right and sorry for it. Yes, the full site/forums is including (MadeByMary: Building Communities).

I apologize for it and if I'm still out of topic you can remove my post.

Maria

If the forum is for sale, and comes with the extras listed in the first post, I think that's okay.

Originally Posted by Rich

Why would you give up $16,000 in annual earnings from one product just to take $2,000 up front? That doesn't make sense from a practical standpoint.

My dear, what I've to say is that my country teached to world Phylosophy and yours Business, but seems that in this case we've exchange the roles.
I don't know how old are you, I'm 51 1/2 and due to my bad luck being in Business from my 15th of age which means 37 years now. I think that you must know that in Business everything is according to the amount of money. You're talking for copyrights and many other things forgetting, the fact: if someone will offer a small amount he'll get few things, someone with higher offer sure will get more, maybe the copyright too. And sorry for being so cynic to say that if someone offers more than I'm expecting, not only he'll take copyrights, but even my pants.
So, let the Phylosoply, and if you came here for real business, make an offer. Otherwise please don't waste my time and don't make this thread boring for the surfers.

Thank you
Maria

Mary, I am 31 and own my own business. That is what has drawn me into this thread and has prompted me to respond.

The way you are offering this script is not a sound business investment for people. I am simply trying to warn people who may not know better that this current package offer has some serious flaws, and potential legal standings that could become issues in the future.

You are retaining rights on the code with the stipulation that they can't expand the package to become a standalone script. You have the copyright on the code and never mentioned a price anywhere to have the copyright dropped or tranferred.

In all aspects, you are stating that you will continue to own this scripts code but wil allow someone to continue to develop them for vBulletin.

By retaining the code, you could easily decide in a year or 2, when the person scripts are doing very well and are established, that you wish to stop them from developing them further. In a court of law, it would become a legal mess for the purchaser if you have the code copywritten and they have agreed to allow you to continue developing them.

If you transfer the copyright, you need to understand that the purchaser will then be able to tell you to cease and decist all development of the code. That would then null your ideas to making them a standalone program.

You are calling my posts "boring". I am calling my posts "Buyer Beware".

There are ways to circumvent all of the issues above, but they will require further investment as an attorney would need to draw up some contracts as to how this deal would be executed. This would remove any possible litigation in the future.

If you are willing to drop the copyright for "x" amount of dollars, you need to offer the deal as it stands. Don't ask for a best offer with these limitations. Put it all on the table ans say "x" amount of dollars will get you this. For exclusive rights on the script, I require this amount.

You said you have had bad luck with business since the age of 15. If this offer is a reflection of your business ethic, I hate to say it, but I understand why you have had a few issues.

This is my last post on this subject. You need to get this offer organized and be more specific as to what the potential developer will actually get. As it currently stands, "Buyer Beware".

Good luck Mary.

The deal sounds to be like a "licensing agreement" with clearly defined market "exclusion" (i.e. vBulletin market only) and "exclusivity" (single licensee for vBulletin market).

That is, you get an indefinite and exclusive right to use and modify, for commercial purposes, the entire code base, when deployed for applications restricted for use with vBulletin.

Exclusivity is provided for the vBulletin market in that no others will be given the opportunity to use the code in that context.

Use in any non-vBulletin context is not permitted by the licensee.

Note: I have not investigated the offer as a business investment, make no assertions or endorsements regarding it. Pursue it at your own risk after performing your own due diligence.