vBulletin.org Forum - Jelsoft Acquired

As posted on vbulletin.com today ;

Quote:

Dear vBulletin customers,

We are pleased to announce that Jelsoft Enterprises Limited has been acquired by Internet Brands, Inc., a leading provider of automotive, travel and home-related sites and communities.

As part of a larger organisation, with more than 500 employees, Jelsoft has access to additional resources, support and business expertise which will ensure that we can continue to grow and flourish. Products will continue to be actively developed and fully supported, and as time goes on you will begin to see noticeable changes and improvements that are made possible by being part of a larger organisation.

Internet Brands' intention is to focus on improving what we are doing at the moment, and that means significant investment in our software development, customer service and sales and marketing processes. Internet Brands is willing, able and ready to invest heavily in Jelsoft, not only to continue to offer the same great products to our existing market, but also to empower us to enter new markets and find new audiences for our products and services.

The day-to-day management of Jelsoft will continue largely unchanged. I will continue as Managing Director and CEO of Jelsoft, working alongside the executive team at Internet Brands. John Percival, co-founder of vBulletin, will be taking this opportunity to pursue other interests, and I’m sure you will join me in wishing him well and every success in the future.

I'm really excited about this news, and feel strongly that it was a great decision for the company and our customers. Jelsoft has achieved significant success over the last few years, and before we officially move into this new era, I'd like to offer my sincere thanks to all customers who have supported Jelsoft and vBulletin - It is your continuous support and loyalty that has enabled vBulletin to become a market leader in community solutions. Rest assured that, with the help and resources of Internet Brands, we will continue to work hard to produce products that are innovative, feature-rich and forward-looking.

Again, thank you.

All the best,

James Limm, and the Jelsoft team

This could be a good thing

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

As part of a larger organisation, with more than 500 employees, Jelsoft has access to additional resources, support and business expertise

I'm seeing price hikes in the near future.

Larger companies\corporations like to see LARGER profit margins and at the same time cut corners.

Exciting news .. this is a great day for the vBulletin community.

A large influx of money is always a good thing .. watch for some great things to happen.

really, i don't understand, the profile of the company is travel and cars :) ... but maybe a good thing.

Quote:

Internet Brands, Inc. Company Profile Internet Brands (formerly CarsDirect.com) takes shopping from research to retail with a few clicks of a mouse. The company helps customers research and purchase, online or at an actual location, big ticket items, such as cars, real estate, mortgages, and travel. Its sites include those for automobiles (CarsDirect.com, Autos.com), homes and mortgages (LoanApp.com), and vacation rental properties (Vamoose.com, VacationHomes.com). The company offers financing and mortgages through various banks. More than 3,000 local car dealers have joined its nationwide network and it has alliances with United Auto Group and Penske Automotive Group. Internet Brands, a part of e-commerce incubator idealab, was founded in 1998.

Contact Information
Address: 909 N. Sepulveda Blvd., 11th Fl.
El Segundo, CA 90245 Phone:310-280-4000Fax:310-280-4868
Financial Highlights
Fiscal Year End:December
Key People •Chairman: Howard L. Morgan •President, CEO, and Director: Robert N. (Bob) Brisco •COO: Christine Bucklin

all the best
beduino

thats as crazy as ebay buying stumbleupo.....wait...forget that :P

Hmmmm Let's see how things turn out. I really don't know what has been going on and don't certainly want to speculate, but I find it kind of odd that one of the co-founders of VBulletin decided to seek other "interests" right at the time when this acquisition takes place.

Oh well, I could just be trying to see beyond what is being portrayed to the public. Let's just hope things work out and we don't see a price hike in the near future.

wtf!!

That's all I have to say. :p

Death of another great product by the corporate engine of greed.

_V

Too early to tell, but will keep one eye open at all times. :)

Meh! I would of done the same thing. That is the point, is to make something so appealing that someone will buy it. It is not like it was a family business, that would be harder to let go.

I don't see why a price hike would come of this ?

Expanding!
/me watches jelsoft buildings go up

If they increase software price, then more people tend to be stand offish or seek other bulletin board scripts. I hope they do not dump simple addons on us, but it should make it easier for member(s) here to actually be part of Staff and on the other hand of that, you might not see any lite(free) addons if full is available for purchase.

This will be a good thing for talented coder(s) of other countries to get reconized, hopefully.

vBulletin Mods