Hostbill new versions and question on the plugins

[darvil]

Hi, I've had the old hostbill version 2012 version.  I have been thinking of using some of the modules listed but members here have mentioned that the plugins don't get the new updated features anymore.  I wanted to double check on that so since I've had an old version of HB, I downloaded Version: 22-03-2014 which had a new feature added to powerDNS (PowerDNS: Added support for PostgreSQL backend http://hostbillapp.com/features/apps/powerdns.html ) Previously I had an older version installed (Version: 01-03-2014) and I see that it only had mysql connection available in the plugin.  After I upgraded it, I notice that now there is a postgres feature to it  now.

I wanted to compare notes with others if some other plugins such as onapp, openstack, cloudstack is the same way as well?  It looks like the downloads are still containing the updated versions of plugins (as far as the small experiment went).

[Enterprisevpssolutions]

If it was in the old license then you should still receive updates. If they are new modules you won't get them unless you buy them. That is how I believe the upgrades work.

[nibb]

Users probably refer to this:
http://extras.hostbillapp.com/information-about-pricemodules-changes-in-4-6-0-release-for-current-customers/

Where it says:
Q: Will I get new HostBill features/improvements/bug fixes?

A: Yes. All free core features, improvements and bug fixes are released weekly, as before.

But I have bad news for you. This does not seem to be true anymore. He is making old users pay for core features now or re-buy modules they had already in order to gain the new features with the excuse this where new things you had not in your license.

He also closed the bug tracking module which was the only possible and human way to report bugs and track them for solution or conflicts with other bugs, so if he is making old users re-buy things they had already before the whole module thing, what in the world makes someone think he will not re-charge new modules again. Most rats jumped the ship already, not sure how long its going to last until the old users jump as well once they see the ship sinking.

[darvil]

Hi Nibb,

Thanks for your post.

Is there a list of core features he's making people pay for now?  I ask because as I mentioned, the new feature for powerdns was still included which was released a month ago.  Which specific ones is he forcing people to pay now for new features?

[nibb]

He merged some modules or decided they don´t have sense as a module or plugin, I assume because nobody would pay for them. 

Example, the time tracking feature was released last year.

https://hostbillapp.com/changelog/

Look at 29-11-2013

But then he realized the ticket or helpdesk module (which never ever was a module by the way) lacked some features, so he decided to include the time tracking features into the helpdesk/ticket module.

Which honestly makes sense. But old license users don´t have this, they need to buy this module even when they already have them (you have the helpdesk module included in your install), but have an old version. So this seems like you are not getting new features as it was posted initially. If you have the helpdesk module/plugin but its lacking some features which are now included for new buyers, it means you are not getting new features anymore with your license. Maybe you can check since im not sure about this either, but old license users don´t have all the features anymore.

I don´t think some modules work anymore as they are not updated in over 2 years or more. But its best to check if this is correct or not, look at some features advertised in the hostbill website and I don´t think old license users have them all. So you are just using an outdated software, it seems to me that is a way to make them buy old modules again by merging some plugins and then updating the changelog like he did there and puts:
Requires support tickets plugin

What is funny is that I would had actually paid for that, the priority plugin which he sells extra is less worth and is not included in the helpdesk by default that thing does barely nothing except assign a user to a user group but in my tests it does not work very well and I could not see value in it.

When I contacted HB, he replied I had to buy the helpdesk module which is 199$, when I pointed the news where it said old users would still get users in modules they previously had, he closed the ticket and as you know you cannot open tickets in hostbill so that was there way to tell me "bug off"

Which I don´t think is a nice way to handle customer care. In particular because I could refer him 100 customers or more since I know allot of people in the hosting industry. I also reported some bugs before but the bug tracker is now gone and since the whole is so closed I cannot even fix something as basic as a word which is wrong, something which is 1 minute of edit, but you can´t as everything is encoded. And now you cannot report the bugs anymore.

I have started to consider building my own system now, since I can say that Hostbill software is very nice but its to risky to start a company with someone that does not care about its customers at all and considers them annoying or avoids any contact with them at all. I don´t need all the features and I surely will miss allot of them but I prefer to have a very, very simple system than something complex that can stop working tomorrow.

I would go with Blesta but its to simple for my needs. But since I was planning on coding my own stuff, even when I´m not a developer something like this is not rocket science and eventually in years I would have something at least basic. Maybe I can just take Blesta and my features over it since its seems that code is very open and modular. But more important for me than any software is the person that is behind. And so far Hostbill does not care about anyone of us it seems. 

[darvil]

Thanks nibb for the detailed reply.

I'm interested in the cloudstack/openstack plugins.  I don't know any other software that connects to these types of systems.  Any recommendations?  If they're the only one that does them then I am kinda stuck at this point.  Worst case senario, the plugins have to be purchased.

[nibb]

Thanks nibb for the detailed reply.

I'm interested in the cloudstack/openstack plugins.  I don't know any other software that connects to these types of systems.  Any recommendations?  If they're the only one that does them then I am kinda stuck at this point.  Worst case senario, the plugins have to be purchased.

WHMCS has openstack and the same people offering that module I´m sure they are going to code cloudstack for you on request since they seem to code or develop anything you ask them or want and with decent quality. I think its a question of time but Cloudstack will be for WHMCS eventually as its very popular. Nothing stops you from integrating it either with hooks and the API.

Here is the info:
http://www.modulesgarden.com/products/whmcs/openstack_vps/features

Something basic for Cloudstack is also available it seems:
http://www.getcloudservices.com/hosting-providers/cloudstack-whmcs-module.html
Not that great it seems but it will allow you to get started.

As far as I see WHMCS is not anymore the basic billing systems only for shared hosting, it has allot of modules now, including very robust modules, but best, you are going to find gazillions developers that can work around it, so if something does not exist today, you can code it or have someone code it for you.