HostBill's Commitment To Clients

[Lawrence]

This is not a HostBill is Great announcement, but rather just pointing out that HostBill will continue to respect and honor all former agreements in regards to receiving updates and security patches to the modules / themes we have. The statement is made here,
- http://extras.hostbillapp.com/information-about-pricemodules-changes-in-4-6-0-release-for-current-customers/

HostBill states,

Dear customers

We're quite aware that our recent changes in billing model/platform may have caused unintended confusion
– we're here to straighten it up.

In short, we will receive updates, but no new features.

The only concern I think is whether or not we're entitled to new features for previous modules such as the Live Chat module. I think...

• We should be entitled to all updates for modules like the Live Chat module.
• The only modules we are not entitled updates to are entirely new modules.

So to sum it up, I suppose unless there's an entirely new Chat / VIES plugin, we should still have access to updates since the proposed contractual agreement was Lifetime Updates for many of our licenses.

Comments? Opinions?

[iso99]

Though this is good news for us, HostBill has now become officially an unstable enterprise. We may never know what will come and happen in the future, but seeing that they have put a premium price to almost all built-in features that are included in the previous versions, I don't know if other people will still be interested buying their product and whether this new business model can still sustain their business. And the financial status of their business will affect each one of us in the long-run. This is really an unfortunate event.

[tallship]

I do believe that anytime the software (which includes everything that was included prior to 4.6.0) is updated, we're entitled to all of those updates (including additional functionality in those modules) - applies to people who purchased Hostbill on or prior to the release of 4.6.0 on 24 May 2013.

I understand that we may not be entitled to new modules, themes, etc, but I personally plan to seek third parties for such functionality (If I keep using HostBill) - even where this involves replacing currently included features, because I can trust third party developers where I can't trust kbkp.

Here's a screenie of the announcement above, with the first comment made to that blog comment. In that comment I point out that users prior to I believe either 4.5.4 or 4.5.6 are actually entitled to the vmware 5 module as well (Let's just forget at the moment that there still isn't any confirmation from anyone reporting that it actually works yet, and isn't broken anymore).




This does appear to be a step in the right direction, however, on the part of kbkp. Let's hope they continue to honor their obligations.

Kindest regards,

[Lawrence]

I agree that we should have continuous updates for maintained modules as they were part of the software at the time of purchase prior to version 4.6.0.

[sth-chris]

Tallship - Looks like they decided NOT to include your reply to their post. Check their page again and it's not there.   

[Cloudrck]

I'll be happy if they fix bugs rather than implementing new "features".

[tallship]

Tallship - Looks like they decided NOT to include your reply to their post. Check their page again and it's not there.   

Yeah how about that, LOL. Aren't you glad we've got these forums here?

If it wasn't for HostBillForums.com they would be able to write their own history whatever way they chose to lie about it, without permanent public scrutiny.

I'll be happy if they fix bugs rather than implementing new "features".

It would be nice if they would actually fix the bugs too, instead of blatantly lying in the chaingelogs.

[Patrick]

If it wasn't for HostBillForums.com they would be able to write their own history whatever way they chose to lie about it, without permanent public scrutiny.

Abso-freakin-lutely!!

WHT mods close threads because they get 'bored' of seeing threads on a topic they deem "over discussed".  So opening a discussion over there = useless.  At least here there is so called public record.

[electric]

My license was purchased in 2011, and is supposed to include "lifetime updates".

So now this company has apparently changed their business model and they are splitting out a bunch of previously included features into completely separate modules... AND WE MUST NOW BUY THEM SEPERATELY?

That's ridiculous, and is beyond sneaky and dishonest.

You can't sell a lifetime license for software with features xy and z... and then split out feature z as a separate module and expect those license holders to buy it. Again.

Is this even legal?

I am so pissed off at this company that I don't even know what words to use. 

[Patrick]

My license was purchased in 2011, and is supposed to include "lifetime updates".

So now this company has apparently changed their business model and they are splitting out a bunch of previously included features into completely separate modules... AND WE MUST NOW BUY THEM SEPERATELY?

That's ridiculous, and is beyond sneaky and dishonest.

You can't sell a lifetime license for software with features xy and z... and then split out feature z as a separate module and expect those license holders to buy it. Again.

Is this even legal?

I am so pissed off at this company that I don't even know what words to use. 

According to their post, we'll still get "security fixes" for these items but no "new" features which is absolute bull.  Each customer prior to this change should have these modules and all order pages added to their accounts as already paid so we can ensure we receive updates for them.  That or hostbill works in a way now that these order pages are installed and apps etc, that we'll recieve them automatically including new features because hostbill thinks they are already installed so it'll continue to update.

Personally i don't know how exactly it'll work but it's rather odd over all

[electric]

According to their post, we'll still get "security fixes" for these items but no "new" features which is absolute bull.  Each customer prior to this change should have these modules and all order pages added to their accounts as already paid so we can ensure we receive updates for them.  That or hostbill works in a way now that these order pages are installed and apps etc, that we'll recieve them automatically including new features because hostbill thinks they are already installed so it'll continue to update.

Personally i don't know how exactly it'll work but it's rather odd over all

"Rather odd" is certainly understatement.  lol.   

I don't see how he can make this work unless he adds all these new modules to current customer's accounts.  Otherwise, how will he "check" to see if we are allowed to use one of these modules or not?  The only way he could do it is based on the license/order date that we have.  ie: Any license/order of hostbill that is older than when he started charging separately for "included" functionality will be allowed to use the "premium" module with no problem.

Kris seems smart enough to do that kind of setup... but really, the guy is such a fool for not communicating properly or effectively with his customers.  An absolute moron.  He could be the best programmer the world has ever known, but unless he learns even basic business sense, any serious company is just as stupid to rely their business on hostbill.

Pretty soon, I expect to see a new product like this:

HostBill Security
This module will protect your hostbill installation from security flaws such as sql injection and cross-site scripting.  Only $999!

Of course, existing customers will have a special reduced price of $995.

[Patrick]

I think it's our software that does the check... It's a simple php call like this in english terms.

Code Select Expand


If (module = installed) {
                    check_for_update
}


All updates on their side are uploaded anyway, and hostbill software itself is the one that does the checks itself.  I don't think they control that themselves.  I don't believe the software does something similar to this

Code Select Expand


if (module = installed && license = valid) {
           check_for_update
}


I'd guess they don't have a dedicated license for each orderpage, module, app.  So what i'm basically saying is that i believe we'll still receive the updates if they were previously installed as the software believes they've been paid for anyhow.

[Paul]

My license was purchased in 2011, and is supposed to include "lifetime updates".

So now this company has apparently changed their business model and they are splitting out a bunch of previously included features into completely separate modules... AND WE MUST NOW BUY THEM SEPERATELY?

That's ridiculous, and is beyond sneaky and dishonest.

You can't sell a lifetime license for software with features xy and z... and then split out feature z as a separate module and expect those license holders to buy it. Again.

Is this even legal?

I am so pissed off at this company that I don't even know what words to use. 

No, it is not legal. You purchased a license for these items. When a software company parts out or is acquired by another, license holders of the software maintain the license for all those features that they entered into contract for, regardless of where they are parted out. The same feature, but giving a different revision # (which is kbkp's new mdoel, call it V3 and make it paid!) is by all definitions an UPDATE. security "updates" are not updates, they are security "patches". If you bought updates for the software that includes live chat, VMWare, etc. etc. Then you are entitled to all updates to those components. By breaking it out, making it paid, and refusing all features, kbkp is stealing. He is stealing away what we have already paid for.

I paid for a year of updates with my software. If he wants to make new updates, but say they're a new version of the same thing, that is an update, I don't care if he puts it as a paid module, IT'S THE SAME MODULE, give me my goddamn updates for it and stop money-grabbing.

This is why I have not updated to 4.6.0. He has switched things to an App store type deal. If you go to that version, and don't have the "pay" versions of the modules, you'll never get those updates. Probably won't on any v4.5.x install either, but jesus christ. This guy is such a scumbag. I bought this software because it had nice order pages (which are now going to become pay versions), had VMWare compatibility (but not v5, so I provide a v5.1 environment to him, he releases a broken version, then makes it a paid version), and had live chat built-in (but now that's going to be a paid plug-in also). I pay an additional $10/month for live-chat with WHMCS, but that software is actually GOOD and has an android app.

This muffin is just like, your software will keep working, but you won't get any new things I release, a.k.a. UPDATES. I swear to god... I'm moving to Germany later this year... I'm going to pay this scumbag a visit so he can meet a customer face-to-face and own up to what he's doing. He's doing it from behind screens thinking "hey, screw the americans!" without repercussions. it needs to end. I am so pissed I got swindled out of hundreds of dollars by this sociopath.

[Lawrence]

Everyone, try downloading HostBill again and verify that the file size is larger than the previous one. You'll probably notice that all the modules / order pages are back in there.

[CBlade]

Everyone, try downloading HostBill again and verify that the file size is larger than the previous one. You'll probably notice that all the modules / order pages are back in there.

I wonder what this mean, some kind o mind games? I hope they stop this rampage madness...