Deadline for upgrade

[strawberries90]

I've had a good think about this issue.

There has obviously been a breakdown in communication.

A customer can either use DSB or Etano.  His/her single license covers the use of one or other product (not both).

Etano has been a long long time in development.  And in being honest, there have been a few times where I have considered moving on, and trying some other script instead.  But it took a long time to develop because it is a very complex piece of code.  If you have a look in the backend/admin, for example, you'll see the vast numbers of decisions that Dan had to make/code in.  Maverick and myself also did a helluva lot of work since the summer, in beta testing the script.  As with any code, there were bugs that had to be discovered and fixed.  We also made loads of suggestions  (some of which have been implemented, some haven't).

Once I saw how good the new script was turning out, I bought a second license. 

But in all the waiting, across the past year or two, I had the time to think about my sites.  I considered loads of domain names, chatted to people, took lots of advice.....and had my domains and respective hosting waiting for the final release of etano.

I'm not clear as to what others having being doing in the interim i.e. during the long wait for etano's release.  Was there not some planning underway, during the long wait? 

At the end of the day, I think Dan has been more than fair to all of us.  The free offer is more than any other script maker typically makes to existing customers.  As Maverick says, you won't find Bill Gates offering XP customers a free Vista OS (not that any right-thinking person would want to have vista on their pc, but that's another story).

Dan has made a helluva commitment in the last couple of years to etano and it's development; and put  a lot of work into this.  At some point, he has to make a living from his work.  I think his offer is way way more than fair.  To be honest, if it were me, I wouldn't be making any offer at all.

[strawberries90]

I cannot build 2 sites in 60 days

Marcia, you've been a great contributor to this forum.....very helpful posts. 

But why do you want to build two entire websites in 60 days?  Do you have an existing dsb site at present that is full of customers?

If not, then why the worries?  Your only decisions are regarding what domain name/s to buy during the next 2 months.  Once you have a domain name, and a host, you install etano.  End of story.

[marcia]

Thanks strawberries90

I run 2 DSB sites.  Neither have 10000 members but they are close enough and generate enough income such that I will not be rushed because Etano needs free quick advertising.  There will be no new domain names.

I just need to come to terms with what is going to work best for the end users I have and me.

[maverick]

if I wanted to be part of free advertising.(which I don't because it's nobody's business which script I use)

Well on this part I definitely have to agree with you, I wasn't aware part of the deal for the free upgrade is your site was to be used to advertise as being an Etano based site. Although not sure how good my site will be for this purpose anyway as I have most of the world blocked from viewing my site outside of North America for security purposes (with some exceptions).

[strawberries90]

Thanks strawberries90

I run 2 DSB sites.  Neither have 10000 members but they are close enough and generate enough income such that I will not be rushed because Etano needs free quick advertising.  There will be no new domain names.

I just need to come to terms with what is going to work best for the end users I have and me.

I now see your problem, Marcia.   

Like Maverick, I hadn't been aware of the advertising aspect, linked to the time limited free upgrade offer.

If you aren't gonna be needing new domain names; then why not go ahead and install the etano script on your present server.  You don't need to go live with it.  And over the next few weeks, export your DSB members over to the newly set up mysql database for etano.  And you can then slowly rejig any graphics/theme on etano, before going live with it (and moving your old DSB frontend into the background).

If you want, I'll gladly help you re graphics, how etano works, tips, etc.  (no charge). 

If you are on skype or yahoo messenger, all the better.

[admin2]

In case you haven't noticed, in your datemill account you can set if you want to be featured in the gallery or not. Even this thing is optional so we're not forcing you anything. We will ask you nicely to help us by doing that but you're not required to, just as you're not required to keep a "Powered by Etano community builder" notice on your site.

Marcia, I kept my word: I did exactly as I said 2 years ago that I will do in the announcement you quoted. I offered you a free upgrade which will not last forever.

TraderJoe is right: there are customers who only bought DSB to upgrade to Etano so if they're not ready till March we'll only ask for the difference: $90 to replace their DSB site whenever they want and have Etano with full support. This probably includes you.

However, if you do want to keep your DSB site and have another site with Etano you have to pay for the full Etano license.
Obviously, there are discounts depending on how much you've purchased from us.

I'd hate to loose you but I've offered you an extended period, I've offered you the option to buy the support if you aren't able to upgrade till March and there's nothing more that I can offer. To have a DSB license and an Etano license while you paid only for one and make the switch whenever you want is not an option.

[TraderJoe]

Ok, so I write this big long post only to find out Dan has posted while i was writing. 

[Johnboy]

Well I cannot see any problem except  for the lack of communication about details, which seems to have caused some confusion for some members.

When you sit back and think about all the positives and the very few negatives, you have to admit we are ALL onto a great piece of software, at a more than reasonable price, with absolutely fantastic support from the makers of the script, and each other.

It has been a long wait, but we all have had some really decent software (DSB) to see us through, so what's the problem. Within the next 3 months or so addons etc should be available and we will all have cool new websites.

I know major software developers (eg Bill Gates) certainly would not be giving away a tenth of what Dan gives away. Dan and the team are really fair honest and reliable people, and I am sure if anyone has a problem, all they need to do is email them and ask. No need for bitching in the forums, but then again as long as it's not too bitchy, sometimes that can be a good thing.

I say lets be happy about what we do have,  and lets all have a prosperous fruitful new year.

[marcia]

In case you haven't noticed, in your datemill account

Datemill account???  I don't know what this is... but glad the advertising is not forced.

TraderJoe is right: there are customers who only bought DSB to upgrade to Etano so if they're not ready till March we'll only ask for the difference: $90 to replace their DSB site whenever they want and have Etano with full support. This probably includes you.

 

Ok Dan...To make sure I understand.  The TraderJoe Etano deal is $90 per license for current DSB owners taking longer than 2 months to upgrade; continued upgrades and support while we build; payable at the time we accept the license??? or temporary license??? or before the end of 60 days??? or when???

Dan I don't disagree that you kept your word.  You did.  My issue is the small print.  I had a D*tetopia and D*lphin moment (not meaning to curse you out here because I know those are fighting words  ).  I have always considered you and your group to be on a much higher ethical & professional plain.  You have compromised and with TraderJoe's suggestion come up with a 50/50 solution.  I am your advocate even when I am angry.  Prosperity is yours.  Happy New Year Folks!

[TraderJoe]

Marcia, if I am understanding Dan correctly, it looks like he just simplified the matter in a nice clean way, really.  This is my understanding of what Dan has just said:

1.  Those who are taking advantage of the 100% free upgrade to Etano can do so with the full support and access to future updates and fixes if they are ready to go live with it by March, the extended time frame; otherwise, option #2:

2.  Those who are upgrading from DSB to Etano, but are not ready to go live by March, will only have to pay the difference between the $89.99 price they previously paid for DSB and the current price of Etano, i.e., $90, in order to get the same full support and access to future updates and fixes they would get if they had just purchased Etano now at the full $180 price.  Also, you can pay the $90 difference any time you want after March ("whenever they want") to receive the full support/future update status of a normal Etano purchaser. 

I would also mention that in my opintion, as a customer dealing in good faith, it should be understood that if you wait a long time like a year or so, and Dan was still keeping this offer open, you should expect to pay a bit more if the regular price of Etano went up a bit; for example, if it went up to $200, you should expect to pay $110 to get the full upgrade deal ($200 - $89.99 = $110).

Also as a customer dealing in good faith, it should be understood that all of the above only applies for each DSB license you actually purchased in the past, and not for an unlimited amount of Etano licenses if you happened to only buy one DSB license before.  That should be a given.  If I'm ever able to get moving and go live, and I wanted to buy a second Etano license, then if Dan wanted to offer customers a deep discount for additional purchases, that would always be welcome, too.   Yes, I mean that.  I'm really not kidding you see - just call my bluff if you want, I won't turn away from a discount, just mark my words.

Hopefully I have accurately represented what Dan has said, and he can of course correct me if I'm mistaken anywhere.

And to all a Happy New Year if I don't post again.  If I'm understanding Dan correctly, then I sure wish he had an affiliate url available already because then I'm ready to try to send more business his way, which is much easier than trying to go live now, too.  Cheers.

[admin2]

1. The $90 is per license.
2. It should be payable whenever you realize that 2 months are not enough to finish the migration but no later than 2 months. Otherwise you will not get support from the end of the 2 months till you decide to pay.
3. It is still considered an upgrade. You are not allowed to go live with both licenses at the same time (DSB and Etano). Obviously, you can have a test Etano site but it should be used for testing only.

4. Etano's price is not going to change. Our hourly rate might but not Etano's price.

5. Discounts are given based on the score of the customer. The score is currently based on just the amount of money you paid to us (including DSB payments) so a $89.99 purchase makes a 89.99 score but once we finish our own forum and replace this SMF with our forum, the score will be increased by the number of posts and by how many people applauded you. Also the score is increased if you're featured in our gallery
The 2 level of discounts are for scores of over 300 and over 1000. There's an additional discount for every second license of the same kind when you get free install.

[TraderJoe]

 

[strawberries90]

as 2007 draws to a close, I feel a song comin on.

[TraderJoe]

Well, let us hear it, Strawberries. 

[Mervyn]

it's good to hear that our temp licenses are extended to March cos I couldn't attempt updating cos of the login name/display name issue. After I get access to those mods I'll start looking to take things live

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It's going to be interesting with the point system/new forum.. could motivate the forum members to also get involved in writing mods for etano. Guess I gotta start learning some web programming soon