My 2 cents about $500 - Part 2

This topic is continued from My 2 cents about $500

This is a much better way for me to sell the end customer on this now.

Perfect plan! THANKS!

I like

One time premium membership purchase.

New License pricing scheme.

I don't like

This part 2 feature of orca.

No free license registrations.

 What's not to like? :) You can still use free version. The only difference is that you don't have to go to BoonEx and register a free license anymore. It was always a somewhat cumbersome requirement, which we introduced only to keep track of the amount of active installations somehow. 

Thanks for listening to the community and clarifying the new pricing. 

Im happy with this, especially as I already have purchased 10 licenses!

One question though, as a 10 license customer... am I able to purchase my first prime package at 299 instead of 799... 

I will be looking at mobile apps with 7.1 release, I see you have a single mobile app price of 399, but that it is also included in Prime package

Do I have to purchase 10 Prime packages to get the discount prime price, or 10 of any license?

(please say 10 of any!)

Thanks and looking forward to 7.1 release.

Great question!

Yes, ANY license order is factored when discount for ANY license/package is applied. So, if you, say, already have one STANDARD license, you can but PRIME at $499, and vice-versa.

Thus, if you have 10 Standard licenses on your account, you can buy Prime for $299.

Basically, we introduce this structure to ensure that only initial payments are higher, to justify the overhead associated with adding a new CLIENT. Additional licenses can thus be significantly discounted. 

Another important thing to consider is that PRIME accounts for 2 licenses, so you only need 5 Primes to reach top threshold. So, you can have, say 3 Primes and 4 Standard licenses to reach the top-discount tier.

Interestingly, for active buyers/members new prices may effective represent REDUCTION, not increase.

 So... let me just clarify... 

I have 10 licenses already.

I can now buy PRIME for 299 which includes 2 licenses AND a mobile license?

 Well, this is just my thoughts but if this license system wasn't there before i might have never came to this site to find a lot more interesting things and cool people. I had left dolphin long ago after trying for few days. 

Thanks for listening Andrew. I would love to see dolphin become a huge success, and understanding the user and building to customer requirements is exactly how to get it right. Ok, so you will never be able to please 100% of the people 100% of the time, but this will go a long way.

I do think the pricing structure is more reasonable... Personally I would have thought $300 would have been closer to the mark, but atleast it is a little better.

Now..... If only we could do something about the chat module................................

I have been around here long enough to know that nothing is exactly the way you thought it was.

You just have to wait for the chrysalises to complete.

Andrew has a way of making something that sounds like an ugly worm turn into a beautiful butterfly if we just give it time to cook.

I just wanna see that post that says '7.1 released!'!

Andrew - thank you for the clarification, this is much better than the e-mail blast that went out :). 

Is there any thought to offering the temporary license again? I don't remember what I first paid, but the ability to give the platform a run for 90 days at a minimum cost is what got me hooked on the platform. 

90 days was enough time to discover the pros/cons and evaluate development costs to make a final determination on if the full permanent license was a feasible route. Obviously, in our case it was, and I would think that many other borderline hobbyists would be in the same boat...

Still waiting to see 7.1 and a decent forum either revamped Orca or a way to integrate a good forum script before paying what seems like a reasonable price.  So..

Is there a plan to really improve the forum or dump orca and plugin something that works more like a phpbb, smf, vbulletin or others. My site had heavy forum usage but since switching do Dolphin - forum activity has dropped by about 95%.

What happens to the "Permanent License" is it still permanent.

Looking forward to seeing 7.1 before dropping any serious coins on this script. 

Sorry if I missed it and my question was answered already, but I currently have 3 permanent licenses and would like to know if these prices you speak of are also the cost to upgrade from D7.09 to 7.1? I have 3 sites that have been in development for some time now. Will I have to purchase another 3 permanent licenses at  $399 (AUD) a pop or is the upgrade to 7.1, and future upgrades, free to current permanent license holders? Thanks everyone.

Its free with or without a license to upgrade.

AUD alteram partem  

Im sorry but I really need a clear answer to this...

Should your company go bankrupt I assume we lose the right to use your software?.

 I don't know why, but sometimes i really have an urge to start some scaramantic's rituals to ward off bad luck  

 Haha this made me laugh :D

There is no upgrade cost from 7.0.9 to 7.1 - all upgrades are free and you can use any licenses you already have as they are not version specific.

Further licenses are not 399 either, thats just the very first license.

- $249 for repeat orders (2nd to 10th license)

would gladly pay 3 to 500 dollars for a social network platform with a FUNCTIONAL chat format, instead of now having to pay this, then run to flashcoms and throw 3 to 500 more dollars away just to get a chatroom that WORKS... just sayin

....... walks away now

<------ just has to agree with tussery....... Chat need so to be much better.

I am curently a premimum member of Boonex at $99 AUD a year will I need to renew this membership if it expires prior to the release of 7.1 and the new licence payment plan begins

I currently have 2 (two) permenat licences which I use for 7.0.9 sites [(one) 1 was purchased at $299 AUD and (one) at current $99 AUD]

Will I have to pay extra on these current permenat licences under the new plan to use or upgrade to the new 7.1 and the new licence plan

Also if I purchase an additionl permenant 2 (two) licences today at $99 AUD will I have to pay extra on these new permenat licences under the new licence plan to use the new 7.1

It is our game, but it's is their football and if they take it away, we can not play any more!

BoonEx Unity membership count surpassed 100,000. It's a great milestone and we couldn't be happier. Unity members is perhaps the most valuable part of BoonEx operations - the community that makes drives, motivates and supports us.

http://www.boonex.com/n/100_000_Strong_

Posted 578 days

Do the math even at 10% full membersip

1. Current Premium Members will not have to upgrade anymore. All current memberships will be made permanent.

2. Dolphin upgrades are free. Have always been. If you have 7.0.9 and a license now, you will be able to use your license for 7.1. You will be able to use it for any future version as well, be it 7.2, 8, 9, etc. This includes current $99 licenses.

3. If you have, say, 2 Permanent licenses now, you would be able to buy extra licenses at $249 price after the price increase. You can still buy licenses at $99 now, so when prices go up your licenses will be accounted for as well.

4. All licenses that you buy now will not require upgrade fee. They are just as good as $399 licenses will be after the price update.

5. If BoonEx ever goes out of business, you get to keep your licenses and the right to use the software indefinitely, as per license terms. BoonEx licenses are very non-restrictive and future-proof. You can modify the software, use it however you want and there are not limits for usage, time or version. With commercial license the only reservation is that you can only use it on one domain at a time (you can change domain).

----------

Now, I'd like to elaborate about the not making money and going out of business concern. As one member privately suggested, I think it is a good idea for me to post a detailed note about BoonEx development history over the last decade, and probably some details about current state of our operations.

In short, we are private company, bootstrapped and profitable. We don't have and never had external investors that would pressure us into any decisions. We do not make a lot of money, but we make enough. It's a family-owned business, and our family is happy where it is with the lifestyle we can afford thanks to the proceeds from BoonEx operation. I don't expect BoonEx going out of business in any foreseeable future. 

Meanwhile, we do have ambition and plans for dynamic growth. Money is not a main motivator in our effort. Growing community, more positive impact and a product we can be proud of for many years ahead - this is what moves us forward. We envision bright future for Dolphin 7 and Dolphin 8 lines, and some of the new strategies that we plan to introduce in BoonEx in general. Do what you love, and money will follow (or won't matter). ( good one - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPk_cwog4aE )

Thank you andrew for clearing up some points.

You see I was a bit worried after newtons comment and basically want to buy various more licenses before the prices go up, a few prime licenses to be more specific, which is why I asked. Do I still have time to buy them in  late october?

Late October... To be honest, maybe, but (hopefully) maybe not.

 I'm truly sorry if I have caused you guys to question the viability of BoonEx, I was way out of line with the comment! 

I've been here almost three years now and have no clue to the inner workings of a company I really know nothing about, plus, there are too many here to let it go.. 

I hope to be able to purchase my "first" license soon... I have been pushing Dolphin on so many clients I just freaked for a moment. I work here everyday, as you most know, I post every single day and review all postings; I answer what I think I know..

Please put this out of your minds what I have stated about the financial state of this company.

Andrew Boon, the video you posted made it all so clear to me. I apologize...

Before I settled on Dolphin I looked at many social applications, Oxwall, Elgg, and even some that were out of development.  Oxwall has logo branding but it is very small down at the bottom of the page.  Elgg is completely open source, no licence.  I had actually settled on Elgg and their huge community and huge number of free mods made it very compelling and because I did not know SMARTY (used by Oxwall) and did not want to invest the time to learn it giving that I needed to have a site in place by December.  One thing that steered me away from Dolphin was the huge branding logo for the free licence and the $99.00 price to remove branding, as well as the very few free mods.  My site is a community site being built to replace a commercial site the members were using that is shutting down.  Therefore, funds are limited.  The reason I moved from Elgg to Dolphin was because my partner did not like the database structure of Elgg.  I spent a month working with Elgg before giving in to my partner.  After working with Dolphin for a while I found areas that were lacking; for one the Group feature lacks a blog.  I have been in groups on other social sites and it is the blog that should have been integrated with groups, not the forum.  You have to think the way the users, the members, of a site thinks.  However, I am moving off subject.

 If the price of Dolphin had been $399.00 when I was first considering which platform to use, there is no way  that I would have went with Dolphin.  The site I am building is not going to be a commercial site, it is a member owned and operated site that will be funded by the members.  It will never be intended to be a commercial enterprise.  I was very reluctant to spend $99.00 for a licence.  For users of Dolphin like me, the new price increase will make them think twice about using Dolphin and will make Oxwall and Elgg that much more attractive.

The new pricing structure is in aligned with commercial software.  However, currently the support is not in aligned with commercial software.  My only ticket about TinyMCE loading in the wrong toolbar, which I documented on the Dolphin demo site, was not properly resolved.  I put in a ticket and first said I had to be on the demo site. So when I went on the demo site, I was told they did not see it and ticket closed.  What!? Ticket closed?  It is the user that closes a ticket.  Granted this is open source.  However, I have never had a ticket to be closed on me until I said, "Yes, it is working now".  At $399.00 I would expect to have real support.  I just gave up on the TinyMCE problem hoping it will be fixed with 7.1.

I was thinking that since I am spending all this effort on Dolphin that if in the future a client asked me to build a social networking site, then I would use Dolphin.  However, I may have to rethink that now.  With the lacklustre group module and the new price structure, I may return to Egg or Oxwall.

I have a question. If it a member supported site and is not commercial in any fashion, why would the branding bother you?

Just asking....

I have to agree with SkyForum. Why remove the branding if its non-commercial? I actually understand andrew for raising the price. For people who do this as a hobby they can get the free version. If you want it to be commercial then you also have the money and determination to pay 400 dollars.

You cant please everyone. In a matter of fact, if a few boonex members leave who cares? New members will come in. The new pricing might even give dolphin much more value because expensive is pro.

Anyways I think we  need an option to rename folders or at least split up the registration page to fight off spamming without purchasing all those modules.

The join form can already be split. Splitting up the join form into 2 or more pages is already a built-in feature.

As for renaming the join.php file.  Here you go. http://www.boonex.com/forums/topic/Rename-join-php.htm

 Elgg is an very nice clean script. I use it on several community sites. Switched from e107 to Dolphin as a test of the community feature for my site. Will wait for 7.1 to see if it is worth sticking with D 7.

DrRautenbach: Personally I would have thought $300 would have been closer to the mark" 

$300 prob would have been the SWEET SPOT if about 95% (or close to it) of everything worked right out of the box and..and I mean AND...AND if there was triple or worse case scenario double the SUPPORT for things that are problematic.

SkyForum: "I have a question. If it a member supported site and is not commercial in any fashion, why would the branding bother you?"

I dont know why it would bother anyone else, but it would bother me if someone took my idea, came here and bought a license and because their wallets are deeper than mines, bought a few modules and started making some serious money with their site with my ideas.  Yes, that would bother me very much so.

Rolf: "Why remove the branding if its non-commercial?"

Hope my answer to skyforum question helps you see why one would want to remove the branding from a different perspective.

Geekgirl: "he new pricing structure is in aligned with commercial software.  However, currently the support is not in aligned with commercial software."

Altho $300 would be pretty fair and reasonable, I must say that even at $400 or $500, hell even if they made it $1000, altho it would be pretty steep, but I think it would be slightly easier to swallow if REAL SUPPORT was there.  Seems like half of the support is coming from regular members, which is good, but then again, if there wasnt as much problems with the software, then the only support that would be needed is for things like customization and modules, ect.,

Andrew & the entire Boonex staff- Im not here to troll and bad talk, I just wanted to express my feelings about some of the things that doesnt sit too well with me.  However, I do appreciate what you guys have done and are doing, and I actually LOVE dolphin, not because of how it is now, but because I see the potential in dolphin.  Dolphin makes me think of a attractive woman with a really nice physique, but if the attitude and mentality and if it cost too much to keep her, then a breakup will be coming.  My problem is that I want to commit to a relationship with dolphin, and marry it, and feel pretty secure that we wont break up and go thru a whole nasty divorce and ect.,

Good job (could be slightly better tho) for all that you guys have put into this beauty, and Im patiently waiting to see the outcome of the next beta, and hopefully you guys modify the price a lil cheaper to make it such an appealing product.

My opinion - I think they have the right to charge whatever they want, but I think they overshot the mark on this one also.  D7.1 is nowhere near ready for prime time yet, but more to the point - I think this software has far too few "success stories".  Go to any other open source package and you can see examples of dozens or hundreds- of successful sites built with them - with Dolphin - a handful at most.   It seems to me that D7.1 was built to provide a better architecture for the future - but we don't live in the future, we live in the present.    I think they should have kept things the way they are, or perhaps had a smaller incremental price increase, while looking at more creative ways to address the high failure rate here.   

Would there be any consideration to a monthly payment plan to purchase any of the licenses, as for many users $399 or $799 is a lot of money to hand out on a new web venture ? 

 RE:

 I doubt you'll ever see something like that.  Arranging credit and financing for an international customer base is not something anyone would do for such small amounts, and I do mean a small amount from the business perspective.

True. but surly to maximize sales it would be worth looking into. Boonex have control of the license of which they could revoke upon non payment and a global legal agreement wouldn't be difficult to draw up for single licenses.

 RE:

 A global legal agreement might be easy to draw up, but enforcing it is not so easy.  The only way I see this might be possible, would be a month to month lease, with a Paypal subscription payment or similar.  This, at least could be partially automated and reduce administrative overload on Boonex.  Longer term leases, or lease-purchase plans would be more difficult, because they would have to include some minimal protection for Boonex in the event someone defaulted..... not that easy to do internationally.

Maybe Boonex could be persuaded to offer a license lease for $10  $20 a month.  There's a better chance of that happening than international financing of a purchase.

I guess in a roundabout way thats what i may have been suggesting, a monthly license. it would save a lot of arguments on total layout and create constant revenue for boonex.

Even, if just because we're in this business for a long term and we do care about overall experience more than just quick buck, I think that it is advisable NOT to invest or commit to investing the money into license while you're experiencing financial hardship and don't foresee/get returns from your venture. We have FREE license and hosting have affordable small shared plans for those who need to start experimenting and learning. Please, buy a license only when you're really prepared to do so and real see value in it. There're many more important things in life than paying for "public image" right of having your site running without BoonEx links in you footer. Trust me, those link WILL NOT make any difference in how your members perceive your site. Once you gather tens of thousands of members, and start making money - then it's another matter. 

On the other hand, if you can afford the license price without braking you piggy-bank and downgrading your kids lunchboxes content, then by all means - buy a license, especially the one with mobile apps - it will take you to the next level. 

Just don't overshoot before/unless you're ready.

 Makes perfect sense and is very sound advice.

I am in total agreement with Andrews assessment. I used the free version for a very long time (2 years?) before I ever purchased a license. The site works exactly the same and you can build it before you buy. Where else could you do that without limitation?

 I do understand what you are saying, but in my case specifically, I have to disagree.  The links WILL make a difference even if I only have 25 members on my site.  They can just come here and buy there own license and implement what Im trying to do.  Which would ultimately cost me a very great idea.

 i use the free license and have never had it make a difference, people are interested in content not what software the site is powered by.

Having got used to the trape's of the Boonex script and getting servers tweaked I was more then happy to pay $99.00 to make my 2 sites look more professional and with the possibility of a third coming up. But now having a closer look at the new pricing structure, oh dear I don't think so. I'm finding it hard enough to get members interested enough to pay for the up keep for an expensive dedicated server. So I'll either go back to a site with link's to Boonex or turn it over to Joomla or one of the other network scripts.

I realize that it does cost to invest in software script development but surely once you have something satisfactory just to leave it rather then jumping into big investment changes - the only people that will win will be your competitors!!!

 Yes, that may be true for you, but those are your group of people that is not interested in the software, a few people from my group will be interested, which is why I do not want any links back to boonex.  If they choose to compete AGAINST me, Im not going to make it easy for them, they will have to go and find their OWN software and devote time (weeks) as I have into finding this software.  

I also realize that they could use my concepts and ideas on some other platform, however, I can not stop that, but what I can stop, I will. I do believe it will be much harder for them if they used some other software though.

On my part, the BIG thing that i really dont like about these new fee.. is that boonex dont offer to UPGRADE you license...

Standard TO Prime....  Just pay the difference... ALL the other website offer this option.. so you can start with the basic when your website dont pay you so much.. and after when you start making money... you pay more to upgrade to prime.... but visibly BOONEX dont understand THAT!

Also, actually i got 3 standard license for my 3 website... so if i want mobile apps... i need to BUY 3 prime license... but what about my 3 standard license... they are useless.... and i cant sell it to other member... so i will have to pay 2400$ for 3 prime licence... and i will loose 1200 for my standard license that i dont need because i will use my prime license for my 3 website...

THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!!

At least you SHOULD offer upgrade option to member THAT follow you and HELP you with this script from the beggining by testing and suggest idea... this suppose to be a community and share script and website.. but more and more im start thinking that is more a wall street profit racket...

very disapointed...

so for sure i will not buy 800$ just to have the mobile apps... 400 maybe for upgrading but not 800$ for sure!!!

so i think i will post on scriptlance to pay someone who will make a android app for less...

so you will lose the 400$ that i was willing to pay.... im curious to know how many sale and custumer you loose with these new ridiculous price and the upgrade function inexistant!

@Totallyfreak

We both have been here long enough to remember how many licenses have been given away totally free over the years. I can't say I know of any other company who has done that.

Andrew has consistently rewarded all of us who have been with him over the many years.

My two Philippine piso worth.

Dwain, he has a good point... which you missed in it's entirety. However, I don't believe Mr. freak interpreted licensing pricing correctly.  First, 3 standard licenses would cost $900... not 1200.  Three primes would be $1800... not $2400.  I do agree that there should probably be an upgrade package to pay the difference of $900 instead of just losing the initial investment.