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License Changes Live

Posted by Charles, 07 August 2012 · 5,781 views

The license changes that we blogged about back in May are now live!


License Structure Changes

The main change is that IP.Board is no longer be the "root" license item. You now have a license to the IPS Community Suite and will then have the various applications as additions under that root license. Anyone with a current IP.Board Standard License or IP.Board Business License will see this change happen automatically in their client area in the coming weeks. There will be no change to your services of course. Those with an IP.Board Business License will see a new Priority Support package listed.

Here is how licenses worked before today:
  • IP.Board Standard License
  • IP.Blog
  • IP.Gallery
  • IP.Nexus
  • IP.Content
  • etc.
Here is how licenses now work:
  • IPS Community Suite
  • IP.Board
  • IP.Blog
  • IP.Nexus
  • etc.
Renewal Consolidation

We have also consolidated renewal dates on your packages. It was very cumbersome for both IPS and our clients to have the various apps under a license have different renewal dates. So we have changed this to prorate purchases so they all have the same renewal dates. Of course the renewal frequency and amount will not change from how it is now. For example, if you choose to add IP.Nexus to your existing IPS Community Suite license the order system will automatically give you a credit based on the number of days until your next renewal cycle so everything balances out.

When we switch over to this new setup your existing purchases will also be prorated and your renewal date for your licenses will adjust based on a formula that gives you credit for all days remaining on all of your licenses. This means your renewal date will change slightly as the system gives you credit for prepaid renewals.

If your license is currently expired then you will still be put into this new structure but just in an expired state so nothing will change. Legacy license holders will see no change to their license terms but will also see an adjustment in the structure shown here.


FAQs

What if I don't want to renew a particular app?
No problem! Just log into the client area, click the app you don't want to renew and then click Cancel. This will cancel the renewals on that app and adjust the renewal rate on the IPS Community Suite license.

How do I cancel my IPS Community Suite license?
There is no need to cancel the IPS Community Suite license as it does not have renewal charges unless you have an active app under the license.

If I do not renew one or all of my apps what happens?
If you do not renew you will lose access to support, upgrades, and services related to the applications you chose not to renew. It's of course in your best interest to keep up to date with our latest releases for performance, features, and security plus access to our great support services. If you let your services expire you can of course renew them at any time by going to the client area, clicking your expired package, and then selecting Renew Now.

What happens when I purchase a new app?
If you want to extend the capabilities of your IPS Community Suite by purchasing a new app you can easily do this in the client area. Just order the app as normal and then you will associate it with your Suite license. Your purchase price will be automatically adjusted to account for the next renewal date on your license to keep everything in balance.

Why the change?
Not only is this structure easier for everyone (just one renewal date for everything) but also goes along with our future plans of releasing all of our products as one Suite rather than individual apps under IP.Board. It's an exciting project and we cannot wait to roll it out over the next few releases.




I'm fine with this. Makes sense.
So if I renewed my "canceled" items now, when would they expire? when my forums do? My forums are paid till in April 2014. So would I pay a huge renewal cost on each item to "catch up", or how would it work?
In my client area, for my license, the old one IP.Board/Blog/Gallery bundle, with this new system, do I have to renew each app separately now or do they get renewed when I renew my IP.Board? Because in the old system, I only had to pay $25 for renewal on all 3 apps.

Regards,
-Don :)
Good to see IPB moving forward / thinking logical.

I do have a question tho, I currently only own IP.Board & IP.Content not the full suite.. I will be purchasing each other addon as i can afford them / 1 per fortnight.. How will this effect me ? Will i have a full "Suite" license after purchasing the rest of the addons ? How will the renewals word for me as I purchased my first IP.Board renewal, and wont be able to purchase the last addon for maybe one month.

Regards, Darren

Can we still change URL every 6 months? Btw Congratulations to all team!!


Yes.


So if I renewed my "canceled" items now, when would they expire? when my forums do? My forums are paid till in April 2014. So would I pay a huge renewal cost on each item to "catch up", or how would it work?


Everything has the same expiry date. To reactivate a cancelled addon, the normal renewal fee for that addon is charged.


In my client area, for my license, the old one IP.Board/Blog/Gallery bundle, with this new system, do I have to renew each app separately now or do they get renewed when I renew my IP.Board? Because in the old system, I only had to pay $25 for renewal on all 3 apps.

Regards,
-Don :smile:


Prices have not changed. If you had the IP.Board/Gallery/Bundle from back when it was offered, you'll still be paying $25 per 6 months - if you bought any additional addons, the renewal for all will be generated at the same time.


Good to see IPB moving forward / thinking logical.

I do have a question tho, I currently only own IP.Board & IP.Content not the full suite.. I will be purchasing each other addon as i can afford them / 1 per fortnight.. How will this effect me ? Will i have a full "Suite" license after purchasing the rest of the addons ? How will the renewals word for me as I purchased my first IP.Board renewal, and wont be able to purchase the last addon for maybe one month.

Regards, Darren


When you purchase a new addon it will be added to your package. Since you're not getting the full 6 month's service (as it'll expire whenever your package is already set to expire), a discount will be applied when you purchase the addon.
I'm sorry ... I just don't understand. I have a lifetime license which now shows that I have to renew every 6 months at $25.08 and also expires in December.

I'm confuzzled!

I'm sorry ... I just don't understand. I have a lifetime license which now shows that I have to renew every 6 months at $25.08 and also expires in December.

Open a support ticket with billing.
Very opaque and unnecessarily complicated. I don't like it.

Very opaque and unnecessarily complicated. I don't like it.

So trying to get everything to be on fewer renewal dates is more complicated? I'm not exactly thrilled about the renewals being combined because I like to spread things out on purpose, but I see the benefits and it's not complicated at all.
For Domain-Changes I have to pay, for transfers I have to pay. And now I have to pay for many Licences to see, that it is "legal" oder not "cancelled". No, I'm not a cash-cow. I was very happy with IP.Board, but this is too much.
You can change your domain every 6 months as confirmed by Mark above - there is no charge - if you need to alter it again. then there is a small charge :)

I'm sorry ... I just don't understand. I have a lifetime license which now shows that I have to renew every 6 months at $25.08 and also expires in December.

I'm confuzzled!


If you submit a support request in the client area, we can answer any questions you have specific to your account :)



For Domain-Changes I have to pay, for transfers I have to pay. And now I have to pay for many Licences to see, that it is "legal" oder not "cancelled". No, I'm not a cash-cow. I was very happy with IP.Board, but this is too much.


Nothing has changed apart from the expiry date... we're not charging anyone anything more than whatever they signed up for.
Why the change of url increased from $15 to $20 ?

From support :

License URL's may be reset once within 6 months of purchase, which you've already done, then once per year thereafter.

You are also able to pay to change your URL, I believe that's a $20 charge.


I pay $ 175 and renewal every six months but I can not use my license, my project falls into the water, I am obliged to disburse $20 for URL change, then my project does not work, I am forced to disburse $20 for URL change.... again and again...

Specify clearly on your website the limits....
Honestly, this is how nearly every business works now and isn't something new or made up by IPS. Basically, its bundling all your services in one bill for simplicity. You still hold the right to renew or stop any services. So, where are you even losing out? The only thing I can think of is if you can't pay them all at the same time and have a reason for separating them which I'm sure IPS can work something out with a simple Support Ticket. However, its actually the most common request on the Customer Service side for businesses I've worked with. Yes, not everyone wants a "all-in-one" bill but you still get the option to disable certain services when you want. The only downside is explaining "pro-rated" charges which I'm sure IPS will have fun with. Haha.

I was waiting for a change like this, because the old way bugged me a bit.
Thanks again IPS. :smile:

Honestly, this is how nearly every business works now and isn't something new or made up by IPS. Basically, its bundling all your services in one bill for simplicity. You still hold the right to renew or stop any services. So, where are you even losing out? The only thing I can think of is if you can't pay them all at the same time and have a reason for separating them which I'm sure IPS can work something out with a simple Support Ticket. However, its actually the most common request on the Customer Service side for businesses I've worked with. Yes, not everyone wants a "all-in-one" bill but you still get the option to disable certain services when you want. The only downside is explaining "pro-rated" charges which I'm sure IPS will have fun with. Haha.

If you stop and think about it, this benefits the client in a new way. If we opt to renew the IP.Board license and renew the others later, it'll pro-rate the later renewals so we won't be paying the full amount. I don't like a big bill up front, but I have the option of renewing stuff later when I need to. So I really TRULY don't get what all the griping is about. This change benefits those who like to have everything synchronized on the billing and for those who don't want to pay a big amount at a time, they end up paying less. (At least, that's my understanding of how it will work.) So what's the problem here?
I did not renew my board, now it's marked as canceled.

Does this mean i have to pay another 150 - 175 to get my license back?

Or will paying the 45 give me it back?
You can simply renew your support, no need to purchase again.
k thanks
Just to be clear, as this question has come up a few times now: No one will need to repurchase anything they've purchased purely as a result of this changeover. If something shows cancelled or expired or any other status, no, you do not need to repurchase a license for it at full price.
This seems a lot clearer than it used to be !
Instead of receiving small invoices for evey app at different dates, I have now one single invoice every 6 months.

And the amount of the invoice is exactly the sum of all components.

Well done !