68 replies to this topic

[Luke]

This license key activation just hides the banner right? The board still works otherwise, you just have to put up with the banner? If so, why such strict restrictions on the -TESTINSTALL key? When doing mods I'll usually try to install it on a fresh throw away test board to make sure everything was included. Depending on what I'm working on I'll typically re-install my board fresh to make sure I'm starting with "factory defaults".

I understand no IP.Spam or IP.Chat. Assuming the URL will never change in development is a bit odd, especially for those who do custom mods for other people.

I might install my single test board on http://localhost/testboard but then decide later I want it to be http://testboard.dev/forum. As picky as I am I'm constantly refining and organizing my development environment. If you want to restrict something I'd much rather be limited on how many registered users there can be. Realistically there shouldn't be any more than 25.

I'm assuming test upgrades wouldn't be affected by this (3.1 to 3.2)?

[Aisha]

Dude just install as many tests as you want. It's not like they'll ever know.

[.Ian]

Dude just install as many tests as you want. It's not like they'll ever know.

You might as well say, install as many forums as you want.

Unless I am misunderstanding you.

[Aisha]

You might as well say, install as many forums as you want.

Unless I am misunderstanding you.

Well don't make them publicly available and stuff...figured that's what test board implies. But even if you did install as many forums as you want itd take a while to get caught an once you did you just get a nastily written letter apparently. I asked once what the difference between nulled and licensed IPB is and there really is none aside from copyright.

[Collin S.]

You might as well say, install as many forums as you want.

Unless I am misunderstanding you.

Well don't make them publicly available and stuff...figured that's what test board implies. But even if you did install as many forums as you want itd take a while to get caught an once you did you just get a nastily written letter apparently. I asked once what the difference between nulled and licensed IPB is and there really is none aside from copyright.

I think (hope) what was implied is that we have no way of knowing what you've done in a private, sealed-off, localhost, development environment. Because we can't see inside your computer.

[Mark]

This license key activation just hides the banner right? The board still works otherwise, you just have to put up with the banner? If so, why such strict restrictions on the -TESTINSTALL key? When doing mods I'll usually try to install it on a fresh throw away test board to make sure everything was included. Depending on what I'm working on I'll typically re-install my board fresh to make sure I'm starting with "factory defaults".

I understand no IP.Spam or IP.Chat. Assuming the URL will never change in development is a bit odd, especially for those who do custom mods for other people.

I might install my single test board on http://localhost/testboard but then decide later I want it to be http://testboard.dev/forum. As picky as I am I'm constantly refining and organizing my development environment. If you want to restrict something I'd much rather be limited on how many registered users there can be. Realistically there shouldn't be any more than 25.

I'm assuming test upgrades wouldn't be affected by this (3.1 to 3.2)?

As it always has, the software will function just fine without a license key (so yes, this essentially just gets rid of the red banner).

We allow one test installation, so the test install key works once. We can't have the key automatically override other URLs associated with it as that would essentially allow it to be used unlimited times - I don't want to have the ACP call out to the license server at any time other than when the key is activated in case, for example, the server is down (even if we put a timeout of say 5 seconds, that's 5 seconds you're ACP is going to hang and 5 seconds that will inconvenience every one of our valid customers).

We *could* write a page in the client area where you could clear the URL in use and limit it to only allow you to do that every x days, but that just adds unnecessary complexity - either pick a URL for your test installation and stick to it, or put up with the red banner.

Dude just install as many tests as you want. It's not like they'll ever know.

No. You're allowed one test installation.

[Aisha]

I think (hope) what was implied is that we have no way of knowing what you've done in a private, sealed-off, localhost, development environment. Because we can't see inside your computer.

Yeah. Kind of the point of a test board.

[Amy T]

No. You're allowed one test installation.

I have 2 test installs but I also have 2 licenses. So I have 2 live sites and 2 test sites.

[XiuzSu]

I have 2 test installs but I also have 2 licenses. So I have 2 live sites and 2 test sites.

Yea I guess that's what he means, for every license you own pretty much means you can have one live board and a test board per license.

[AnthonyKinson]

From now on you can use your license key on a test installation. Enter your license key followed by "-TESTINSTALL" to activate.


There are some conditions:

• You may only have one installation
• Your license key must already be activated on a live installation and have been activated recently. If entering the "test" key doesn't work, try reactivating your main installation and then try again.
• The IPS Extras (spam service, iPhone notifications) are not available on test installations.
• IP.Chat is not available on one test installation
• Your test install URL is logged and to enforce the "You may only have one installation" rule cannot be changed. Make sure you install your test install somewhere where it is unlikely you will need to move it. Attempting to use the "test" key on more than one installation will result in an error.
• This will only work on IP.Board 3.2.

I was just directed to this message after requesting a change in my licensed URL. This is really helpful stuff. The only question i have is regarding purchased add-ons. With the "Test Key" i noticed your purchased add-ons are not listed in the service list associated with your license key. Will this effect being able to use for example IP.Gallery on my development installation?

[chrisjmc2006]

hmm even after adding "-testinstall" When I try to activate the editor, after hitting submit it still defaults back to disabled? Anyone else having this issue? I have a legit lic key.

[Mark]

I was just directed to this message after requesting a change in my licensed URL. This is really helpful stuff. The only question i have is regarding purchased add-ons. With the "Test Key" i noticed your purchased add-ons are not listed in the service list associated with your license key. Will this effect being able to use for example IP.Gallery on my development installation?

No.

[Mark]

hmm even after adding "-testinstall" When I try to activate the editor, after hitting submit it still defaults back to disabled? Anyone else having this issue? I have a legit lic key.

It might be seeing the skin generator as an IPS Extra and blocking it for test keys - will take a look on Monday

[Chozo Sanctuary]

legacy licenselegacy license

From now on you can use your license key on a test installation. Enter your license key followed by "-TESTINSTALL" to activate.


There are some conditions:

• You may only have one installation
• Your license key must already be activated on a live installation and have been activated recently. If entering the "test" key doesn't work, try reactivating your main installation and then try again.
• The IPS Extras (spam service, iPhone notifications) are not available on test installations.
• IP.Chat is not available on test installations
• Your test install URL is logged and to enforce the "You may only have one installation" rule cannot be changed. Make sure you install your test install somewhere where it is unlikely you will need to move it. Attempting to use the "test" key on more than one installation will result in an error.
• This will only work on IP.Board 3.2.

Does "-TESTINSTALL" activation not work for legacy license holders?

[Ryan Ashbrook]

legacy licenselegacy license
Does "-TESTINSTALL" activation not work for legacy license holders?

It works just fine on the Legacy Perpetual and Lifetime licenses.

[tAPir]

It might be seeing the skin generator as an IPS Extra and blocking it for test keys - will take a look on Monday

It works just fine on the Legacy Perpetual and Lifetime licenses.

If by "works" you mean it disappears the red warning you're right If you mean the skin generator or VSE works then I'm just getting a message that my licence has expired even though it's a LIFE licence

[Michael]

It's funny how much discussion this created, and how many people apparently found this useful, but still it's not at all what I was hoping to have, and the new feature that was created as a result of this is not at all usable for what I was asking. Guess I'll just have to get used to seeing these annoying messages on my temporary localhost sites.

[RichardA]

If by "works" you mean it disappears the red warning you're right If you mean the skin generator or VSE works then I'm just getting a message that my licence has expired even though it's a LIFE licence

I think the VSE is only for active license (Support..) holders.. Life licenses do not have access to the VSE unless they convert their license type and pay the 6monthly fee.

[Peter.B]

It's funny how much discussion this created, and how many people apparently found this useful, but still it's not at all what I was hoping to have, and the new feature that was created as a result of this is not at all usable for what I was asking. Guess I'll just have to get used to seeing these annoying messages on my temporary localhost sites.

The slightly more annoying thing if you create multiple test installations on localhost (localhost as in it's local on your PC - only you're ever going to see or use this installation and it's not web accessible for those that didn't know the term) is that even if you changed the CSS to get rid of the warning message, you'll find that the skin editor is disabled. Not sure if it affects what additional packages you can install as well (not tried, it's quite probably fine)?

Thing is it's a perfectly legitimate scenario for people writing multiple mods that want a clean install per mod they're creating (it's a good way to be able to check if things are conflicting with one another), as well as those web developers who are mocking up sites on a laptop quickly to show to clients before actually clinching the deal (don't need to buy a license until you've got the work and can properly start work on the site) as well as those of us who dabble with various website ideas on their LAMP/XAMPP installations locally and only push one or two of them live each year or so (I'm in this category - testing out a few website ideas, but not sure which one to go with).

It's a very big, annoying message for those few of us that fall into any of the above dev-type categories, and we're not actually doing anything wrong (in the sense of we're not running live boards or doing anyone out of any money - I suspect that if the terms and conditions of use have now changed to reflect that you can have one live and one test install per license then legally it is wrong, but I would suggest that if that's the case even in the above scenarios then that shouldn't be the case).

I'm open to discussion on this, just please don't jump up and down and accuse me of being a pirate. I'm a deckhand at best In all seriousness, I've been a paying customer since 2005 so I'm not out to do anything malicious or to trick IPB out of any money.

[Mark]

I'm open to any better suggestions. I would have been happy to just hide the notice if the install url started with "http://localhost" but then HeadStand and Luke were kind enough to point out why that wouldn't be sufficient