"ANNOUNCEMENT: LinksSQL.net is changing"

-- and not just it's name!

An all new look and feel is coming LinksSQL.net. Bigger, better, bolder! You won't believe it!

More Features. More Programmers. More Plugins. Customized Links versions, and more!

Pugdocs.com and LinksSQL.net are joining together to bring you a new host of services and plugins. This basically means that we can provide more plugins, better support, and more!

With that comes a whole host of new costs, and expenses to cover. In order to continue to provide the highest quality software and support, a lot of things have to change.

The one that will concern most people is a shift in how the products and services we provide are paid for, and how continued development is funded.

So, if you've been considering the $200 package, there is no better time to buy than now! Once the new site opens, the new license fees (outlined below) take effect! Prices _will_ go up, and licensing terms will change. (Existing customers are still covered by the agreements in effect when they purchased their programs.)

CHANGES:

1) Individual plugins will remain about the same, the cost of the total "Ultra" package will increase from the rolled back $200 to $350. This fee may increase as new plugins are added to the package.

2) The *BIGGEST* change to consider, is that with the price increase, the lifetime free upgrades on the software purchased in the package will disappear. You will have 1 year free upgrades (and access to new plugins). After that, a renewal fee to maintain your access to the upgrades and new plugins will be charged.

3) Individual plugins purchased at full price, will still come with free lifetime upgrades.

4) You now have the choice of getting a discount with an annual membership fee, or a straight purchase with no annual fees. Either way, the software is still yours to use forever, under the terms of the license and copyright agreements.

5) Not everyone is going to need -- or want -- every plugin and program, especially the big ones, so there will be several "Ultra" packages offered, each with the same licensing terms. Eventually, you'll be able to customize your plugin package, and be charged a fee based on the plugins you choose. It's expected that this will lower the costs for most people, as the most popular plugins are "small".

These changes are necessary to cover the costs of new development, and the steep discount you get when you initially obtain all the plugins. They will also help fund new development and the additional help to develop new products. They also provide incentive and resources to keep developing new programs and maintaining the old ones, without phasing them out after a few years like M$.

Look for the new site after the first of the year, but the $200 package discount won't last that long....

http://new.linkssql.net/page.php?page=special_package

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk

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No offence but that really did sound like a tacky advert

Actually, it's a public service announcement.


PUGDOG� Enterprises, Inc.

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Indeed - it's just that certain phrases made me giggle....

Well... andy jumped the gun by linking our two sites ;) He was tired, I guess. "Bigger, Better, Bolder" was supposed to be a "teaser" with no references to my site.

That was to come next week.

With the new site network roll out shortly thereafter.

I guess with the worms crawling out of the can, all I can say is "Stay Tuned" for the official announcement <G>


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Hi Andy,

I don´t think - but future may change this - that I need one of your plugins at the moment. Even though I must confess that there are some with which I would really like to play around a little. Anyway I appreciate the work and service pugdog and you are doing for all of us users and the forum members very much. Even if the statement might look a little like an advertisment or let it be a service announcement I don´t care because IMHO you should be allowed to place this kind of ad in exchange for the great contribution to this forum and LinksSQL. I wish both of you success for your new page and maybe I am going to be one of your future paying customers.

Regards

Niko

Thanks

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk

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Andy,

Does this mean that previous bulk purchases with the life time upgrades are no longer valid??

CCUnet
my Christian web

I agree!

PUGDOG� Enterprises, Inc.

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Yeah, as pugdog said, all exisiting customers are covered by the package they originally purchased.

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk

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Andy told me about the merger a few weeks ago but I kept quiet. I offer my best to both of you for the new venture - should work out well.

When does the price change go into effect? It's Christmas time and I'd like to wait on spending money for a few weeks.

And what future plugins can we expect? Just a rough idea please. For e.g. is pugdog going to immediately have some more plugins available?

cdkrg

Able2Know :: Ajooja Directory

We have yet to agree on this, but I would imagine it would take effect as of the new year (i.e 1/1/2004).

>>>And what future plugins can we expect? Just a rough idea please. For e.g. is pugdog going to immediately have some more plugins available?
<<<

Well, here are a few that I have in developement (again, I'm not sure about pugdogs);

+ Improvement with Thumb_Images so that it can pass back the image size (width x height)
+ Delete_Old_Pages - This will delete old pages from your directory (hooks in on the admin delete side of things, and just removes the folder in question).
+ Rewrite of Ace_PPC plugin. This has been in the woodworks for a while, but now I/we should have more time on our hands, I am hoping to get this out just after Xmas

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk

---

Want to give me something back for my help? Please see my Amazon Wish List
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Hi,

I realize it's christmas, but the price changes and stuff will probably go into effect sometime after the holiday, but before new years. With Andy and I starting this new venture, we need to make the changes once the venture officially starts. As soon as the site is developed enough to take over for our respective sites is when it will happen. As I indicated, this was a public service announcement for those who had been thinking about it, to not delay too long -- and not get taken by surprise with the changes.

As for what plugins I'll have out, it's hard to say, but there will be a whole bunch.

The postcards.cgi script will be officially re-released.

I'm going to try to integrate Andy's image program to mine, (or vice versa -- and integrate mine into his <G>) and finally get the ImageSQL program out. All the parts are there, the only part I'm missing, and I'm not sure Andy has is the disk-based management system. Once released, the admin system will be attacked, and it will include features as mentioned before for billing, tracking, grouping, targeting, etc, as well as the features of the User Monitor and Editor Monitor (sort of by default).

That will lead to a Stats-Tracking system (for both editors and users) that should replace the functions of the UM and EM programs more than completely.

I have a load of code fragments we'll organize into a new site for globals, not-quite-plugins, and such. We'll also ask for help from people who have code fragments, or have pointers to them here in the forums to add them to the database. This site will be a reference site, and take over for the LinksFAQ and PUGDOCS sites. Most likely SQLWidgets.com, or perhaps AllHacks.com.

Once that is started or near finshed, Andy and I hope to have out a customized OEM version of Links SQL. We need to work out with GT how to do it exactly, but this version will include many of the most asked for features built in, along with as many of our plugins that make sense to build in. This script should run "out of the box" with a lot of the features (and more) that people ask for. Our modifications will hopefully live in the Plugins tree, and survive upgrades, though there will be inevitable changes to core or central modules that will have to be modified for each upgrade. It will be Links SQL, but different <G>. It will most likely be released under "EntropySoft.com" to keep this product separate from our other ones.

After that, there should be a whole host of other programs and products, including the SQLClassifieds, SQLMatchMaker, and SQLPersonals.

I gotta run now, but I'll re-edit this with a more complete description later.


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Sounds good. I have just purchased the package.

One thing I am very interested is in paying for certain support. For example, on my site the rejection emails are sent out blank. I am pretty sure teh problem is an easy one to solve but I'd love to pay to get it done by people experienced with perl and LinksSQL.

There are also some minor alterations to some of Andy's plugins I'd like to pay for. Hopefully you two will be able to service that type of need. For now I'm in on the deal for the plugins but hope to spend a lot more with you guys.

cdkrg

Able2Know :: Ajooja Directory

This is something we will also be offering. It will be a kinda 'buy hours' type of thing, where you can buy x number of hours support (phone included), and we will try and fix things for you, or talk you through how to use LinksSQL.


Yeah,. once we are setup, our avaiable time (due to spreading out more) should be a lot better. Feel free to shoot us an email once we have the new site setup.

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk

---

Want to give me something back for my help? Please see my Amazon Wish List
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Great news. There is a huge hole as far as LinksSQL support and custom development is concerned. I think you two could fill that gap nicely.

cdkrg

Able2Know :: Ajooja Directory

We are hoping that it will.

Part of this is having another person around makes things go better. You may be having an off day, but they are running red hot. It's hard to explain, unless you've been in that situation. The last time I had programming partners was back in 1984 at IBM. Since then, it's usually been me in a room, late at night, and sometimes it's hard to keep going.

We both have ideas that this new arrangement should let us work on. Also, having two people make changes/additions to programs/plugins benefits everyone, as new features are inevitable <G>

It will take us a bit of time to gear everything up, but there will be ways to request changes/additions to plugins, and keep all the requests together. It might be as simple as a forum area for each plugin, or it might be something a bit more complex.

We'll offer support contracts of various kinds, but as I stated in a message about one of my plugins a few months ago, these contracts have to be limited, because our time is limited. We are not going to overbook like the airlines <G> That defeats the purposes of this whole new set up. We might be able to handle a dozen or so "full support" contracts, then offer per-incident type of support on a pre-paid and ala-carte basis. We aren't going to schedule things so we are up to our necks again. It has to remain "fun" or it starts to be work.

One aspect of the new partnership that we both independently realized, is that after we get it going, it will allow us to hire other people for projects and/or support. This is down the road, but it will allow us to take on more projects, more support, or hook people up with programmers in a more reliable and structured way than the "Custom Projects" forum here. Because we don't have to worry about a conflict of interest, or tangential issues, we can set up a programmers gallery, rating system, reviews system, etc. and let people enter their profile information and be reviewed by their customers. (I want to build this into the Class Schedule system, and into the Instructors area on http://betterbeading.com, where people can rate classes they took, and instructors they worked with.)

Maybe this will help explain my point of view on "competition". We got a call about our bead shop, from a person a few hours away. They asked us what other stores were in the area, and we told them. We even looked up their phone numbers. At the same time, we had customers in the shop, who wanted to hit one of the chain craft stores. Marie called them up to check their holiday hours since I thought I remembered a sign that said they had extended them even though it wasn't on their website. It shocked the heck out of them we'd do that for "competitors." Yesterday, the couple from a few hours away came in, and said they were at the "other" shop (which is around the corner and few blocks up) but that shop would *NOT* tell them where we were. They asked, and all they would say is "They're close". <G> It apparantly *really* irked the customers. We sit on top of, and between several local "landmarks," so it's not as if they didn't know where we were, or how to send people to us <G>

Like that insurance company that will give you their price, and the prices of their competitors, we see things differently. I don't view them as competitors, but as other resources or advertising ;) Our shop _is_ bigger, "better" and more friendly than most, and we are trying to keep it that way, and grow it on GOOD WILL, and A+ service. Same with our new programming venture here. We'll list our "competitors" and if you like them, you are free to use them :) But, we are always there to fix things up if your "great deal" didn't go so great. If your deal did go great, you are free to post rave reviews about them (as long as it's true... and we'll keep tabs on it -- ie: no schills). We send people to other bead shops, and there are a few other shops in town who send people to us on a regular basis. Everyone benefits. Same with the programming & plugins -- No one can do it all, have it all, or be it all.

I was asked if it was competing with Alex. Emphatically NO! (See above <G>) We hope this will improve our already friendly relations with GT, and help EVERYONE. (Heck, this is all hosted on Gossamer Hosting! <G>) In a construction analogy, GT is the heavy contruction group. They dig the foundations and build the framework. Our company will add the paint and spackle, and the interior decorating. You need a good reliable company to dig your foundations and build the framework (Gossamer-Threads), but once that is done, there is an infinite variety of needs and wants that need to be addressed. Not everyone has the same vision for finishing off their "home." Everyone has different styles, color choices, and end-results they desire. One needs the other -- and that is the logic and reason for the Plugin system -- to allow 3rd parties to more easily extend and expand the features of Links (and other GT programs).

By extending the features that are available for Links, hopefully more copies of Links will be sold, and the user base continually expands opening up more possibilities for everyone.

The reason for the partnership is that both Andy and I have ideas, and desires to build into Links, but working alone was getting stressful, and somewhat depressing (though I can't speak for Andy on that one). This allows us both to do more, and hopefully get more of what has been waiting in the wings released. Also, with two people, "beta" software can be released earlier, because more hands can swat at the bugs.

There will be glitches along the way, and our grand plans are going to have to be scaled to fit the alloted time, but these are our goals -- and at least the fun is back :).


PUGDOG� Enterprises, Inc.

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Please leave a PM here.