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Comments
I feel like you are the minority, a reasonable man in a sea of dicks.
The vast majority of users would cancel their services instead (opinion), probably throw in a credit-card dispute for good measure too.
Probably not, I would expect most tickets that are not 1-2 replies are $50+ at-least, those issues tend to get long quick. It takes time to troubleshoot a customers issue. That's typically any issue that isn't RTFM (i.e knowledge-base link). Unless you farm it all out to India/PH/Manila/wherever.
Still the incentive would be there for users to at-least try themselves first. Which would be a great start (even if you never actually charged a cent)
I can understand where @DA_Mark is coming from with regards to this (and I have long suspected that there were "companies"/people abusing the DirectAdmin internal licensing scheme -- I was honestly pleasantly surprised that Mark was willing to go the extra mile when I had only a few customers who were requesting for DA and not asking for minimum license requirements unlike cPanel), and perhaps OP could have come across a bit better as well (like not putting a "High" priority on their tickets).
That said, perhaps it's time to rethink how support is handled in these cases. In OP's case at least, I don't think it's unreasonable that he had requested trying to convert a trial license to a paid license, especially since it's not really a technical support request. Or, perhaps it needs to be made clear that trial licenses can only be set to expire, and that users will need to order a new license to replace the trial license without going through support.
DirectAdmin needs to prevent this sort of abuse, e.g. only allowing a set number of support tickets (e.g. 2/3) once a minimum number of internal licenses have been ordered.
This. Simplest and fairest option for all.
Keep in mind, this isn't a generic request to upgrade from free to paid. It's specific to internal pricing.
@timelapse thanks for your support!
@Clouvider high priority was set on the last ticket only after few of my other tickets were closed without any response. I had a server ready for conversion to paid license and it was already three days delayed.
@Mic-hael @seriesn and others: I didn't argue against the minimum number license policy In my case the bulk license wasn't the criteria before and was only intimated to me once I requested for conversion of trial license into paid internal license.
@DA_Mark I don't have any issue with the company policies, its your product and you can set whatever price/support model that suits you. I was just not pleased the way my tickets were handled. All were being closed without any response. We surely are a small company but we never close a ticket without a response. Maybe your support staff is overwhelmed as you mentioned above. Anyways we should sort things out here and I would like you to reactivate my internal license pricing. I won't make support requests against those license.
I would like to close this on a note that DA is the most stable and economical product out there and I would like to see us both grow in future.
You really didn't need to create a LET thread for this and could have taken it via their ticket or personally over PM. Just saying. Feels very unprofessional from a business perspective.
Everyone knows this is lowendhelpdesk.
@seriesn I didn't got response for four days then I created this thread because I look upto this product. Anways you seem to be possessive about Mark
I don't if the word possessive fits the content. But that's up to you sir
.
I personally don't like seeing "XYZ sucks" type of posts while knowing it could have been handled better by both party. Nothing personal against you my good sir.
With that said, yes, I do respect @DA_Mark the same way I respect everyone else in this forum, provider or end users alike. Unless, of course, they have done something, that makes me look at them the other way. Love doesn't decrease by sharing
Why would you even convert the license? If you needed a paid license, you can buy it, and update the license in DA.
The free license doesn’t come with support. I don’t believe this thread should have been created in the first place, or that @DA_Mark is presented in bad light here.
Very unprofessional of OP, end of.
Personally... I think the trial should come with up to 5 support issues during your trial...
If you are trialing a product and you have issues.... You want to know what the support is going to be like moving forward with response times and replies. Also if you are trialing a product you have likely never used it, so are exploring its features. Support again may be required.
Whilst I agree, to some extent, I'd expect to use a software specific forum to post trial software issues. Something new infers one will have queries, though some research and teething problems should be expected. IMHO.
Does that mean that host that offers Free DA license does not get support?
OR you are wanting to use the free license you got from Buyvm, to get support for your testing server with internal license?
I'm just a bit confused in terms of support, licensing, features and documentation on their site. We were to migrate hundreds of VPS to DA last year. However, on that time, their pricing, licensing and plans changed. We ended up using another panel. This year we plan on trying them out again for our 3rd hosting business.
For the OP, I think you should just buy the Lite plan if you are just testing and need support for that particular testing server. If with that license, you still don't get replies or support then time to move on?
Name two. Thanks.
.......four days? You opened a ticket on a Saturday and waited only two business days before opening this thread.
DA provides support to the hosting company paying DA for licenses. The company needs to provide DA support to the end user. If the end user contacted DA directly, they'd be told to talk to the company they are getting their service from.
It's just like buying an OEM computer. Microsoft gives HP, Dell, etc big discounts on Windows to build into their pricing and Microsoft doesn't provide direct support to the customer, the OEM computer maker assumes that responsibility.
That's what I understand also on the licensing plans. I think they should just remove the internal licensing, as its only $15/mo for the Lite plan and dedicated server providers/resellers should be able to afford it. Its just like having your own software for only $15/mo maintenance cost than having to maintain $5k developer fee for own software to develop own panel.
So for the OP, it could have been resolved easily just by purchasing Lite plan. Else if still no response with having Lite plan, then time to move on?
You have to think though, it's not just the provider being able to afford it, it's the end customer getting that license (bundled with a server). Clouvider, Frantech and IntoVPS could probably all "afford it" but not without raising their pricing for customers and in these cases, removing free licensing which is likely a big sell for most people. Secondly, you won't necessarily buy the next offer with DA included if you can only have 10 accounts.
If the question was do they deserve to be paid more, I'd say yes.
I was just referring to the OP's testing server. I mean if a provider wants support for his testing server, one should just get Lite plan and use it on his testing server. No need for internal license? Or am I wrong with my understanding of the internal license?
Confusingly, I don't know why one would "grab a slice" intended for DA and not just use one of BuyVM's complimentary loicenses. Maybe I've missed something.
From what I understand, the OP have a DA license from Buyvm, the complimentary license on his slice. However, he also have internal license for his testing server not the Buyvm one. He is using that internal lic to get support for his test server. Apparently, DA is getting lots of support request for months from people using internal license, and these people have not purchased yet commercial licenses. From his ticket, what I understand is, DA is trying to tell him to get a commercial license in order for them to provide support on his test server. Well its just $15/mo for Lite plan, its a steal. It could have been resolved that easily.
I can confirm from previous experience, if you get a license from a provider, you get no support directly with directadmin.
Also the vps internal licenses come with no support from DA, however the provider may know how to fix issues, but you'll have to ask.
@da_mark you should see about adjusting the ticket system to block if the user opening the ticket isn't the owner of the license, stopping internal licenses from spamming you up:)
Francisco
Or you could set users without the prem license to only be able to open a ticket 1 at a time. They cant open another as long as a previous ticket is open. If user keeps spamming ticket with reply keep it at answered for 2 days before closing. At least everyone gets a breather and calms down.
Sigh, I do admit I open a lot of tickets when I report something and replies in succession too when I have something to say and provider has not replied yet. Just an OC issue haha so pls forgive me
The way DA provides support could be better.
If DA does not want to provide direct support to internal license holders, that's DA's policy.
At the same time, the internal license holders are going to need support with DA related issues. How do they get that support?
Are unmanaged VPS/dedi providers going to provide support for DA related issues?
I am not a tech guru like many here. Just a semi decent tech junkie. In last 4 years of using DA, I have never encountered a situation with them, where google search didn't lead to an answer within the first 5 results.
Between their forum and documentation, 99% things are covered.
For the remaining 1% I doubt any host will have issue responding to a ticket with a command to copy paste. Pretty sure just because one is unmanaged, doesn't mean they are abandoned. And that is coming from me as a consumer, not a provider. I have services with enough "self" managed providers, who were kind to help when I have asked basic questions.
Plus it is part of our internal contract. Can't get a discount and sell their product at below market price without doing some kind of leg work.
Plus an option to pay for support if wanted
From what I understood, based on what you wrote, that is going the extra mile in providing support. Many providers are praised for their support, too.
I asked a clear question. whether it is an obligation or not, or the answer can be found on google or not. It is not a matter of good will.
For example, if a client asks a provider, how much storage is in their basic package, the provider is likely to provide a clear answer instead of pointing to a link or their website. That is the provider providing support for their services.
I am not pointing fingers to anyone, but this question needs a clear answer.
Will the unmanaged providers provide support in regards to DA related issues?
Can't comment on others, but almost everyone here that I have seen as DA volume player in this forum, offers top notch support.
Users are expected to read. Just like even with our product line, when a ticket is opened, asking for "How to install custom iso", we point them to the exact link to our KB, We do the same for DA.
If there is a bug, we will submit a request on behalf of them.
Both of those usually fall under providing support for the software.
End of the day, they are my customers and not DAs'. They will be taken cared of the same way we would take care of any other family members
If an answer doesn't exist and requires admin work, they are answered with honesty that if they requires admin hour, they should chose an option that gives them the opportunity or they can hire 3rd party support.