forum versions and..

[User99]

1.) since xenforo has annual fees for updates/support does that mean that future versions are included? or will "major" versions still be segregated as separate purchases as well? ie: if i buy XF v1, will i be able to download and use any and all future versions, including "major" --v2, v3, .. v99-- ones, as long as I have an "active" license, which currently means the $40 annual fee? (assuming core forum software only)

2.) does the forum software require any "XenForo Ltd." access to function as intended? ie: as a hosted forum on the internet. in other words, does it have any "drm" or remote kill switch? (may sound paranoid, but before i buy, i want to know, explicitly, that if i wanted to, i could buy a xenforo license, download and install the software and run my site for as long as i want (thirdparty costs notwithstanding, since that's on me obviously) without having to "rely" on you (XenForo Ltd.) or your servers for anything. i want to make sure that the core ($140) forum is a self contained and complete package and that it is not a "service" that requires some kind of "connection" that if unavailable will cease to work or if not completely cease, retard or diminish the forum capabilities and/or features.

this is it for now.

 

[User99]

Not sure how it’s weird. They are just our preferred payment provider.

it is because i have been buying on the internet for over two decades. there are many payment options and c/c almost always has it's dedicated and c/c specific/only page where you enter those details and pay that way, without portals handled by other payment providers. this pay via c/c but through paypal anyway is new and weird. don't say it isn't. and i absolutely guarantee (i can tell by how the paypal visa portal thing is set up and what it asks) that once i would use that method, i'd -without permission technically- "gee wheez" also have a paypal account for that c/c too. NO!!

We we can offer credit card payments using Stripe too. If you’d like us to enable it, just contact us: https://xenforo.com/contact/

i tried it again, and yes, the "pay by card" link is there. obviously it's designed to not be seen unless looking specifically for it. i start the process and sure enough whilst it lets (would) one pay by direct card, it's so obvious doing so automatically also creates a paypal account for that credit card. no way! shows just how scammy paypal is. not happening.

i'm sending a request now. i hope that will be a name/address and c/c details request and not my blood type or dog's name.

 

[llorephie]

it is odd how it’s not available to everyone.

It is based on visitor country. In Russia there is ban for unauthorized checkouts for companies registred in Russia, so PayPal guest payment not available here.
And PayPal accounts goes to ban unexpectedly in post-USSR countries.

 

[User99]

finally. and now what's the url for parking? (not using forum yet?)
http://192.168.1.1 is it?

 

[Chris D]

it is because i have been buying on the internet for over two decades. there are many payment options and c/c almost always has it's dedicated and c/c specific/only page where you enter those details and pay that way, without portals handled by other payment providers. this pay via c/c but through paypal anyway is new and weird. don't say it isn't. and i absolutely guarantee (i can tell by how the paypal visa portal thing is set up and what it asks) that once i would use that method, i'd -without permission technically- "gee wheez" also have a paypal account for that c/c too. NO!!


i tried it again, and yes, the "pay by card" link is there. obviously it's designed to not be seen unless looking specifically for it. i start the process and sure enough whilst it lets (would) one pay by direct card, it's so obvious doing so automatically also creates a paypal account for that credit card. no way! shows just how scammy paypal is. not happening.

i'm sending a request now. i hope that will be a name/address and c/c details request and not my blood type or dog's name.

Actually, no, it’s a checkout as guest option and doesn’t create any sort of account.

finally. and now what's the url for parking? (not using forum yet?)
http://192.168.1.1 is it?

Whatever you like. Just ensure it’s kept up to date once your site is live.

 

[Mr Lucky]

there are many payment options and c/c almost always has it's dedicated and c/c specific/only page where you enter those details and pay that way, without portals handled by other payment providers

I'm not aware that is possible. You would be giving some website your credit card details (very dodgy) and then somehow they get the money into their bank without a payment gateway. How would that work? They would at least need to have a merchant account and a card machine that they manually enter your card details into, but this would go via one of the gateways like Worldpay or Sagepay. This is very insecure as the site you are buying from then has all your details.

When it goes via an automated website cart or button system, the details are never entered into the ecommerce site but are entered into the gateway site so are much ore secure. Paypal is just one such gateway and is popular because (as mentioned above) it gives the purchaser the option of paying via a CC without a Payapl account or via their Paypal account. Much as I dislike PP, we are stuck with that for now as a popular method.

I hadn't realised though that the option to pay via CC rather than PP account can depend on the country.

 

[User99]

Actually, no, it’s a checkout as guest option and doesn’t create any sort of account.

it's done now and i used a pure visa portal manually added for me by you guys. even if paypal is like that after all, it's not, since paypal is already a payment provider. paypal also wanted mobile phone and other details on top of what your site already wanted, though i didn't bother finishing via paypal, so aren't sure if it's required or they ask for those just to build customer profiles even deeper. no point going in circles, i'm now a customer and i learned something anyway. (after all, the way i paid in the end, is exactly what i wanted to begin with.)

Whatever you like. Just ensure it’s kept up to date once your site is live.

okay. i wasn't sure if each download bakes in the licensed site name in each php or whatever. (kinda like how your ex job place does with customer numbers.)

I hadn't realised though that the option to pay via CC rather than PP account can depend on the country.

i do see that paypal pay by card link. said so via previous reply. i missed it the first time since it's so easy to miss. that doesn't mean other countries may not have some restrictions. mine doesn't. i just initially missed that link.

 

[abdfahim]

it is because i have been buying on the internet for over two decades. there are many payment options and c/c almost always has it's dedicated and c/c specific/only page where you enter those details and pay that way, without portals handled by other payment providers. this pay via c/c but through paypal anyway is new and weird. don't say it isn't. and i absolutely guarantee (i can tell by how the paypal visa portal thing is set up and what it asks) that once i would use that method, i'd -without permission technically- "gee wheez" also have a paypal account for that c/c too. NO!!

Sorry for going a bit off the topic, but just for the sake of my own understanding and curiosity. I know you have already purchased your license via your preferred method, so ignore my post if you think it is sort of moot right now.

If not, based on what you said above, are you suggesting you are more comfortable in giving away your credit card details to a random website (not talking about XF, just in general) rather than an established gateway like Paypal? For me, when I make an online purchase from a not-reputed site, I always look for Paypal checkout or similar so that I don't end up giving my details to that random site (for the exact reason explained by @Mr Lucky in his last post).

Of course, you might argue that you purchase only from the reputed websites, but again, isn't giving details to any website, be it PayPal or Google or Facebook, or anything else, can cause a possible breach of your privacy?

And no, I don't think Paypal create any account automatically if you purchase as a guest, have done before many a time.

Again, just for my own knowledge, if I am missing some perspective here, not to debate your cause.

 

[User99]

@abdfahim

it's really simple actually. this site is trusted. i had no issues paying via c/c here, and in fact (as shown) wanted/insisted on that. i really don't see myself buying at suspicious sites. if there is a new place i may want to buy from, i research it first. (whois the domain, reviews, etc.) finally, and this is important, there are different types of credit cards. i assume you and others typically assume that when someone uses a credit card, it must be a traditional one where they often have large credit from the issuing bank, and have lots of purchasing history they want to maintain, and of course must protect the card reputation at all costs. there have been, for over a decade+ now, alternatives. pre-paid credit cards or even single use numbers generated by some banks/issuers for private/risky purchases. i think the important lesson here is to recondition older folk about credit cards. often these days many people use credit cards that are risk averse. (ie: prepaid with minimal or even exact funds) obviously not every country has them, and that's fine, but those that do, afford people to use them in 100% secure ways. you can even get anonymous pre paid ($100-500) visa cards that can be used online just like real ones, maybe if you need to spruce up your romantic lifestyle and wish to do it anon. (tip: use p.o. box as well)

now here, @xen, i didn't need any protection - i simply wanted to use my specific card, for budgeting purposes (!). per capita, blah blah, most westerners are about $3K in debt because they don't budget or don't budget properly or just don't care. i wanted to pay with money from a specific place and not another. that's it. (oh, and obviously, those things about personal info/privacy stand, besides the budgeting reason - absolutely. in fact the paypal visa portal wanted more personal info than the pure visa one. so even by your own commenting, (ie: not giving out too much info to sites) paypal - the one you embrace, digs deeper and wants to know more.)

 

[abdfahim]

Hmm, got your perspective. I have used my card/accounts with PayPal checkout (guest or membership-based both) many times, never had any issue so far, and personally, I don't mind giving that one or two extra bit of information to Paypal which saves me that extra efforts for researching the authenticity of the unknown payment gateway each time I purchase from a new website. But that's my way of doing and doesn't necessarily mean the best one.

Thanks for letting me know your perspective.