Planing on buying XenForo, few questions.

[Clovis]

Hi!

I plan on taking a step into the deep end, but just had a few questions before I buy.

1. Does buying a license meen you can install XenForo once? I want to use XenForo as my whole website suite but I would like to have a copy running locally on a test server to test out features, plugins, ect.

2. Is it possible to buy XenForo ($140) at first and towards the end of the year, pay the 40$ fee for another year or do you have to pay 40$ at the same time as the 140$ license?

Maybe more later.

Thanks,
Clovis

 

[Paul B]

An additional test installation is permitted.

The annual charge only applies after 12 months.

See the FAQ links in my signature for more details.

 

[Morgain]

Clovis croeso and welcome to XF. It's not so much "a step into the deep end," as coming into a safe harbour with a lot of exciting parties going on!

Just to flesh out Brogan's characteristically accurate and fast response, you pay $40 to renew your licence. That is not due until one year after you buy the licence.
However you can in theory not pay it, and continue to use the version of XF you bought, free forever once you buy it the first time!

The $40 renewal buys you access to any new versions of XF, after that date for one year, plus ticketed support.
If you don't renew you can still continue to use the installation you have, forever! and general community support here is always available for the foreseeable future.

The version you bought is yours forever to do as you like with, as long as
-- you keep the copyright line to XF at the bottom;
- you don't resell it outside certain conditions.
You can also download a fresh copy of that particular version which you bought.

Alternatively with a current licence you can download any version of XF which appears, and get specific ticketed support for your site.

You can run a testing installation on the same site as your live install, providing the test install is not supporting a membership. So it would need dummy members of its own for test purposes.
It could not be open to membership registrations, nor providing memberships created by you (other than for XF developers to work with you on site edit tests or addons), not using the same membership database as your live install, not used for advertising or any active use except testing changes you make to your XF script. For example installing addons, or making your own edits.

 

[Clovis]

Thank you for your warm welcome, I am very glad to be able to take a step into the (reworded) enlightened end of the party,

Now, just quickly checking:

You can run a testing installation on the same site as your live install

This would mean I could not install it on, say a local web host (offline) running for personal testing, it has to be on the same site? Not sure that would cope well with my current host and server limitations.

Other than that, Thank you Brogan and Morgain for your prompt replies. Very Helpful.

Thanks,
Clovis

 

[TPerry]

This would mean I could not install it on, say a local web host (offline) running for personal testing, it has to be on the same site? Not sure that would cope well with my current host and server limitations.

Running on Localhost would be fine. I have a VirtualBox setup on my Mac that I use for the local installs (since I have two licenses) that allow me to play around without worrying about screwing anything up.

 

[Andrej]

This would mean I could not install it on, say a local web host (offline) running for personal testing, it has to be on the same site? Not sure that would cope well with my current host and server limitations.

Nope, Morgain is a bit misleading here. You can install the test installation anywhere, but it shouldn't be used as a live site.

 

[Clovis]

Running on Localhost would be fine. I have a VirtualBox setup on my Mac that I use for the local installs (since I have two licenses) that allow me to play around without worrying about screwing anything up.

Kinda like what I had in mind.

Nope, Morgain is a bit misleading here. You can install the test installation anywhere, but it shouldn't be used as a live site.

Okay, great. Sounds good.

Just a bit more clarification, so say I have Xen running as the real forums on aaa.com, would I be able to run Xen on bbb.com but with closed registrations and password protected directory for testing and developing? It would neither be on the same domain or on a local host but it would be locked up tight to prevent any non-staff viewing/modifying/doing anything to it. That would also be allowed? Just trying to see what would be easiest and legal-est (not even a word ) for testing on.

Thanks.

 

[Paul B]

Yes.

 

[Clovis]

Yes.

Cool, Spacibo (russian for thanks)

Clovis (<- not russian)

 

[Morgain]

Yes.

Cool. I am sorry I was misleading re localhost installs. That;s beyond my ken so did not occur to me.

Also as the licence has to be linked with a domain/ site, that appeared to me to say it could only support installs on that site.
It is very difficult to make guide text conclusively precise - reality exceeds language, and perception pathways by the many always outstrip the anticipation of any author even an author team.
So I suggest a small addition to the guide here.

 

[Clovis]

I has bought XenForo!

 

[whynot]

I has bought XenForo!

Good buy!

 

[Clovis]

Good buy!

Not regretting it. not going to regret it!

 

[Paul B]

You can has forum.

 

[Martok]

Welcome to the club, Clovis. Enjoy your purchase, you won't regret it.

 

[TPerry]

You can has forum.

Can I has two?

 

[Code Monkey]

I has bought XenForo!

You won't be sorry