What if Xenforo shut down?

[Gene Steinberg]

My issue is that we offer member upgrades to access the premium versions of our radio show. They depend on PayPal and Stripe recurring payments. If I move to another system, there has to be a way to transfer all the transactions to the new system so upgraded members can continue to enjoy our services and have automatic renewals continue.

I expect that would be very difficult and would require working with PayPal and Stripe to accommodate such a conversion process. It may not even be possible.

 

[Mr Lucky]

so upgraded members can continue to enjoy our services and have automatic renewals continue.

With Paypal (not so sure about stripe) the subscription continues with or without xenForo. I think your online would be if they cancelled with Paypal, they you'd need to manually cancel their services or it would just go on forever even though they stopped paying.

 

[Suzanne O]

My issue is that we offer member upgrades to access the premium versions of our radio show. They depend on PayPal and Stripe recurring payments. If I move to another system, there has to be a way to transfer all the transactions to the new system so upgraded members can continue to enjoy our services and have automatic renewals continue.

I expect that would be very difficult and would require working with PayPal and Stripe to accommodate such a conversion process. It may not even be possible.

Funny how your mind tells you these things.
Fact is that Paypal is welcomed globally.
Stripe i avoid at all costs. I have read on here that people have had their accounts closed by stripe.
Also i’d hate to give my finanicial information to some untrustworthy person claiming they work at your bank.

 

[BassMan]

What if your forum software shut down?

I'd get a huge headache. I like the way XenForo works and evolves. It works for my needs and most of my forum members like it. Of course, there is always room for improvement, but content is the main driver of any forum (with good moderation).

 

[Gene Steinberg]

With Paypal (not so sure about stripe) the subscription continues with or without xenForo. I think your online would be if they cancelled with Paypal, they you'd need to manually cancel their services or it would just go on forever even though they stopped paying.

Stripe is the same. Their system manages the recurring payments. But you merely raise the problem, which is that members would have to cancel and resubscribe with a new system, which is a sure way to lose some of them. Those with lifetime memberships, thus not recurring, can be easily transferred.

 

[Forsaken]

Stripe is the same. Their system manages the recurring payments. But you merely raise the problem, which is that members would have to cancel and resubscribe with a new system, which is a sure way to lose some of them. Those with lifetime memberships, thus not recurring, can be easily transferred.

Depending on the system you move to, I would just transfer the subscription manually (if migration is not supported) and add an additional period for the inconvenience of resubbing.

When I had to do this we still saw about a 80-90% resub rate, as people appreciated the additional time. That said, the value added by the subscription made it that we had around a 70% subscription rate of our members already.

 

[avalanch]

If xenforo did wind up getting stale and or shutdown, another company would rise from it's ashes... much in the same way xenforo did with vbulletin.

 

[FTL]

For self hosted, it wouldn't make any immediate difference and there wouldn't be any immediate problems, either, as it would just carry on, but now with no more updates, is all. It could work just fine like this for years, too.

For those on cloud, it would be a different matter and would depend on how the company handled things. Customers would be at the mercy of the company not simply pulling the plug on the cloud hosting (Vultr) killing all cloud forums in one hit, which could happen. Yeah, sue them...

There's also the problem of there being no easy way of getting the forum off it, because while XF give you a database copy on demand, assuming they're still responsive, you can't build a complete forum from that since you need the installation files with the forum structure, attachments, styles etc to make a working forum. Perhaps in such a shutdown scenario, the company would release those files to see their customers right? Don't rely on it though.

Thankfully, XenForo doesn't look anywhere near going bust, so we don't have to worry about this awful scenario.

 

[Opus X]

I'd run the current of what I have installed until it quit working. Then I would have to look to see if there were other software providers that I can move over to that can keep any current data I have and any subscriptions. From doing some reading here that last part may be a big issue.
Not everyone starts with endless money to be able to do moves or upgrades and have to live with what they can afford.
Something I have discovered after having to leave the work force at a young age and not really being able to fit into many current jobs due to health issues (still looking at loosing legs from knees down). I am hoping to be able to make some money on a site and was give a boon by a friend of not only a xenforo license but a domain and temporary hosting also.

I don't know enough about xenforo other than being a user of a site that uses their software. But I realize that any company can fold quickly. That happened with my last company that I worked for and then my health issues kept me from finding a similar job.

 

[FTL]

Something I have discovered after having to leave the work force at a young age and not really being able to fit into many current jobs due to health issues (still looking at loosing legs from knees down).

I'm really sorry to hear about that.

Could you perhaps get a fully 100% work from home job?

 

[Suzanne O]

I think that if xenforo were to go bust and shut down i'd be using rival software.
But in saying this i think that the OP has a grudge against the staff here.

 

[KartaL]

We develop it ourselves, what's the point in that?

 

[Opus X]

Could you perhaps get a fully 100% work from home job?

It's rather hard in many aspects.. the medical issue I have causes periods of intense pain that requires medication.

When you have foot/leg issues that result in this type problem (it extends up to my knees) it's rather hard to deal with easily for an extended period of time and have an adequate attention span.



I qualify for disability... but would love to be able to support myself. Thanks to Tracy (a close friend of mine) he sold me a domain he had in a field I'm active in, current hosting and license for XenForo so that I can try to pursue additional income. He sold me the "package" deal for $25... so I honestly think I came out ahead.
I simply have to figure out how to get the site to make money (over what my disability pays) and be active.

 

[Suzanne O]

It's rather hard in many aspects.. the medical issue I have causes periods of intense pain that requires medication.

When you have foot/leg issues that result in this type problem (it extends up to my knees) it's rather hard to deal with easily for an extended period of time and have an adequate attention span.

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I qualify for disability... but would love to be able to support myself. Thanks to Tracy (a close friend of mine) he sold me a domain he had in a field I'm active in, current hosting and license for XenForo so that I can try to pursue additional income. He sold me the "package" deal for $25... so I honestly think I came out ahead.
I simply have to figure out how to get the site to make money (over what my disability pays) and be active.

Youchies mate.
Might be a great idea to work from home in a wheelchair.

 

[Opus X]

Youchies mate.
Might be a great idea to work from home in a wheelchair.

Considering that having no legs is very likely... a wheel chair is a likely possibility for me unless I can get artificial legs from the government (unlikely as a wheel chair is cheaper).
The problem is that the medical issue does not easily allow working an 8-10 hour time slot. It is entirely dependent upon the pain level at the time.