Free or not Free!

Discontinued Products ZTL
21

LOL Paul ;D

22

Keeping my “trigger finger” ready, so I can push the download button when it gets free… ;D

23

Your online so much, I would have thought it to always be ready ;D

24

Yes, I’m still waiting… ;D

25

Free or not, the interface is well worth $100 a year.

For a small business with no real admin, the web interface gives them controlled exposure to the soft bits.

Besides, if you’re too cheap, just keep requesting 30 day demos. (:NRD)

26

I don’t think it’s up to “how much it costs”, it’s a question of “give it away for free and later the users would first try our ssl services” :). Anyway, i’d simply create a per machines package (fe. up to 50 or 250 pcs+/- router, etc. it’s free).

27

I have used TSL on many occasions. The community version that is. I am also a very big fan of SME server (www.contribs.org) and have been following it for years.

I think Comodo should look at SME and maybe learn some lessons from it …

For a start, if I post on the Trustix forum I rarely get an answer quickly if at all. In comparison I have had answers to SME questions in minutes. Why is this? Becasue the user base is so big. Why is this? Becasue its free and they have built a huge community on a very solid product and there are alot of people feeding back and helping out. But the strange thing is, money is now starting to roll in because all the people who have been using it for years, and are still using it beleive it is worth donating to, to keep the project alive, and to keep using it. So, now lots of people donat $20 every time they install it.

Thats how a good community project like SME can work. TSL could be like that too. But it has to build a community and listen to that community on feature requests and bug reports.

I think guys like Christian and the other developers are top devs and could demand a job anywhere. But people are people they cannot live on praise alone. We all need recognition. TSL can be get that recognition but the investment has to come in at the beginning, the rewards come later.

Just my 2 pence !!!

28

Melih,

Please contact me about making a donation based verison of TSL or ZTL !

I have about 20 clients all with SME Server right now and am very happy with it but I am always interested to see how alternatives would work, how resellers and installers can make a living and how community programs can provide rewards.

My idea is to have a donation version where you can choose to donate $20, $50 etc based on your business plan. If you are a charity or an installer you can donate $20 and support it yourself. If you are a big company you pay more but it is a sliding scale.

SME for me right now is letting me do VPN connections, remote webmail, ftp etc and takes about 20 mins to install and setup with limited (altho I do have considerable) experience. ZTL needs to match it on features before I can say the same. I also would like to know ;

For example, say I wanted to become a reseller / Comodo certified installer in the UK ?

How do I become a small link in the chain?

29

Hi cpcnw

you can write to Sales@comodo.com and tell them u want to become a reseller etc.
you can offer support and charge for the support for the ZTL etc. as well as sell other products we have.

thanks
Melih

30

Out of interest - I just D/L ZTL and intend to review it soon.

The licence I was sent - how long does it last ?

What is the current pricing ?

What is the current situation regarding a community release ?

Thanks

Graham

31

hi Graham
I think the license is for one year.
we are going to make it available for free.
we are waiting further QA. So it should be launched soon :slight_smile:

Melih

32

I think this is an excellent idea. However there needs to be a provision for support, even on a free product. Maybe this board for users Q&A ?

When enough people are using it, put up a donations link. Also, ask people what features they need / value.

Will look forward to it - thanks,

Graham

33

I agree there should be a support provided. That will be provided at a fee as and when.

thanks
Melih

34

Agreed. Hopefully this model could work.

  1. Community Version with No Support from Comodo but access
    to Experienced Users Forum here. Manual updates. No add-ons.

  2. Community ‘Donation’ Version with time limited support from Comodo.

(Say, 30 days installation and configuartion support) Manual updates.
Add-ons.

  1. Community Version with Paid Support Conract from Comodo.

(Say, 12 months OR (n) number of incidences) with Automatic Updates
and add-ons.

  1. Commercial version, full support, autoupdates, all add-ons

Or something like that !

35

I think that is a little extreme, it would be crippling the product if Comodo did what you have suggested, I think if Comodo were to give away ZTL they should charge only for support, instead of advertising a version with more features for money or donation…

Justin

36

AFAIK TSL had already a model like that in place - maybe you you are in a position to clarify that ?

And, in what way does it ‘cripple’ the product ?

I am suggesting different ways to pay for the support given and offering choice for people. Some may me able to support it themselves, some may want help on initial installation, some may want full support.

If you dont offer a range of services people wont come to your shop - simple as.

As I said at the bottom of my post ‘Or something like that’ - obviously open to alot of debate and coming up with a workable model. The real test is then whether people actually use it.

Looking at SME, its free, you can donate, you can pay certain developers for support or an added feature or you can just do it all yourself. It works very succseffully and is alot further down the road than TSL (IMHO)