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    Plugin upgrade options

    Before we start converting/upgrading my plugins to HS4, it would be nice to understand what options we can offer our users. For instance, do HS4 plugins require a new license? Can we use upgrade fees? Other options?

    Thanks!
    stefxx

    #2
    The plugin license is based on the plugin name. If you use he same name for your HS4 plugin then an exsiting HS3 license can be used. We should be able to offer the ability to upgrade an existing license, I will check on that and get you details.

    Originally posted by stefxx View Post
    Before we start converting/upgrading my plugins to HS4, it would be nice to understand what options we can offer our users. For instance, do HS4 plugins require a new license? Can we use upgrade fees? Other options?

    Thanks!
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      #3
      Have you considered at all the amount of work it will take to upgrade a plugin to HS4 and offer the developers a way to to have 2 versions: HS3 and HS4 with separate pricing to upgrade to HS4 for existing licensed users?

      I've read a few times about the level of effort to upgrade a plugin to HS4 and some might want the option to limit their HS3 version to HS3 only and then create a new HS4 version with an upgrade price for existing users. Then of course you have to maintain 2 versions of your code for the 2 systems, which be can become a pain for people like me who do this in what free time they have.

      I haven't tried to upgrade a plugin to HS4, but I don't like how HS4 Handles my HS3 plugins so far (Understanding that the UI is still in the works). So alternatively, is there a way to limit a plugin to only HS3 and just not offer it on HS4?

      Comment


        #4
        Good point about limiting a plugin e.g. to only HS3.
        What if I (as a plugin developer) don't want to upgrade to HS4 (for now) but people are reporting issues with my plugin on HS4 ? How would I tackle that without forcing me to pay for an upgrade ?

        Comment


          #5
          Very good points in deed. If I chose to not upgrade my plugin to HS4 I don't want users being able to use it with HS4 and then I have to deal with all of the issue reports and complaining about how bad it looks and that there's no functionality. I especially don't want to have to pay for an upgrade just to then spend days possibly weeks fixing the plugin to work correctly. At that point I'm out the license fee and all of my time with absolutely no return.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by simplextech View Post
            Very good points in deed. If I chose to not upgrade my plugin to HS4 I don't want users being able to use it with HS4 and then I have to deal with all of the issue reports and complaining about how bad it looks and that there's no functionality. I especially don't want to have to pay for an upgrade just to then spend days possibly weeks fixing the plugin to work correctly. At that point I'm out the license fee and all of my time with absolutely no return.
            +1 on this, I guess I might call hs.version when my plugin loads and put a load of statements in the log if I detect a HS4 installation.

            Considering the changes needed (all my multi instance plugins would have to get rolled into one - I personally thought it was a good idea and made things neater but guess I'm wrong on that one, that work alone for me is significant) I don't particularly want to deal with HS4 at this time and neither do I want to get caught in an accidental trap of trying to fix something that I don't support.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by sirmeili View Post
              Have you considered at all the amount of work it will take to upgrade a plugin to HS4 and offer the developers a way to to have 2 versions: HS3 and HS4 with separate pricing to upgrade to HS4 for existing licensed users?

              I've read a few times about the level of effort to upgrade a plugin to HS4 and some might want the option to limit their HS3 version to HS3 only and then create a new HS4 version with an upgrade price for existing users. Then of course you have to maintain 2 versions of your code for the 2 systems, which be can become a pain for people like me who do this in what free time they have.

              I haven't tried to upgrade a plugin to HS4, but I don't like how HS4 Handles my HS3 plugins so far (Understanding that the UI is still in the works). So alternatively, is there a way to limit a plugin to only HS3 and just not offer it on HS4?
              Very interested in this - trying to figure out how to balance the amount of work required NOW with the EVENTUAL growth of HS user base (if all goes according to plan) with not screwing over EXISTING customers who've paid for my plugin is making my head hurt.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by shill View Post

                Very interested in this - trying to figure out how to balance the amount of work required NOW with the EVENTUAL growth of HS user base (if all goes according to plan) with not screwing over EXISTING customers who've paid for my plugin is making my head hurt.
                I've been trying to figure this one out too. I'm at the point of shutting down new sales of existing versions of plugins since HS3 is supposed to be retired quickly after release. At the very least then I'll only have to continue support for existing HS3 users and NOT have to deal with issues of the plugin not working with HS4. Problem then is to decide whether to put forth the effort to make an HS4 version. Then I would have two distinctly different versions of each plugin to maintain. That's too much time wasted with no return.

                This is also problematic as I'm not going to develop anything new now for HS3 and HS4 is not ready and users are asking about new plugins for things. I can't tell them no I'm waiting for HS4 because then they would start asking when it will be available.. etc. So I've been giving a bland generic excuse of no new plugins are being developed.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by shill View Post
                  Very interested in this - trying to figure out how to balance the amount of work required NOW with the EVENTUAL growth of HS user base (if all goes according to plan) with not screwing over EXISTING customers who've paid for my plugin is making my head hurt.
                  Originally posted by simplextech View Post
                  Then I would have two distinctly different versions of each plugin to maintain. That's too much time wasted with no return.

                  Exactly!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I think the answer is to do nothing for now - my plugins so far are working fine in HS4. Once that's the only choice for people, I'll do a major version upgrade to the new interface if I see sales start to increase.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by rjh View Post
                      The plugin license is based on the plugin name. If you use he same name for your HS4 plugin then an exsiting HS3 license can be used. We should be able to offer the ability to upgrade an existing license, I will check on that and get you details.
                      Rich,
                      I don't want to change the name of my Insteon plugin just for licensing purposes. My HS3 plugin version is 3.x.x.x. I would like to be able to charge an upgrade fee for the HS4 version which would be 4.x.x.x (just like you are doing with HS4)

                      I have asked for this in the past. We need a licensing tool that isn't limited to just keying off plugin name.

                      Mark

                      HS3 Pro 4.2.19.5
                      Hardware: Insteon Serial PLM | AD2USB for Vista Alarm | HAI Omnistat2 | 1-Wire HA7E | RFXrec433 | Dahua Cameras | LiftMaster Internet Gateway | Tuya Smart Plugs
                      Plugins: Insteon (mine) | Vista Alarm (mine) | Omnistat 3 | Ultra1Wire3 | RFXCOM | HS MyQ | BLRadar | BLDenon | Tuya | Jon00 Charting | Jon00 Links
                      Platform: Windows Server 2022 Standard, i5-12600K/3.7GHz/10 core, 16GB RAM, 500GB SSD

                      Comment


                        #12
                        rjh please comment on #11 above
                        Mark

                        HS3 Pro 4.2.19.5
                        Hardware: Insteon Serial PLM | AD2USB for Vista Alarm | HAI Omnistat2 | 1-Wire HA7E | RFXrec433 | Dahua Cameras | LiftMaster Internet Gateway | Tuya Smart Plugs
                        Plugins: Insteon (mine) | Vista Alarm (mine) | Omnistat 3 | Ultra1Wire3 | RFXCOM | HS MyQ | BLRadar | BLDenon | Tuya | Jon00 Charting | Jon00 Links
                        Platform: Windows Server 2022 Standard, i5-12600K/3.7GHz/10 core, 16GB RAM, 500GB SSD

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by mnsandler View Post

                          Rich,
                          I don't want to change the name of my Insteon plugin just for licensing purposes. My HS3 plugin version is 3.x.x.x. I would like to be able to charge an upgrade fee for the HS4 version which would be 4.x.x.x (just like you are doing with HS4)

                          I have asked for this in the past. We need a licensing tool that isn't limited to just keying off plugin name.
                          I think many of us have asked for this.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            When a user enters their license, they will enter their current HS3 license, and also enter the upgrade license. Our system verifies that they are the owner of the license and then registers the plugin. I should have that dialog available soon.
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                            Comment


                              #15
                              Some user are concerned about purchasing an HS3 plugin now and then having to purchase an HS4 upgrade soon after. We are currently offering users the ability to purchase HS3 now and get HS4 for free. If any plugin authors would like to offer this to their users, they are welcome to do so. When your plugin is sold in the store we would issue the user 2 licenses, one for your HS3 plugin and one for your HS4 plugin. I will post details soon, but all we need is the ID of your HS4 plugin and we can then create the product in our database.
                              💁‍♂️ Support & Customer Service 🙋‍♂️ Sales Questions 🛒 Shop HomeSeer Products

                              Comment

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