The best times of this forum are long gone.

[Tonoid]

All functionality is paid and very expensive. The free version is very simple. The best times of this forum are long gone.

[nigel01]

hmmm…so are you using the plugin for your site? If so, you’re getting value every day from it but decide to try to trash the developers business by giving a poor review? You do realize that you’re just shooting yourself in the foot if the developers can no longer afford to update the plugin because of poor reviews like this, right?

[Tonoid]

I enjoyed your forum for quite a long time in the old version. When there was a single subscription to all plugins. Now I’m just giving my opinion.

[nigel01]

There is a single subscription to all plugins that you can purchase. Pricing for those options are located on this page: https://simple-press.com/pricing/

But, regardless, reviews are supposed to be about the FREE plugin, not about any premium options. www.ads-software.com doesn’t even allow vendors to offer support for any premium features on the support forum on this site. Everything on here is supposed to be about the free version.

Still, even if it wasn’t, if you’re using the plugin every day, then a low rated review is a little hypocritical. How can you find something so useful that you use it on a regular basis but still deliberately try to weaken it and the associated business?

Plus, if you are using it every day and something crops up where you need help, what are the odds that the developers or support staff will rush to help you after seeing how little you value their work?

Just some points to ponder…

[cyberseo]

Tonoid has evaluated the new version which is really not good at all (look at your prices of every standard forum function closely). However he has mentioned that the previous version was definitely nice. I believe he still uses that version but not something you have published at www.ads-software.com.

I also distribute my plugins here, but I never ask money for additional features. Everything which is listed in the product description, works out of the box. Course everybody can buy a professional version, but that’s just different product with its own functionality and it’s own description. If you download any of my free plugins and install it at your site, you will never see a single disabled option/feature there with a remark like “give me your money to enable it”. Because all these “buy an add-on”, “buy an API key”, “upgrade to pro to enable this function” etc are low and dirty marketing tricks. I do respect all my customers – doesn’t matter if they use paid or free products.

[nigel01]

@cyberseo , the new version has the same functions as the prior version and includes additional features, a more stable code base and bug fixes. So your objection that the new version is somehow worse than the old version is puzzling. The sole objection really seems to be pricing related to premium functions. If you don’t want to pay for premium options that’s fine but review the free plugin on its own merits then….

[cyberseo]

The free plugin has a zero functionality without paid extensions. So how exactly it should be evaluated, if a customer has to pay $93 USD just for a standard search function?

Still unclear? Check this out then: https://simple-press.com/store/all-premium-plugins/

[nigel01]

@cyberseo…ummm…have you actually installed the free plugin and looked at the search functions that are available for free?

Since you believe that the free version of the plugin has zero functionality maybe you should file a complaint with www.ads-software.com directly about that. They do not take too kindly to fluff on here…

PS: Its hard to have zero functionality with 10,000+ lines of code. Obviously you found a better free plugin that works for you which is what opensource is all about…

[cyberseo]

Yes, I have installed it and was very surprised that all my existing themes and plugins (those I’ve downloaded with a subscription) do not work anymore because now they are paid ones and the prices are just awful.

Did you open this link?

[nigel01]

@cyberseo:

Premium plugins and themes were never free. But here are upgrade instructions: https://simple-press.com/documentation/installation/upgrading/upgrading-from-version-5-x-to-version-6-x/

And a better pricing link: https://simple-press.com/pricing/

Hope that helps.