Category: Client Billing : Software
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»Outsource (3)
Piece of Junk - 2004-02-04
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| Reviewed by: Sterling |
This is the worst piece of commercial software I've ever used. They process a quick signup, but then after entering a credit card, you have to fax in the same information.
A couple days later I received an email with instructions on downloading and installing the software. I installed everything, but couldn't use it because I had to send whnbilling my hostname and wait a day for them to add it to their licensed hosts list. I received an email saying I was added, but I still got an error message that I was using an unlicensed version, so wrote back, and they fixed it a few hours later.
There were a number of bugs with the install. The permissions in the tar file didn't work with the relative paths in the PHP files (I needed to +x the directories). Some PHP files were trying to read templates from the wrong directory, and critical SQL tables were not created during the setup process. Because I ordered the "closed" version, all the PHP code was compiled and encrypted via Zend, so I couldn't fix the bugs and had to work around them as much as I could. There are also no mention of error log files in the docs, so it is very difficult to troubleshoot.
The biggest problem was that the whnbilling software was not even connecting to my Authorize.net account to attempt transactions. It just gave an declined message (possibly because of missing tables).
When I contacted support, they asked for my root password. I told them "no" because I felt it was bugs in their software not my installation. They replied that they needed "root" if I wanted them to fix my files, and that from all the bugs I listed, I probably didn't have Curl w/ SSL installed in the proper location as per installation guide.
I tested curl and was able to successfully retrieve an HTML page via HTTPS. I thought curl was only used for the cron jobs to automate the daily billing and other tasks. Since curl only gets and puts docs via URLS, I don't see how it being misconfigured would cause permission problems, SQL errors, incorrect include paths, and other logical flaws in the code.
I refused to give root and let them know that I've never been expected to give root access for any software. Any commercial or reputable open source project will give you patches and clear instructions on how to fix the bugs, rather than expect you to comprise your security and give them root password through an unencrypted web form where clueless admins who don't know how curl works will be tampering with your system. It's been 2 days and I haven't heard back.
Whnbilling could be the ultimate hacker scam. They could collect root access and compromise servers while charging your credit card.
Save your money and time. I'm going to try Modern Bill and see if I have better luck with them. At least they offer a trial period as well as a 15 day money-back guarantee while WHNBilling gives no refunds. I'm a week behind schedule now because of WHN. Wish me luck. |
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Limited - 2004-03-30
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| Reviewed by: Roland Bourgoin |
WHM billing seems to be a good billing script but its mains lack is about languages ! The script is crypted and no change can be made unless we buy the expensive version that is more than 200 $ dollars.
Other scripts like clientexec offers a non crypted languages files for only 99 $. WHM billing could at least consider to leave the languages files available for translation it would surely benefit from it.
As I am concerned, I can't afford to pay more than 200 $ dollars in order to be able to access uncripted languages files.
Other scripts are more friendly languages !
Maybe WHM billing should consider to make available languages files uncrypted at a better price. I would surely benefit to be able to offer the script internationaly and being international means different languages.
My rating was given in regard of the facikity to be able to edit the script and the price asked for the script. |
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| Use modernbill instead - 2004-11-17
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| Reviewed by: Sterling |
After my post earlier in the year expressing my frustration and dissapointment with WHNBilling, I am pleased to announce that ModernBill.com's product has worked better than expected.
It costs a little bit more than WHMBilling, but the price is absolutely worth it. 90% of the code is open PHP source so you can modify it to suit your needs. Also the staff is very responsive and quick, unlike WHNBilling who responded to my complaints with defensiveness and a "tough sh*t" attitude.
To be fair, the version of code I received from WHNBilling was probably faulty because it was during a transitional period. I was told to upgrade to the newer version (because by mistake I was given an outdated version), but it took several weeks for them to tell me that, and by then I had given up and moved on to ModernBill. More recent versions of WHNBilling might actually work properly, but even if they work flawlessly, ModernBill's support is so much easier (and nicer) to work with. |
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