Forced Ads for Free Hosting Accounts [Archive]

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xeehost

07-10-06, 12:36 PM

Hey, I was wonderin if it was every considered of adding Forced ads for Free Hosting Accounts. I know you can have forced ads use htaccess but I would like to see this in WHMcs.

Thank you

Matt

07-10-06, 03:40 PM

Hi,

You can have forced ads using Mod_Layout which is an Apache module. There is no need for any billing software like WHMCS to provide this.

Regards,

Matt

xeehost

07-10-06, 04:29 PM

I know you can add forced ads using other ways, but for people that want to use free and paid hosting solutions and have the free accounts with forced ads i think this would be a good feature to use.

WhyMan

07-10-06, 06:12 PM

Hey there
I know you can add forced ads using other ways, but for people that want to use free and paid hosting solutions and have the free accounts with forced ads i think this would be a good feature to use.I have to agree with you there, it would be a great feature to have ;)

MACscr

07-22-06, 06:24 AM

Like Matt already stated though, what does this have to do with billing software?

GS-Richard

07-25-06, 09:10 PM

Like Matt already stated though, what does this have to do with billing software?

Need I say iPanel? At the moment people (Including myself) are buying that highly buggy software with so many security holes in, because it has the ability to server (create) free hosting accounts and add our ad codes onto their pages.

If you added this; or created a "light" version of WHMCS for free hosts, you would attract many more customers, I know I would buy another license for my free hosting company.

MACscr

07-25-06, 09:15 PM

Can you please answer me? What does billing software have to do with forced ads?

GS-Richard

07-25-06, 09:20 PM

Can you please answer me? What does billing software have to do with forced ads?

Need I say iPanel? http://www.ihostdev.com/ipanel.html

WHMCS is not just a billing system, it's much more than that, it's an automated hosting account creator script as well. iPanel only get's buyers because of the forced ad's, if WHMCS did the same, their sales would be even higher, i'm sure of it.

Matt

07-25-06, 09:22 PM

They are also getting customers because its cheap. Can a free host really afford to be paying a monthly fee for a billing system even if it did put ad code onto pages automatically? The code required to do it is simple:

<Virtualhost www.freedomain.com>
LayoutHeader /header.html
LayoutFooter /footer.html
</virtualhost>

Not quite sure how we'd get it into httpd.conf but I'm sure I could find a way. Question is, is it worth it?

Matt

MACscr

07-26-06, 02:44 AM

Cant that virtualhost directive just be assigned to a pariticular ip or ip range, then just have all free accounts that are created assigned to those ips? To me that would be the easiest and would take a lot of the responsibility from the billing software.

hottweelz

07-27-06, 03:04 PM

Can you please answer me? What does billing software have to do with forced ads?

What's with the arrogance in this forum? The OP is correct.

To ANSWER your question:

Customers sign up for free hosting, they enjoy the hosting, deal with the forced ads. Two Months later they upgrade to a Paid Environment. WHMCS Automatically updates them to that paid environment, handles the addons and then the removal of the forced ads. Manages the invoice system.

Customer is THRILLED with the ease and speed of the process. Host is thrilled to have another paid account.

No Brainer to me, and Yes, Ipanel is the ONLY software that does this automation. They have LOCKED the market and they are making a KILLING in sales.

Yet the software is horrible, but convenient.

I personall use Ipanel on all my free hosting servers JUST for the Forced Ads. And now when they upgrade I have to manually add them to WHMCS.

They'd be crazy NOT to attempt this same market here at WHMCS.

MACscr

07-27-06, 03:29 PM

I only responded that way because my question was quoted, then not answered. Thanks for your thorough response and that does make perfect sense now.

What through me off as well was the fact that GS-Richard said it was for his free hosting company. To me, he was stating that his company only does free hosting, hence labeled "free hosting company". Which then would imply that there would be no conversion and now point in having the billing software involved in the change of the virtual host settings.

Matt, could this be done by having WHMCS create an htaccess file in the user root site folder, and permission it to not be able to be changed by the user? This would avoid touching the httpd.conf every time an account is created or upgraded. Now this would mean that the user wouldnt be able to have their own htaccess file, but again, you probably wouldnt want to give that many options to a free user anyway.

hottweelz

07-27-06, 03:58 PM

My fault for reading TOO FAST, should not have used the word "arrogant."

.htaccess would be a great alternative... but maybe easier to break. Our only issue is that IPanel has proven the ability to install via mod_layout in Apache, but their code is encrypted with IONCube. :(

Chris.S

07-30-06, 03:51 PM

I would also like to see this feature.
Please dont call me arrogant.
After all this is a complete solution isnt it?

strategy

07-31-06, 03:01 AM

While this would be an awesome feature to have, what I don't want to happen is WHMCS become some bloated software with every feature suggestion we throw at Matt. WHMCS is a billing software to help hosts handle payments from customers. Not all of us offer free hosting and never will. I like being paid for my services.

I see that an owned license for iPanel is only $49.95. Why not just order it and offer that along with WHMCS? It's certainly affordable for what it does.

Maybe with 2.6 or later, Matt will be able to make WHMCS even more modular and allow plugins or modules that we can make or buy. This way, no one if forcing you to have features you don't want or need. You buy the additional features you want.

I, for one, know Matt is working hard and diligently on the 2.5 release in a few days and of course will consider all feature requests, but let's not lose sight of the fact that WHMCS is a billing software, not an "everything" software.

Chris H., I won't call you arrogant, but what about sarcastic with that "Complete Solution" remark?? ;)

Please, don't call me Shirley...

MACscr

07-31-06, 03:16 AM

Actually you might want to scroll up and look at the header. WHMCS is a client management, billing, and support system. Now i definately agree with not letting it become bloatware or becoming over complicated (like MB) because of to many solutions, but i think this feature request is pretty valid. Again, its just a request, not a demand.

I for one wouldnt wrong two solutions either, but thats just me.

I would LOVE for WHMCS to become more modular. Would allow us to integrate our own modules as well. I think Matt is starting to code with that idea in mind.

hostutopia

07-31-06, 12:12 PM

This is just what happened to ModernBill. They added every feature everyone wanted and now the software is so bloated that it is riddled with bugs. The reason we are switching to WHMCS is because they have kept it a billing system that our staff can use without having a masters degree.

Dan

Roger

07-31-06, 12:50 PM

I have MB as well as WHMCS got a "free" update to the latest MB version. Everyonce in a while I'll go play with MB just to remind myself why I use and love WHMCS. Matt had the foresight to design/code WHMCS for the use of mere mortals... :) Oh and as a plus ... he made it work too!

xxkylexx

07-31-06, 02:25 PM

numberz

08-03-06, 08:43 AM

i personally would not like to see this added.

We use both whmcs and ipanel.

I am not sure what bugs hotwheelz is refering to as we are running the latest version and have not found one bug yet. The whole idea behind ipanel is that it tailored to the free hosting market with features we have found we realy only use for our free hosting customers.

When it comes to whmcs this is total paid hosting use here. I think this feature would be like others have said making it bloated for a market that i don't see matt trying to focus on. I see the paid host to free host ratio 10/1 making better features for paid hosting a better business choice in the end then making 4-8 whmcs customers happy with a feature no one else will use or want to use.

MACscr

08-03-06, 01:28 PM

thernes

08-03-06, 01:54 PM

If Matt continues to work no his modular design and sets up a nice api, extra features will not have to mean bloatware because the extra features dont have to be included. Notice the header at the top of this page, it says "completesolution". That means that we shouldnt have to use another billing solution to manage our clients.

I also think as long as it can be included as a module, it would be ok. But for now I woudn't want Matt to focus on a feature that I believe most of us don't need.

Volt.Networks

08-08-06, 04:07 AM

I agree with hotwheelz.

It would be great to have this feature as if a host allowed for a free few clients, and those clients upgraded to paid hosting later. It would be a seamless transition...

It would be great if the feature was optional, like the module idea mentioned earlier.

MACscr

08-08-06, 04:19 AM

I think we should start doing a poll for every single feature request so Matt can get a better idea what the community is wanting. I know MB already does it, but its a good idea and Matt actually listens. =P

xxkylexx

08-08-06, 06:48 AM

I would never use this feature, personally.

Kyle

Steve

08-08-06, 07:18 AM

I would never use this feature, personally.
Neither do I, I have no interest in free hosting.

DataHosts

08-08-06, 01:00 PM

I would not use this feature either. If you want to offer free hosting you need an application that offers such support.

Volt.Networks

08-08-06, 10:13 PM

I hope a modular system is created then, that way we can choose which options we want.

Host4cheap

09-06-06, 06:40 AM

I think this should be a Feature in WHMCS and let the End users decide whether to use it or not. It will be Good if we had a Poll for this Aswell.

As my host Hotwheelz highlighted most of people start with free hosting and then move to Paid hosting when the Site becomes little popular and get some revenue. :wink:

Look the Name is WHMCS - Complete Solution. Complete Solution for Hosting Biz which Includes Billing, Creating Accounts and Support. Hosting need not be paid. :D

winger

09-10-06, 09:20 AM

I'd personally like this to be a module.. Use it if you want it. Hope it's created in the future.

Joel

09-11-06, 04:20 PM

I'm not sure I'd use it either, but I agree it would make a handy module for those that wanted it.

Host4cheap

10-28-06, 11:02 AM

IS a Module coming up for this or is this Totally DEAD :(

Mat, i think a lots and lots of free hosts will buy if you make this :D

Harrison

10-28-06, 11:14 AM

This is defiantly near the bottom of the "things to do list" because it has very little do to with billing and client admin.

MACscr

10-28-06, 03:29 PM

IS a Module coming up for this or is this Totally DEAD :(

Mat, i think a lots and lots of free hosts will buy if you make this :D

Free hosts usually dont by anything. They are known for being cheap. =P

hottweelz

10-29-06, 03:52 AM

MACscr

10-29-06, 06:41 AM

and your point is what Mr. 8 posts?

twhiting9275

10-30-06, 09:44 PM

Simply put, this isn't a "billing client" thing, it's a personal taste thing.
Yes, it might be good to have, but it's something that's not even close to related to billing.

WHMCS is a billing client. if you want something for frills and addons, then hey, maybe, just maybe, this isn't the client for you. There are enough clients out there that you don't HAVE to use this one at all.

s1rk3ls

10-30-06, 10:07 PM

This just isn't something WHMCS should/would be involved in - this is more along the lines of a feature that should be in WHM/cPanel itself if at all. This is like asking your car manufacturer to get rid of the potholes in the road so your taxi customers enjoy riding in your car more. Short of revamping the automobile to be a hovercraft, there's not much the manufacturer can do about it.

C Powell

06-28-09, 08:29 PM

Grr Just seen this thread. I created one here http://forum.whmcs.com/showthread.php?t=21581

Please add Forced Ads Module to WHMCS

I would hate to have to use 2 different systems. If it is included in WHMCS they could upgrade from free to paid hosting all in WHMCS. Would be a right wounder having to use two different systems

HexoSphere

06-29-09, 01:38 PM

I realise this is an old thread, but thought I'd add my thoughts on it.

I'm not saying that I would use it personally, but i see if it was designed as a modular feature (as it seems a vast amount of software systems are designed these days), it would be able to be applied for those that do use it.

There's a vast majority of hosts out there that use more than one domain name to get their products / services known, for example it may be that you have systems in an american datacenter that you want to aim to a specific market and may also have uk systems that you aim to point to another market, all trading as companies under the main company name. As such, the billing software usually runs from a specific domain, so it may be possible that someone has free webhosting under free-web-hosting.com and has paid for services under paid-for-services.com, both trading under the company name Joe Bloggs And Associates (jbloggs.com) with the billing hosted under billing.jbloggs.com or members.jbloggs.com (you get the gist). I'm not saying this is the right way to do it, but there are some hosts out there that do just that. So the cost of the billing software is made up by the paid for clients etc.

otherone

07-01-09, 09:46 AM

I would also like to see this feature in WHMCS.

Exoware

07-01-09, 01:35 PM

I'm not sure I'd use it either, but I agree it would make a handy module for those that wanted it.

Agreed. It would certainly be nice to have the option.

HostT

11-02-10, 05:16 PM

+1 from me on this one too....seems the thread is 4 years old and they have no plans on doing anything like this :(

The WHOLE point on having it integrated with WHMCS is so the ads are AUTOMATICALLY removed...i have over 50 free hosting accounts and i would HATE to have to go through my vhosts file just to remove it for each site

WHMCS is a COMPLETE client management billing system right? So shouldn't my billing system be able to remove ads for someone WHO PAYS FOR IT...i think it should

So needless to say, it's not that complete.

zomex

11-02-10, 10:05 PM

HostT

12-08-10, 07:36 PM

I agree with WHMCS on this one. It's not really down to them to provide such a feature. As Matt said free hosts are not really the target market of WHMCS and they have no need to get started because they're doing so well anyway.

I agree, and just like someone else posted on here it's a REQUEST not a demand, but i know for a fact there are a LOT of hosts that offer free hosting that would love to see this included in WHMCS.

Many hosts, especially hosts that are just starting out offer the free hosting hoping that when the customers need more space, ssl, dedi ip, etc they will go to the host they are using for that.

I have personally had probably 10 out of the 100 free hosting accounts i have upgrade to a paid hosting account. Now only a 10% return (which might not even be common) for the free hosting i provided more than pays for the other customers with free hosting.

You offer the free hosting with very limited ads or none at all and very limited space/bandwidth, once they need more they will almost 100% stay with you instead of moving all files to a new server.

From a free host provider point of view i think it's a great idea for WHMCS but it all depends on the amount of work it would take the designers and if it's even worth it to them.

I would even pay a one time fee like i did for the android app for this type of addon. It's better than using that OLD, outdated and possibly not working iAds or iPanel.

I tried it and will not use it at all

It would be great to see something like this from WHMCS because they have absolutely created an amazing app and if something like that came from WHMCS you know it will work and that's the reason i love WHMCS.

I say WHMCS should look at creating a Free Hosting addon, you can pay $39.99 for it if you need it, this would ad the option for certain packages to have forced ads and possibly even make it so each client can only have one free hosting account...possibilities are endless.

FYI, what i ended up doing instead of forcing ads on my customers was added a section at the top of my New Hosting Account email this:

{if $service_product_name eq "EF0 Free"}
Free Hosting Account Requirements (VERY important!)
We are happy to provide free hosting to the public, all we ask in return from you for using our free hosting service is a link back to us somewhere on your MAIN homepage.

This can be something as simple as "Hosted by My Host" with a link back to us.

ALL FREE ACCOUNTS ARE REQUIRED TO LINK BACK TO US!

Unlike many other hosts we have chosen not to place forced ads on our free hosting accounts.
We also do not require an ad on every page of our customers website, all we ask is that you place a link to us someone on your homepage.

If you need help with doing so please do not hesitate to let us know.

Please help us keep our service free to customers and free of forced ads!

Your cooperation in appreciated.

All customers are also only allowed ONE free hosting account.
{/if}

And surprisingly a lot of our customers have done it! I would say about 75% of them have which is better than anything...

I'm also thinking about changing it to having them link to us with their affiliate code which gives them an incentive to link back to us PLUS they can make money off it...both of us win :)

Snowman

12-09-10, 12:21 AM

id have to say we would like to see something tied into WHMCS to do this as well... we offer community hosting for groups for free and simply require that our banner is displayed on their site,

we looked and link directory check scripts and affiliate management scripts to check to ensure the banner is displayed but if we could tie it into whmcs so a site is suspended if they remove our banner etc that would be very handy and we would certainly be more than happy to pay for a mod to do so

we would code one up our selves but with the way WHMCS works because we dont have access under the bonnet its hard to integrate properly

mojorise

01-03-11, 09:18 AM

{if $service_product_name eq "EF0 Free"}
Free Hosting Account Requirements (VERY important!)
We are happy to provide free hosting to the public, all we ask in return from you for using our free hosting service is a link back to us somewhere on your MAIN homepage.

This can be something as simple as "Hosted by My Host" with a link back to us.

ALL FREE ACCOUNTS ARE REQUIRED TO LINK BACK TO US!

Hi,

I read somewhere that links from the same server (I'm assuming that they are on the same shared server as your main reseller site) are not great for 'link juice' - have you had this experience in practice? I'm thinking of doing a similar thing....

cheers:-P

othellotech

01-03-11, 07:07 PM

I read somewhere
Just proves that not everything you read is true ...

ulawe

11-19-11, 07:40 AM

I know this is a super old thread, but honestly this would boost WHMCS sales, and I would really like to see this feature.

cpoalmighty

11-19-11, 08:35 AM

There are many ways of achieving this as Matt stated but the BEST solution is for you to hire a dev to do the custom coding for you to integrate ipanel with whmcs. I agree with others here that we should try to keep WHMCS as focused as possible. Trying to cram every feature into this great software will do more hurt than good but if you use it to customize a solution for your self and your business, you will be much better off. We currently customize our WHMCS to suit our business model and have no problems with that

Lee3155

11-22-11, 07:11 PM

The coding behind this is very simple. Once you have access to the server as root then your all set. Would be a great feature to see.