JoomlArt Forums 32,862 posts

[cgc0202 Friend cgc0202Join date: August 2007Posts: 2244Downloads:0Uploads:3 Thanks: 206 Thanked: 262 times in 1 posts]

#138765

bennitos posted this in an earlier

<em>@bennitos 89737 wrote:</em><blockquote>
“II. Licenses & Domains management.

From September 2008 (or earlier), a new license & domain management system will be introduced. You will not have to add domains to the license system.It will automatically be registered once you install the template.

Waiting for a response from JA</blockquote>

There was no official response to the inquiries of bennitos. However, doesn’t this statement: from the II. Licenses & Domains management.

“You will not have to add domains to the license system.It will automatically be registered once you install the template“

indicate that the dreaded “Call Home” function has been instituted, after all? I hope I am not correct in this. And I would really like to get an official response.

I have been away again fro a few months, but it seems that one other policy change is that Joomlart will no longer answer any question unless you provide your domain URL, admin name and password. First of all, my webhosting service does not like us to be casually sharing passwords, especially in shared servers. The other thing is that many questions being asked are generic, and do not require access to my site.

For example, in another post, I asked (to reiterate the original question) what file(s), and code(s) defines the layout, and more specifically the Section and Category? There are times when there really is a need for members to provide access to the site. However, do the aforementioned questions require access to a specific site? Shouldn’t these be defined by specific files and the CSS?

Even this post, for example has that automatic (mandatory) thing that you must provide the details about your site, if you want any response from Joomlart.

Something is fishy here, and I have a feeling that the new policy of requiring all these details are associated with the “Copyright” deletion controversy, as well as the possible quiet but implementation of the “Call Home” function??? Otherwise, how can Joomlart implement this:

“You will not have to add domains to the license system.It will automatically be registered once you install the template“

I hope my skepticism is unfounded, and I would really like an official response from Joomlart (though Hung) and not through those purporting to be in the know about the policies of Joomlart.

Even if I would be proven to be incorrect, as pointed out by others, Joomlart should at least tell us, if certain key policies have been changed. Or, for that matter, if there were some basic changes in the templates.

Cornelio

[jsliao Friend jsliaoJoin date: April 2008Posts: 817Downloads:0Uploads:12 Thanks: 25 Thanked: 236 times in 210 posts]

#294333

it is not mandatory to provide the hosting information. if you look around in the posts asking for support, many of them got replies and help even without needing to post their login information.

i believe the purpose of that function is to allow users to be able to let the JA support team get the information without needing to PM their info especially if more than 1 person is trying to solve it. it also helps prevent users from accidentally posting their information to the public.

you can find the ‘official’ description/explanation of the function here:
http://www.joomlart.com/forums/topic/forum-new-features/

[wooohanetworks Friend wooohanetworksJoin date: September 2008Posts: 1239Downloads:0Uploads:2 Thanks: 148 Thanked: 138 times in 41 posts]

#296976

<em>@cgc0202 115688 wrote:</em><blockquote>bennitos posted this in an earlier

There was no official response to the inquiries of bennitos. However, doesn’t this statement: from the II. Licenses & Domains management.

“You will not have to add domains to the license system.It will automatically be registered once you install the template”

indicate that the dreaded “Call Home” function has been instituted, after all? I hope I am not correct in this. And I would really like to get an official response.

I have been away again fro a few months, but it seems that one other policy change is that Joomlart will no longer answer any question unless you provide your domain URL, admin name and password. First of all, my webhosting service does not like us to be casually sharing passwords, especially in shared servers. The other thing is that many questions being asked are generic, and do not require access to my site.

For example, in another post, I asked (to reiterate the original question) what file(s), and code(s) defines the layout, and more specifically the Section and Category? There are times when there really is a need for members to provide access to the site. However, do the aforementioned questions require access to a specific site? Shouldn’t these be defined by specific files and the CSS?

Even this post, for example has that automatic (mandatory) thing that you must provide the details about your site, if you want any response from Joomlart.

Something is fishy here, and I have a feeling that the new policy of requiring all these details are associated with the “Copyright” deletion controversy, as well as the possible quiet but implementation of the “Call Home” function??? Otherwise, how can Joomlart implement this:

“You will not have to add domains to the license system.It will automatically be registered once you install the template”

I hope my skepticism is unfounded, and I would really like an official response from Joomlart (though Hung) and not through those purporting to be in the know about the policies of Joomlart.

Even if I would be proven to be incorrect, as pointed out by others, Joomlart should at least tell us, if certain key policies have been changed. Or, for that matter, if there were some basic changes in the templates.

Cornelio</blockquote>

http://www.joomlart.com/forums/topic/problems-with-ja-teline-iv-facebook-and-twitter/#post-266483

I have one site that I installed via Quickstart last year in September and it is secured with a .htaccess for the time it is under development and still is. One other site I have added to the domain system already as this one is online but Joomlart.com never contacted me because the development site is not reachable “via any type of function” or because I haven’t added the domain to the system yet. So, I say, there is no home call function at all, from my observation. And I added the development site once, but than removed it again, where I was not sure about if I will use it still, so somehow the system would have my domain for this one. I also had other domains registered that did not go online at all. Like I said, I can’t see, feel, smell, or touch any home call function in the templates I used.;)

[cgc0202 Friend cgc0202Join date: August 2007Posts: 2244Downloads:0Uploads:3 Thanks: 206 Thanked: 262 times in 1 posts]

#296999

<em>@wooohanetworks 119017 wrote:</em><blockquote>http://www.joomlart.com/forums/topic/problems-with-ja-teline-iv-facebook-and-twitter/#post-266483

I have one site that I installed via Quickstart last year in September and it is secured with a .htaccess for the time it is under development and still is. One other site I have added to the domain system already as this one is online but Joomlart.com never contacted me because the development site is not reachable “via any type of function” or because I haven’t added the domain to the system yet. So, I say, there is no home call function at all, from my observation. And I added the development site once, but than removed it again, where I was not sure about if I will use it still, so somehow the system would have my domain for this one. I also had other domains registered that did not go online at all. Like I said, I can’t see, feel, smell, or touch any home call function in the templates I used.;)</blockquote>

wooohanetwork,

I am quite aware of the link you provided. If you read the entire thread, since the policy was announced, I was one of those who campaigned against it, There were apologists, as usual, but the overwhelming opposition (albeit not even 0.01%) of the paying membership) persuaded Joomlart to shelve the idea, at the time. Read the ominous clause, I placed in bold:

<em>@Hung Dinh 74927 wrote:</em><blockquote>Hi everyone,
After reading feedback about the upcoming changes in the domain manager, especially the automatically registered function, we decide that the so called “Call Home” feature will not be implemented in the upcoming system updates. We are searching for a better solution for the domain management and we will keep you updated as soon as we find one.</blockquote>

and the statement:

“You will not have to add domains to the license system.It will automatically be registered once you install the template”

The fact that you do not see a public list itself is not a proof, I do not think Joomlart has that sophistication yet, but companies like Googe and Amazon, bought smaller startup companies that developed powerful scrtipts to track your every moveo immediately before (where you came from), while you are in, and where where you go after your lveave their site.

Do they make them public? No. The list you are talking about was “manually” created.

Actually, what was dubbed as “Call Home” by someone else during the protest is more pervasive than we think. How do you think browsers, like Firefox, Opera are able to tell you that you do not have the latest version of their software? I am quite aware also of some Joomla extensions that are capable of doing the same, and in fact, could automatically upgrade your installed extension.

Cornelio

[wooohanetworks Friend wooohanetworksJoin date: September 2008Posts: 1239Downloads:0Uploads:2 Thanks: 148 Thanked: 138 times in 41 posts]

#297007

I can only say that you can choose if you use Joomlart.com templates or not, when you do not you have the security that you are not tracked, and even if you use them, you can either care and be stuck in it or you do not care at all if there is such a function. I do not like such functions too, but as one is free to decide if to use a template from here or not and all this is public information and also discussed on third party sites, the perversion only goes as far you create it.

I think to say something like “Those are nice templates and I really want to use those, but I do not know if there is a hidden homecall function, and so on…” just really creates a perversion, because human beings are capable to think, make decisions based on solid thinking. It is the same like when you say, “Man the burger looks so good but I heard that the meat is not healthy, and I do not know if the burger chain really tells me the truth when they say their meat comes from healthy animals etc..” and still you eat it.

This is the perversion, not that there might be such issues in our world, in any aspect of life. I mean you buy a computer, install the oem software and when still thinking about if Microsoft and the CIA have a constant connection to your computer and could track your any move..than do not use computers or get paranoid and build your own, crack any software you get and remove any lines from the codes where you think this could be a CIA tracker whatsoever or just ignore all this and get happy or feel comfortable, you can’t do something against it.

When Joomlart.com says they did not implement this, than you are free not to believe it or to believe it, your decisions. And to sum this up and hopefully end this topic, just due the mentioned reasons, it makes no sense, you also can’t be assured that Rockettheme.com, Shape5.com, Templateplazza.com, Yootheme.com, even Joomlapolis with Community Builder have not implemented any types of trackers you never may find and never thought about, when it comes this such issues like the JA Home Call proposal. So, my opinion is, to let it go…or the circle never ends. To question it will not lead to an answer in such cases, regardless in what regions of life they come up.

[cgc0202 Friend cgc0202Join date: August 2007Posts: 2244Downloads:0Uploads:3 Thanks: 206 Thanked: 262 times in 1 posts]

#297020

This line of argument of argument between us is pointless — we are arguing between ourselves. It is apparent that your argument jas shifted dramatically because it is difficul t to explain: the statement:

the statement:

“You will not have to add domains to the license system.It will automatically be registered once you install the template”

otherwise. All that needed to be answered is:

Did Joomlart implement the “Call Home” capability or not?

You and I cannot really answer that ourselves, unless you have the skills and spend the time to go over the entire script. Joomlart’s mistake last time was to let the cat out by mistake. Not sure if they did it queitly this time???

The issue of invasion of privacy seems to be a losing crusade. It used to be quite a big issue here in the United States. But, the internet industry, particularly commerce have basically won in their crusade that nothing is sacrosant — “if we can make money of you and can find a way to do it, we will“

Ir used to be that the handling of “medical records” for example was a very sensitive issue, because in the wrong hands, it could affect the individual (or their family)– insurance, health insurance especially but it could also be used to deny you from getting a job, depending on the “policy” of the company. With cost cutting as the bottom line, why hire someone who has a family member who has cancer, for example. That increases the cost to the company if their own insurance cost would increase.

Now to your question: the customer has a choice. To an extent. But, only if there is enough competition or if the “industry” as a whole will not adopt the same policy. To give an example, in the music industry, because of their fear of piracy which by the way is real, their way of solving it was to implement DRM and try to exact fear though all those costly litigations. Well, it was not successful, piracy was rampant.

It only shifted when Apple came along — once considered their savor but when Apple got too big in the retail of music, they realized they could no longer get Apple to go along with what they wanted to do. Again, they colluded in an attempt to thwart the domination of Apple.

They gave away their own music or video for free, they gave any company (like Amazon) DRM free music at much cheaper price at that, they tried to get MySpace and similar internet networking groups to colaborate with them and create an alternate to Apple’s iTunes. jaggernaut. Even Microsoft a company that would be so happy to make its Zune, the iPod killer got into the fray. But, guess what, almost all those ventures failed even such once giants like Walmart, Yahoo, Microsoft folded their online music ventures. Many of the subscription companies were gone or about to fold because the economic recession was not conduceive for the alernative business model.

Whether legal or not, the music loving public made their choice.

To an extent, that is also true here. You might not realize this but before all these controversies, if I had my figures correct, there were more than 15,000 paying customers of Joomlart as of the Summer of 2008. The drop in paid membership, I believe may be due partly to the recession, and may go back up again. However, many of those who signified they were not happy with the tech support here in the forum, those who were disgusted with the Call Home controversy, as well as those who preferred Joomlart maintained the two templates per month might have decided indeed not to renew their subscriptionm and could account for the drop — but it is way too much drop, so I would like to think it is the current world recession that has precipitated the jumping ship.

The bottom line is that if Joomlart will continue with misguided polices, like those copyright rules and continue to essentially ignore providing adequate support in the Forum then they will have many dissatified customers.

To go back to my analogy with Apple, I like Apple computers (worked with both in universities and in job related situation), because they are intutitive to use, and while I encounter probems like everyone else, it has never been the same horror stories like the blue screen or worms and viruses infecting my computer.. Compared to other people too, all th Apple computers I bought since 1996 are still working. My latest was bought in 2003 and I hope it will hold until the coming Snow Leopard becomes more truly tested. I never buy first generation computers or software of Apple.

But, more especially now, where there are at least two Apple stores quite near me, four actually accessible through public transport, I like the fact that I could go to any of these stores to get my questions answered. Sometimes, some very eager staff were even willing to help you even if it what they recommend are not Apple products.

The aforementioned dearth of technical support may tarnish Joomlart, no matter how good the templates could be. Unlike you, for example, all I need is one or a few good templates. I would have been happier if Joomlart provides mroe true useful extensions. For example, if only Joomlart transform quite a few of its modules used in different templates into stand alone, that would be more helpful to many customers than senseless attempt to create “whistles and bells” filled varoatopms pf templtes.

I understand the strengths of Joomlart.. When I read someone unfairly criticizing Joomlart, many times I have taken their side and defended them. However, I am not blind not to see its own flaws, and I do dish it to them, sometimes.

Cornelio

1 user says Thank You to cgc0202 for this useful post

1. benarmeriii

[Author]

Posts