To the designers/owners

[Hans Altena]

Bienvenuto,

today I had the pleasure to get the software installed on a server, with the precious help of the lead-developer/owner of ShineISP.

The support of ShineIsp is uncalled for, as this is still a project under development and free of charge (!).

But, looking at it, I have a few tips/suggestions.

1. why is the install so terribly difficult, with the use of .htaccess files? Why not use a normal "install" subdirectory, which has to be uninstalled before use? (Like many other similar app's like WHMCS and HostBill)

2. you guys need to take a decision: either leave it as it is (with all the links for groups, forum, memory and the company ShineIsp, which are TOTALLY irrelevant to any basic website users) or go COMMERCIAL, where you make a choice between those options.

3. In this discussion I would like to express your USP (Unique Selling Point): this is (IMHO) the only software package to work with ISPCONFIG. Just Google for ISPCONFIG API's: you won't find anything, besides the documentation of ISPCONFIG, which is very much dated. Some are on HOWTOFORGE, but those are not working and certainly not up to date to be of any use.

Since this is an open source project, I will do my best to create an easier way to install, with a READABLE tutorial, say "ShineISP for dummies", just like me.......

Hope for some feedback :-) 

[shine software]

Hi Hans,

first of all, thanks for testing and using the ShineISP software. I wish to clarify with my answers the aim and the direction of the project software.

ShineISP is not ready for a production enviroment because this is the first release. It is good for developers, software engineers and why not ... for web geeks.

I reply you following your questions:

1. The .htaccess file is your friend. ShineISP is one of the most open source that offers a way to the developers to improve it in many ways and one of these is the htaccess file. With the htaccess file you can handle the apache configuration and tune it in order to improve the software.

2. The decision is already taken: ShineISP is an Open Source that uses a BSD license. So all the links are useful to all the ShineISP users for improve the software and their ShineISP copy.

3. IspConfig is an awsome software that we use for our company since the first release and we have followed and installed in our cluster servers all the release until today. It is a good choice for the Open Source Companies like ours.
The problem about the API that you mention is clear but only if you are an "operator" and not a software developer. If you download a copy of IspConfig you can see a "remote" directory with all the code sample files for a direct connection with the IspConfig software. So if you would like to create a plugin that helps all the ShineISP users who want to create their mailbox without seeing the IspConfig web panel...you could do it all by yourself... but you need to know how the API works.

It's a good idea to create a tutorial or a video tutorial for all those "dummies users". We have created a little tutorial http://www.shineisp.com/installing-shineisp/ a video tutorial for the installation http://youtu.be/idJNXYe9L3c or this old videos http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNbQWggLBk4Oimy4YwJMQei1xTqjQeFDu

A good ZF2 developer who could help us to create the new Zend Framework 2 modules will be a good thing but we ask to our followers 7 way to help us:

7 ways to show your Gratitude!
ShineISP is a complete software and it is not stable yet for a production server. By the way you can help to complete the software in many ways:

- Develop a payment module
- Develop a registrar module
- Create a new html template
- Complete the translation into your language
- Writing the documentation page
- Promote the project in your blog with an article
- Testing the software and report the issues

At the end you are free to offer your time, and share your knowledge with the community following the Open Source philosophy.

best regards