Modules/Apps should be on trial before purchase

I think to give the developers market a boost modules/apps should be on trial both in Dolphinpro and Trident. It will give the user a better idea what user wants to buy. More over trial period will increase the sale of modules/apps. Its like giving away free candies to make the children addicted to them, so later sell for money ;) O O i need this module its looks good, Oh i need that one also :D

Most mods have demos for you to try them out before you buy. No demo, don't buy, that's how I do it.

Trick is don't buy more mods until you fixed any issues with the last mod you bought,, then give appropriate review. NO support deserves a review accordingly so that no other gets caught in the same boat as you as I am having right now with a mod, I've given him plenty of chances to respond and fix issues but they never respond and believe me he will NOT like my review.

Cheers

 In majority of modules you are unable to figure out the real functionality of module..mostly from admin side. I think giving some one 7 days trial period for a module is not a bad idea.

Free trials has been brought up before.

Unfortunately as with all PHP, the source comes with it. To protect the code to prevent use beyond the trial period the code would have to be encrypted.

This encryption introduces a couple of new problems.

1) The developer would need to purchase encryption software adding to the developers expense which may start driving up prices of the modules.

2) Most servers hosting sites do not have the needed php processors to run encrypted code resulting in additional frustration for the buyer because the needed decryption processor would need to be installed on the server to get the trial to even run.


I predict doing this will only make for even more problems.

I also don't see a trial period working.  Better to just ask the developer for access to the admin area of their demo site so you can review both the front and back ends of a particular module.  I've found that most of the time developers will provide admin access... even if for only a limited amount of time.  A reasonable alternative is for the developer(s) to provide a *full* set of screenshots along with a *detailed* description of what the admin settings are used for.

I agree, a full-access demo should be enough. Some crafty developers could probably do what BoonEx does and have a timer and reset the site after an hour or so (or ask AlexT for how it's done).

You can do it by exporting the db to an SQL file after you get it like you want it. Then have a cron job setup that dumps the db and imports the SQL file every 30 minutes or however long.

My point was if boonex can provide dolphin script for download why can't the modules be available like this way..same script can be used for protection of modules. so when the trial expires a logo of the module will appear if it is not paid one or the logo will be remain there in trial period and disappear on payment of the module. I think this can be done with the central boonex verification server instead of individual protection method. Boonex should provide this facility to module developers.

Yes, thats what we do for our demo sites. But you'd probably also want something to handle the files, unless you don't mind doing some cleaning now and then.

 I think everything in the world should be free, I can't believe I have to pay for gas and food!

I mentioned this a long time ago. I bought some modules that looked good on their demo site, but when I installed them on my site the functionality wasn't like I expected. They weren't bad modules, but I just wish I could have tested them first. One of the modules sent me to a different site when I clicked on a certain button on the member's side of it. Some sex swingers site.

The problem is that it is very difficult to do this with php scripts.  One has to understand the technical reasons why it is not possible.  It is very much different from programmes written in C and compiled into machine code.

Modules will work in demo site perfectly because they intentionally develop it inside that server and make sure it  works and without any other module that will affect the functionality..However when you install it together in your site with other modules/template/Server settings,  then there is an instance it will not work properly..

You need to contact your regular dev that you trust most to double check.

TIPS:

Always message the author first before buying. if he don't answer queries in max 24 HOURS then its your choice to get the mod or not.

Make sure you buy only supported mods..

Sounds like good advice.  Would you also agree that buyers should avoid modules that don't have a boonex.com Support Forum?  For example, this D7.1.5 module: http://www.boonex.com/m/profile-tabs-customization-1-0-2013-06-11
Oops... just re-checked... it's actually only approved up to D7.1.4 (still it should have a Support Forum).

 
Supported not only forums but also in unity inbox and most specially Skype

By the way http://www.boonex.com/forums/topic/Profile-Tabs.htm :) feel free

Thank you!  I see your expertise is mostly in the areas of helping site admins with module installations and dolphin upgrades.  Still... while we're looking at you're modules support, let's review http://www.boonex.com/m/trio-portrait-sliders and http://www.boonex.com/m/ticker. 

UPDATE... and I see that you also specialize in rebranding and customization services... not many do that :-)

It's great to see developers openly support their commercial modules. 

Welcome  :)

http://www.boonex.com/forums/topic/Ticker-Updated-for-7-1-5.htm

http://www.boonex.com/forums/topic/Trio-Portrait-Slider.htm

What if the all modules developed by other than boonex can also be present in module folder of demo.boonex.co server, so when a user want to test a module he/she can install it and test in 30 mins. later the demo.boonex.com can go to its original state? I think there is no harm in this idea. What you say?

I think this way there will be a collaboration between the moderator of boonex and module developers. It will stop the broken module developers from dumping their useless modules in the market plus boonex moderator will know their customer's money is not being wasted. Thing is unless you don't try some thing personally you won't buy it. Same is the case with online shopping experience. You only buy those things which have a good review and fit to exactly what you need.