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Do you consider an open source alternative to Softaculous being useful for your Web Hosting Company?
teochristian
Member
in General
Hello!
I am working as an independent for now. I would like to start an Open Source cPanel Application Installer Plugin. It should be an open-source alternative to Softaculous, having at least the same features as Softaculous and maybe a more user-friendly interface. But, firstly I would like to know if you consider such a free and open-source plugin will be useful for your Web Hosting company. The development will be based on donations.
Thank you for expressing your opinion!
Note: I would like to add other features, too. I am open to discuss.
Open Source Solution to Web Application Installer
- Do you consider an Open Source App Installer being useful for your Web Hosting Company?49 votes
- Very useful, I would like to sponsorship26.53%
- Useful53.06%
- Not useful20.41%
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Cool idea, but that's for beginners. I've never used Softaculous to install something.
wget .zip
unzip... and install manual.
For a year, I paid for Softaculous but none of my clients used it. I tend to discourage its' use for installing 'production' software but have found it handy when trying a new project/software package. I purchased a single month license to do that, saving me some time.
If you can provide an Open Source equivalent, go for it and I hope you do well in being able achieve sponsorship/donations, for encouragement if nothing else.
Most of our customers used softaculous for wordpress install, but now since wordpress toolkit it’s included, no need for softaculous
Given Softaculous charges 1$/mo/server (iirc), I'd rather stick with that. Not to say your idea or ambition is bad but a free project, even if open source, can be discontinued at any moment and, while that is also true for Softaculous, paid licensing is an option to keep updates coming. So far, Softaculous hasnt pulled the cPanel license increasing card yet, so I will probably keep using them, or indirectly choose shared hosting that offers Softaculous.
Currently softaculous license costs $1/m.
Since CPanel and DirectAdmin(Pro) plan and many other control panels comes with wordpress manager, softaculous future is a bit shaky. If they increase pricing, probably, I will stop using them. My guess is they are concentrating more on virtualizor and probably webuzo will be introduced with multi user support as a shared hosting control panel.
My suggestion is to start something on the lines of blesta to keep the project going without waiting for donations. Probably, $5/year or $60 for one time fee for life time license with updates seems to be the right pricing.
no bro!
for long-term projects, you should make your own brand.
Formerly softaculous lifetime license sold for $ 75, while the year $ 12.
new entrants to be able to compete, you can charge a lifetime License rate of $45 or $5 annually.
Remember this is for long term projects, not only cpanel, but can be for DirectAdmin, or Vesta.
If your project is launching, give me a special price:#
With HestiaCP using the build in one.
https://imgshare.io/images/2021/07/02/Screenshot-2021-07-03-at-08.43.46.png
To be honest I don't see the need for 1000 different apps that nobody uses.
Wordpress + Nextcloud + 1 / 2 other CMS system + few webshops and you have more then enough.
No need to work for ages on crap that nobody uses.. And
So far the biggest work is to keep all versions up to date. If you are smart make a system that is modular and and allow easy updates.
@eris LMFTFY
I am quite fond of auto installers. Not really for anything I would do myself - but I know of quite a few people who are semi-tech savvy who would know how to configure most things themselves but might need/appreciate a good kick start. (Most of my clients are fairly computer literate, but 50% of them use Softaculous)
Bonus points if it can automatically update software aswell.
Softaculous is very reasonable for the cash ($1.00) - but I think encouraging more FOSS is always a good thing.
Don't.
Make something else with your coding knowledge/skills.
Highly recommend you to avoid relying on donations (Very few people donate). Keep it commercial if you don't want to waste your time.
Exactly this. Don't -- do something else with your time. It's not worth it after all you invest into it.
TBH I would use it, mostly because out of the many apps Softaculous has, clients only use 20-30 at most, so if you make one with only the most important it would be great.
If you are going after it, please, make it for DirectAdmin aswell
Reminds me: nearly time to give a wee bit more to tinyCP.
ask @Offshore_Solutions about all the projects he has said he started/wanted to start/were for the good of the community and you will have a good idea how this will fail too
Created such a solution already but not public available as source but as a service at https://my.ispDashboard.com/
For now it is NOT possible (yet) to install it on your own server like Softaculous is offering. But a working solution is to register for a free account, add your server to the ispDashboard.com service and install as many apps as you want.
(PLEASE !! If you want / need some custom solutions please let me know! It is not costing anything and only want to help you solving your issues!)
Just some apps which are used many times but there are many more of course :