Nekkid Ninjas

Follow up:

First Of All a brief explanation, for those for whom English is not their first language, of the two phrases I used to introduce this post;

Impalled on the Horns of a Dilemma

A dilemma (Greek "double proposition") is a problem offering two solutions or possibilities, of which neither is acceptable; one in this position has been traditionally described as being impaled on the horns of a dilemma, neither horn being comfortable.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Stuck between two opposing forces, unable for some particular reason to do something that one would like to do, such as act or not act in a certain way. "I would like this resolved but I am stuck between a rock and a hard place."

The completion of the development and opening up of Ninja Hosting to hosting our clients is literally just waiting for a licence for the key piece of software to administer NHHQ, it is as simple as that. And I've been waiting for the licence for more than 2 weeks now.

Background: I spent a long time researching the exact needs of Ninja Hosting to make sure that I implemented the best collection of software for our needs.

Not all of that software is from the same supplier so it ws important to know that the software from other suppliers worked without a problem when brought together; the package is looking like this:

• The hosting software is to be cPanel with WHM because of it's ease of use and clients are likely to be familiar with it. (two other platforms were considered)
• Installatron in preference to Fantastico (because Fantastico is widely known to be slow on the release of updates, and that includes security fixes)
• Kayako as the support system; offering integrated forum, tickets, knowledgebase and Online Chat
• ASSP as an integrated and effective anti-spam filter
• iDevAffiliate to manage the affiliate program
• and a raft of other smaller, but no less important, programs

and then there is the lynchpin, the part that ties it all together, the bit that does the client admin and, bascially, maeks it easier for you to use the sites.

This was a drawn out as the other selection processes but became a choice between two systems;

• WHMCS, which is very good, and
• ModernBill

ModernBill is the best for our needs, the needs of us administering NHHQ and for our customers because it integrates more completely with teh range of packages I've built in to NHHQ.

and Modern Bill has been a complete pain in the !!!

Despite a ticket open with a "senior account executive" at ModernBill we're still waiting for a licence, that's it, just a licence.

The reason?

The company who own ModernBill were taken over at the beginning of March (2008) by Parallels (formerly SWSoft) and since then ModernBill have lost the plot brought about, and I'm guessing here, because Parallels did not have a command and control structure in pace before the bought out ModernBill's parent company.

Business takeovers and buyouts are commonplace. In my experience they can work well, often they are badly managed. My opinion in this instance is that this situation is farcical and I'd hazard a guess that it has come about because Parallels made quite a few major company aquisitions at around about the same time and...

...and it is the customer who is suffering.

So, ModernBill remains the best product for the job we want it to do. But, from my point of view this is a ridiculous situation that is harming NHHQ. Hence the proposition that I'm "caught on the horns of a dilemma"; there is no definable route to resolve this situation without causing "pain" and yet staying in this positions also causing grief.

Apologies that this is a long post (it is actually very brief in comparison to what has gone on!!) but I felt I owed an explanation.

The Bottom Line?

NHHQ will be live very soon, we are currently successfully hosting several test accounts. I am also in touch with the powers that be to get the MB situation resolved as soon as possible.

Cheers

Steve