XenForo Cloud Beta (now with add-on support)

[LeadCrow]

Join the Xenforo Cloud Beta (now with add-on support)
14 october 2021

When we announced XenForo Cloud a little while back, we were encouraged by the great feedback we received. Having taken onboard all your comments, we have been hard at work refining our offering to make it an even more compelling proposition, and today we are ready to talk about some of the changes we've implemented.

Faster​

Not content with already offering the industry's most capable and responsive infrastructure, we are now using even more powerful hardware with faster clock speeds and local NVMe solid state storage.

Better​

While we had originally intended to make an initial outing for XenForo Cloud without add-on support, we have made advances in this field such that we will now launch with full add-on support, just as you would have on a self-hosted deployment. Just install the add-on from the add-on archive/zip file in your admin control panel.*

Register your interest​

To help us test the next phase of XenForo Cloud please register your interest. If you have already done so, there is no need to do it again. A number of customers (both new and existing) will be invited to sign up for the XenForo Cloud beta at a hugely discounted rate of $30 per month or get two months free by signing up for a full year ($300 per year).

We are not yet ready to offer a data migration service, so priority will be given to those looking to launch a new community.

We look forward to welcoming you at the start of our journey and look forward to seeing you grow your community on XenForo Cloud.

* Some add-ons may not be compatible with XenForo Cloud or may require further review by XenForo before being approved.

 

[zappaDPJ]

Back on topic I have to say I'm impressed with the potential for add-on support. I wonder how that might mesh with updates applied to the main product assuming those updates are mandatory.

 

[Chris D]

Upgrades can be deferred for a period of time. Should give people enough time to ensure add-ons/styles are up-to-date.

Longer term we may have provision for a separate testing/staging site to test upgrades.

 

[LeadCrow]

Are all installs planned to follow the same/latest release release (ie no LTS) ?
Wondering if clients with specific requirements could say stay on the previous major version for as long as its supported, for example if they want the experience staying predictable longer or have addons that may be incompatible with newer major versions.

Additionally, are there specific policies for addons that may be expecting to run from their user's own hosting? Code checking, whitelisting, limits on any datamining or similar features.

What about addon ownership transfer or addon data transferal? could be problematic for a once reputable or actively developped addon to stop being so, as XFC clients could end without a migration path to supported addons given apparent limitations about the addons planned to be supported).

 

[Chris D]

Are all installs planned to follow the same/latest release release (ie no LTS) ?
Wondering if clients with specific requirements could say stay on the previous major version for as long as its supported, for example if they want the experience staying predictable longer or have addons that may be incompatible with newer major versions.

Technically as soon as a new major version, e.g. 2.3 is released, the previous version, e.g. 2.2 is no longer supported but the lee-way we give you as a cloud customer will probably be in the region of around 6 months. That's probably reasonable but will potentially be adjusted/discretional based on individual requirements.

Additionally, are there specific policies for addons that may be expecting to run from their user's own hosting? Code checking, whitelisting, limits on any datamining or similar features.

We're casting our eyes over the code of every add-on a cloud customer uses, mostly from a security perspective. Some add-ons simply won't be useful or work on a cloud installation. Specifically that will be things like custom CLI commands or things that require file edits (even the `src/config.php` file) because there is no provision for running commands or editing files.

We may come across other add-ons that aren't applicable or desirable or unsafe to run which may end up being blocked entirely. Overall, this will be very few add-ons.

What about addon ownership transfer or addon data transferal? could be problematic for a once reputable or actively developped addon to stop being so, as XFC clients could end without a migration path to supported addons given apparent limitations about the addons planned to be supported).

That would be down to the individual developers to figure out. In most cases a new developer will write an importer to import data from an old add-on. This is usually run by the existing web-based importer framework we have so I don't envisage any particular issues there.

 

[zappaDPJ]

Discussion relating to Xenforo censorship has been moved to: https://www.theadminzone.com/threads/xenforo-cloud-beta-and-the-censor.154059/

Please use this thread for discussion directly related to the beta trial of Xenforo Cloud.

 

[sbjsbj]

Sorry if I lead the discussion to another direction, but since this topic came up, I am curious about one or two things.

1) What if I operate a site which is perfectly legal but is centered around adult material (+18)? Will XF host such sites?

2) What will XF do when DMCA claims are made? I am not talking about warez sites here. The answer is obvious. But what about "minor" cases where the DMCA claim is rightfully? For example, we all use gifs and images on forums. Everybody does it. Technically speaking all images are copyrighted and we are not allowed to use them without permission. Millions of infringments are done like this on social media, forums and other websites. So, if I wanted, I could make DMCA claims for a simple cat picture. How will XF handle such requests?

Obviously I am playing the devil's advocate here, not that I care honestly, since the prices are too much for me to ever become a customer of XF cloud. Yet my curiosity is always there .

PS: I also don't have such a site, just to make sure.

 

[Chris D]

1. Our terms of service in terms of Cloud customers hasn’t totally been finalised yet so can’t currently comment on specific categories.

2. There will be a process (yet to be finalised) just like there would be if you’re being hosted anywhere else as a self hosted customer.

 

[Pete]

I think Q2 in particular is not so much getting at 'is there a process' but more 'where is the line' - is the default assumption going to be that DMCA claims require validation before passing on to the site owner, or is the default assumption is that it is legitimate until proven otherwise?

I think the concern would be whether it would behave like YouTube or not - where the default is 'assume complaints are legitimate until contested' which is frustrating at best to work with.

 

[Chris D]

That will be answered once the process is finalised.

 

[DigNap15]

I think Xenforo should stick to their main game
Ie making good forum software
This cloud stuff will only dilute their efforts

 

[Slavik]

This cloud stuff will only dilute their efforts

On what basis?

 

[GLucas]

I think Xenforo should stick to their main game
Ie making good forum software
This cloud stuff will only dilute their efforts

I don't really try to start new forums anymore, but following XenForo and current web hosting trends I believe this is actually one of their best bets to keep growing. While I have no clue, I tend to believe selling forum licenses at this moment isn't as great or growing as much as it used to.

 

[Pete]

I think Xenforo should stick to their main game
Ie making good forum software
This cloud stuff will only dilute their efforts

You mean you think you won't get new features soon?

 

[sbjsbj]

On what basis?

Tbh your pace of development is slow imo. And actually it went worse compared to last major update even though you added 2 new devs to the team. One expects it will be much better yet it went slower. So, the concern is legit since you added more work to your load.
But to be fair, I don't think he thought of this when he made that assumption.

 

[DigNap15]

I don't really try to start new forums anymore, but following XenForo and current web hosting trends I believe this is actually one of their best bets to keep growing. While I have no clue, I tend to believe selling forum licenses at this moment isn't as great or growing as much as it used to.

You only have to look at this forum
It seems very slow compared to what it was 2 years ago
Show us your forum, many links are dead
Where are all the forum masters?
Surley all of their questions have not been answered?

 

[DigNap15]

On what basis?

On the basis of my third line
Web hosting is a whole new game

 

[Chris D]

A successful SaaS platform needs good quality software so if you think this can be bad news XenForo as a product then you’re very much mistaken.

 

[deslocotoco]

1. Our terms of service in terms of Cloud customers hasn’t totally been finalised yet so can’t currently comment on specific categories.

2. There will be a process (yet to be finalised) just like there would be if you’re being hosted anywhere else as a self hosted customer.

Dear Chris,

Even I'm not a resident in UK, I'm a lawyer, with many specializations, including a major in international law and rights, and specially with Data Protection Act (DPA) and General Data Protection Regulation. And that said, I'm proud to be one of the first lawyers in Brazil to provide compliance services to GDPR in my country, even with no law in that point approved by our Congress. Our General Protection Data now approved is basically a Control C + Control V + Google Translate from GDPR to become our "LGPD" (In simple translation: "General Law Of Data Protection").

I'm in the process of having a Master of Law to improve my qualifications along the time, since the digital world is the next legislation revolution in all the globe.

If the XenForo Team needs some help and advice on that matter, I'm glad to voluntary offer my services without any cost.

I really believe in the XenForo, have my respects for all the owners, developers and all this great community of developers and administrators.

I have a personal opinion that the private business owners and particular services providers are the most respect professionals of the world, since they struggle to fight a State that generally, act against then, reason number one to choose my first major in Enterprise and Business Laws. I really want to help all the businesses that i can, since that's the only way to generate wealth, distribute to the people and fight the poverty around the world, without any kind of populist measures from the State, that in the human history, never generate any kind of wealth and I'm glad to discuss this matter further if anyone is interested.

So, thanks all the XF Team for your services.

 

[Chris D]

If the XenForo Team needs some help and advice on that matter, I'm glad to voluntary offer my services without any cost.

Thank you for your kind offer but we already have access to the needed expertise and much of it is already under way.

Thank you for the rest of your kind words.