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FAQs

Is the Enterprise Edition Open-Source? What are its licensing restrictions?

The Enterprise Edition is not strictly speaking open source by the Open Source Initiative's definition. However, you do get all of the source code when you purchase an Enterprise Edition, with the exception of a small library that enforces its license restrictions. (The term "commercial source" had been used for this sort of license.) For full details, please read the license itself. To summarize, it has the following features:

  • You may install and run any number of copies of the Enterprise Edition on development servers, which are defined as installations that are accessed by a local domain name or IP address.
  • You may install one production and one publicly-accessible staging instance of the Enterprise Edition. These are both defined the same way - installations that are accessed by a regular domain name or non-local IP address. You must identify these two domain names either when purchasing the Enterprise Edition or afterwards, in your account on softslate.com. Once you identify these two domain names, you will not be able to change them without contacting us and requesting the change.
  • Each Enterprise Edition license is good for one year, at which point we attempt to renew it for an additional year using the payment information used previously. If new payment information is required, we'll ask you to take a grace period of 30 days to let us know how to charge you for the next year.
  • You are completely free to modify the Enterprise Edition's source code for your own purposes, but unlike with the Community Edition, you may not redistribute the Enterprise Edition's code to any third party.

How does the Enterprise Edition's license key work?

As you purchase the Enterprise Edition on softslate.com, we'll ask you to tell us the production and staging domain names you'd like the license to be tied to. You may leave either one or both of the domain names blank if you aren't sure at that time. If you leave one or both blank, you'll still receive a fully-functional license key when you complete your order, which you can use to immediately install the Enterprise Edition on any number of development servers (defined as installations that are accessed by a local domain name or IP address). Once you finalize your domain names, you can log into your account on softslate.com and add them to your purchase at that time. A new license key will be generated which you can then use to install the Enterprise Edition on the production and/or staging domain names.You can simply copy and paste the license key into your installation via the SoftSlate Commerce Administrator's License Key screen. The license key has embedded in it not only the production and staging domain names but also the expiration date, as each license is good for one year. When the end of the year approaches we start notifying you by a message in the Administrator 30 prior to the expiration. At the time of the expiration we attempt to automatically renew it using the payment details you provided when you originally bought the license. If that works, you simply have to log into your account on softslate.com, retrieve the new license key for the next year, and paste it into each of your installations. If the automatic renewal doesn't work, we'll contact you and you'll have a 30-day grace period to provide payment for the renewal. After the 30 day grace period, the Enterprise Edition features are automatically disabled in your store.

I own the Standard Edition. What happens to me now that the Enterprise Edition is out?

If you've purchased the Standard Edition you can continue to use it in perpetuity for as long as you like. Nothing needs to change. Going forward, upgrades will no longer be available for the Standard Edition. However, we will release patches for critical fixes as necessary for a period of time. You can upgrade to the Enterprise Edition to receive upgrades for the whole suite of features. Upgrading to the Enterprise Edition will be just like upgrading to a new release of the Standard Edition. You will need to purchase the Enterprise Edition on www.softslate.com and apply the upgrade distribution that becomes available after you place your order. (The file name is softslate-upgrade-<version>.zip.)

Does SoftSlate offer reseller terms for developers?

SoftSlate has come out with the following terms for developers interested in reselling Enterprise Edition licenses to their clients:

  • To qualify, developers must apply to become a qualified reseller. Some basic level of technical knowledge is required. Contact us to ask to be qualified.
  • The party for each resold license must be a separate entity - not yourself. The licenses may, however, be purchased by you with the third party listed as the Licensee.
  • Qualified developers can request a free 90 day license to use to develop the application initially.
  • The first Enterprise Edition license must be purchased at full price.
  • Each additional resold license can be purchased at a deep discount. Contact us for details.

I have a store or stores running under multiple domain names. Do I have to buy a separate Enterprise Edition license for each?

Yes, but we offer deep discounts for additional licenses after the first. Here are the terms we offer:

  • The first Enterprise Edition license must be purchased at full price.
  • Adding additional domains requires that you purchase additional Enterprise Edition licenses.
  • Each additional license beyond the first is discounted 80%.
  • The licenses must all have the same billing address and the party for each license must all be for the same licensee - the same business entity. The licenses are not transferable.
  • To receive the discount, simply contact us after purchasing your first license.

Do we have to pay extra to get new upgrades or is the cost of upgrades already included in the renewal price?

No, you do not have to pay any extra licensing cost when SoftSlate releases an upgrade to the Enterprise Edition, beyond the regular renewal fee. As soon as they are released, upgrades are available for download via your account on softslate.com.