SiteJet automatically adding itself to the Client Area without any admin interaction

[websavers]

19 minutes ago, Damo said:

There was no mention of this in release notes. It should be an opt-in feature ( feature being a loose term/reference) 

Everything that changes to the client area must be documented, clearly documented. 

Good point. The release notes indicate:

Quote

After purchase, clients can access Sitejet Builder directly, without needing to first log in to their hosting account, from within the WHMCS Client Area by clicking Edit with Sitejet Builder. Admins can log in to Sitejet Builder by clicking Log in to Sitejet Builder for the appropriate service in the client's profile's Products/Services tab.

Which, to me, sounds like this occurs only after the customer purchases a SiteJet product or addon that the admin has manually created. Not that everyone with a SiteJet capable panel sees these options.

[websavers]

3 minutes ago, bear said:

Can you point to it?

The implementation covered this request (which merges three feature requests), and this request.

[bear]

Thank you. Created 11 years ago. (replied to in 2020, so at least 7 years ago). 
Kind of proves my point about neglect of that system. In 7 years, it received 387 votes (43 per year). Not insignificant, but I've seen other reasonable requests with a lot more votes never see any reaction. 
They stated this one removed password manipulation and that was done for security.
Here's a more recent one ("just" 3 years old) asking for that back, and it's "under consideration":
https://requests.whmcs.com/idea/add-manual-password-reset-back-to-admin?page=3

In that, WHMCS stated "Client Accounts no longer have passwords, authentication is now done via Users."
Go to "add a client" in your WHMCS. In that form, it asks for a password. 

Sorry for taking this off topic. Feel free to go back to the forced implementation of something that will directly compete with those of us selling web design. 

[Evolve Web Hosting]

On 5/2/2024 at 6:18 PM, bear said:

Ourselves,  as an example, host the websites we design/create almost exclusively. There will never be a time in the foreseeable future we would want our billing system to advertise a self service web  design type application.

@bear In WHM, go to the package features and edit the Disabled list. Make sure Sitejet is checked there and your customers won't see it in cPanel or WHMCS. We're doing the same thing. Did the Same for that WP squared thing and whatever else they're trying to upsell to users.

[bear]

Thanks, I've done the same thing each time they've added something like this. My post, however, was about the billing system; WHMCS and how they shove competing services in without an opt in, rather than code hooks and kludges to remove it after the fact.

[WHMCS John]

On 5/6/2024 at 12:24 AM, Thais said:

Hello,

 

How code I need put in a hook to hide the sitejet from dashboard clients?

Tks

@Thais,

This placeholder image is displayed because you've tested with a non-existent domain which doesn't resolve. In practice this area will show a screenshot of the client's website.

Rather than removing the panel entirely, we welcome your feedback on how you'd like to see it changed?

 

On 5/10/2024 at 7:56 PM, gei said:

Just upgraded - goodness this is horrible. Who thought this was a good idea? Thanks for the help above with removing this - but why isn't this option present in WHMCS itself?

@gei,

What specifically is horrible about it? What aspects of the Sitejet panels in the client area would you like to see changed and how?

 

On 5/10/2024 at 10:15 PM, websavers said:

I would have loved a list of all hosted domains under the hosting plan, with the option to start a site with SiteJet next to each of the domains, but offered only when no other apps were yet installed.

@websavers,

Thank you for that constructive feedback, that sounds likes neat idea, I've shared it with the product team!

[gei]

19 minutes ago, WHMCS John said:

@Thais,

This placeholder image is displayed because you've tested with a non-existent domain which doesn't resolve. In practice this area will show a screenshot of the client's website.

Rather than removing the panel entirely, we welcome your feedback on how you'd like to see it changed?

 

@gei,

What specifically is horrible about it? What aspects of the Sitejet panels in the client area would you like to see changed and how?

 

@websavers,

Thank you for that constructive feedback, that sounds likes neat idea, I've shared it with the product team!

I'm bewildered that this is even a question. Why would you *forcibly* add this without a option to turn it off? WHMCS is used by thousands of web development companies who want to sell their own development services and not push people to use Sitejet.

Your motivations here are very transparent - it's just like the debacle with the SSL warning icons. You guys are just trying to sell your own services. It's been years since that "feature" was added and after years of requests there is still no way to turn it off.

The answer is simple - stop adding features without giving clients an option to turn them off. Surely this cannot be that difficult of a concept to grasp?

[bear]

3 hours ago, WHMCS John said:

Rather than removing the panel entirely, we welcome your feedback on how you'd like to see it changed?

It should be opt in, John. Always. Don't add things anywhere like this without direct opting in during installation. Show it to the admin (with no hopes of removal there, like the marketplace), and have it not appear anywhere in customer facing pages unless the admin agrees and chooses to. 
Simple.

[glenn]

On 5/6/2024 at 7:58 PM, websavers said:

Here's a hook file that combines all of it, including hiding it in the admin: https://github.com/websavers/WHMCS-Hook-Sitejet-Deactivate

Thank you!

[zomex]

On 5/22/2024 at 6:34 PM, WHMCS John said:

 

@gei,

What specifically is horrible about it? What aspects of the Sitejet panels in the client area would you like to see changed and how?

Come on John, you're clearly a smart guy. Don't try to play stupid to the community.

Do we even need to have this discussion? Don't add something to the client area your paying users have not opted-in for. It's a massive affiliate link for WHMCS that directly competes with your own clients.

Seems to me that whoever owns WHMCS now is simply milking it dry for every $ they can get. Still waiting for my $3000+ refund from you guys overcharging me.

[Steve West]

Hi,

I do agree with the rest of the WHMCS users here that the way this has been implemented is bad, to say the least, and in some cases, it is harmful to WHMCS customers who offer web development services. At a minimum, there should have been an option for us to select in WHMCS if we wish to expose this service in WHMCS or not.

In our case, we develop the website for customers using WP and I would say about 99% of our customers don't know the difference between WP and Sitejet so they would assume they can edit their WP site using Sitejet and break stuff. Who do you think they will blame once their site is broken? Of course, they will blame us!

WHMCS please don't try to hurt your customers as it simply will force us to find other solutions. Even if a solution is not currently available, if you piss off enough of your clients, I'm sure a competitor will easily love to capitalize on your failures.

[RadWebHosting]

On 5/10/2024 at 6:21 PM, bear said:

Curious how you'd be aware of what it's called internally to WHMCS. 
Still, it's a shame they generally ignore it. 

I'm being facetious. But It's obvious that WHMCS's focus has shifted from making kick-ass software to developing software capable of lining their pockets.

[zomex]

6 hours ago, RadWebHosting said:

I'm being facetious. But It's obvious that WHMCS's focus has shifted from making kick-ass software to developing software capable of lining their pockets.

100% fact. That's the sad reality of a once small company full of passion to a company with shareholder interests and no passion. They are milking it dry.

[Juanzo]

WHMcs client for more than 20 years, and it's sad to see how it grew disconnected from it's clients.

Having to use a custom hook created by a customer (thanks @websavers!) to avoid clients with for example WordPress sites, see a link "Edit with SiteJet" at their clientarea, creating complications on some non-tech clients messing their accounts up....

It makes us want to disable SiteJet altogether, rather than promote it.

Edited August 20 by Juanzo

[gei]

It would be trivial for WHMCS to remove this or add an option for us to do so. It's been 4 months now without a solution. I think the question of how much they actually care about their client base has been firmly answered.

[RadWebHosting]

On 8/20/2024 at 12:16 AM, Juanzo said:

It makes us want to disable SiteJet altogether, rather than promote it.

It should be automatically "opt-out", not "opt-in" by default.

Some of us have no desire to:

• further complicate the chain of custody of client data
• further complicate the chain of custody of internal data
• further increase supply chain complexity
• increase dependence on untested/unvetted third-parties
• provide support/documentation for using these services

[gei]

I think in addition to this, most sensible clients realize that using *any* Webpros product is a *huge* risk. Sure Sitejet is included free with cPanel today, but given the recent history that Webpros has of extorting its client base for as much money as they possibly can, I think most of us are very conscious of the fact that there is a good chance that this currently "free" site builder may come with an extortionate price increase down the road.

[Juanzo]

Yes, because one thing is to try to charge as much as possible and hugely raise prices, but another thing is complicating our work by forcing these services to our clients.

Hopefully they start listening to their customers soon, WHMcs really makes our life's easier as hosters and would like to avoid having to migrate to alternatives.

[Web Host Pro]

How do we disable all the banners and links to Sitejet in the WHMCS client area? It's ruined our member's area. Please help clean this out. It's completely unprofessional and makes us look horrible. How to remove it all. Obviously, I still need to have the servers keep Sitepad. I need it fully removed from WHMCS.

[zomex]

@WHMCS John 

it cannot be overstated how blatantly wrong this integration has been from you guys. It's the most in your face money grab I have seen. To add a "edit with Sitejet" button to the client area to confuse people who are using WordPress for example is beyond stupid and I cannot wait for WHMCS as a whole to be replaced by a superior software.

A email from my client today:

 

 

[gei]

4 minutes ago, zomex said:

@WHMCS John 

It's the most in your face money grab I have seen...

To be fair, I think their 1000% price increase was a bit more blatant.

[WHMCS John]

Hi all,

It's super easy to switch off the Sitejet offering in WHMCS if you do not wish to offer it to clients, which is to remove it from the cPanel Feature List in WHM: https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/packages/feature-manager/

In this way the Sitejet offering is activated/deactivated for the related products in both WHMCS and cPanel interfaces with a single option.

[bear]

Perhaps you can answer for both companies stating why on earth this is enabled by default without input from the people it effects (you now, folks that are paying you)?
Why is not not "hey, want this feature we've added? Click this to choose to enable it." How come it's always forced on users that then have to scramble to remove all mention of it?

Seriously, ASK first, please. 

[zomex]

5 minutes ago, bear said:

Perhaps you can answer for both companies stating why on earth this is enabled by default without input from the people it effects (you now, folks that are paying you)?
Why is not not "hey, want this feature we've added? Click this to choose to enable it." How come it's always forced on users that then have to scramble to remove all mention of it?

Seriously, ASK first, please. 

Exactly but let's not pretend that John isn't fully aware of the intension. It was clearly a "great idea" by webpros to increase revenue at the cost of their clients. There was nothing accidental about this feature being enabled by default.

PS: @WHMCS John you still owe me over $3000 in license overcharging for a falsely calculated client total.

[Juanzo]

36 minutes ago, WHMCS John said:

Hi all,

It's super easy to switch off the Sitejet offering in WHMCS if you do not wish to offer it to clients, which is to remove it from the cPanel Feature List in WHM: https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/packages/feature-manager/

In this way the Sitejet offering is activated/deactivated for the related products in both WHMCS and cPanel interfaces with a single option.

Thanks for replying John.

Indeed, for the time being we have the option to disable SiteJet at both, cPanel and WHMcs intrusive banner, or have it enabled at both.
SiteJet looks like a good product, which hopefully stays included for free with cPanel always, but we don't want to show that banner at our clientarea.

That makes it a lot better to introduce it to our clients when needed, and avoid any confusion. Or clients that install SiteJet at their existing directory site, and complain and ask for help restoring.
Any small / mid must have come with this, big ones don't care since the owner's don't reply to tickets, like most of ourselves here.

Optionally enabling the SiteJet banner at WHMcs would be the most simple way, hopefully you can consider it.
We are using the hook kindly shared by @websavers on the meantime.