Direction is everything, and where we are today is a function of what we did yesterday to get there.
To that end, we have several issues facing the Untangle community, and the product it supports that need resolved. I don't make this thread with the intention of issuing any sort of mandate. I fully expect the Untangle corporation to do what it needs to do. I'm simply putting ideas on the table to address specific issues.
1.) The Roadmap
We don't have it. We need it. I know Untangle has this information internally but it would be helpful if we as resellers at least had some idea of the features that can be expected in the near future. Bugzilla is not the mechanism to to this, it's simply too hard to read. I can't tell you how many hours I've spent wandering the search feature not finding the bug I'm looking for. I'm willing to admit this is possibly just my lack of education with the software. However, we need to find a way to manage features, improvements, and bugs more efficiently so the community feels more active in the process. Resellers also need to be able to plan ahead for future changes to a certain degree, good ideas are slow to come by and having a bit of extra time gives us that much advantage on the sales floor. Put a big red sign over it that proudly proclaims it's subject to change without notice. This isn't meant to be something written in stone, it's just meant to be a guide. The lack of open planning is preventing the community from developing the new features we need. It's really hard to put your heart and soul into building something when you don't know if Untangle is just going to do it for you in the next patch.
2.) Sales
Or I should say the lack thereof. This isn't an altruistic venture. If Untangle is to survive it must be able to support the families working to sustain the work. Idealism has a place, but it breaks down when people are starving.
The current hot button in this category is the recent introduction of advertising into the free product. Now, Untangle has presented this addition as one of cost, and most of us have been concentrating on the realities of ad driven direct revenue. I submit to you, that the revenue stream created by the ads will not come from the ads, it will come from the people who don't want the ads. It will come in two folds, firstly people buying something to get rid of the ads, and secondly everyone that gets upset and leaves because they refuse to pay. To be blunt, its that much less bandwidth for Untangle to pay.
I realize that reality is going to seem harsh around here, but there it is I said it. I support Untangle's decision to incorporate ads because it has become a sales tool for me. All other resellers should be in a similar boat, I'm curious to hear what they have to say about this issue as well as how to deal with improving the sales of this product over all. My clients have not reacted with any negativity toward the product when I informed them of the change. I do however wish, Untangle would advertise itself, and its resellers as I feel it would be more effective. Constant reminders of what is available in the store. Make free users go through the electronic equivalent of the "walk of shame" we all get at the grocery store. Stores do this sort of thing because it works. I see no reason why it wouldn't work here.
3) Hardware.
Hardware issues have been a topic of contention for longer than I've been here. It's simply not easy to provide the testing required to prove a given design is long lived, and still upgrade proof. The pressure on resellers in this avenue has been heavy, we don't have a product to sell if we don't have hardware to put it on. This requires any Untangle reseller that wishes to be competent to do their own q/a, testing, R&D, and so forth. I'm not objecting to this model, I rather enjoy the challenge brought to my table. However, there is a cost.
These forums are very active on the topic of hitting up new egg or random other sales points for individual components to work with Untangle. This information is counter to the process of actually selling these units. For this reason, I have very rarely if ever given actual model information on hardware in these forums. I always speak in general terms of capacities based on what I've seen in the field. I don't mind sharing that detail, but if I'm going to spend the resources on properly building, supporting, and vetting a given platform, I expect to be compensated. It is unrealistic of forum community members to assume this information is free to pass around.
This effect, stifles the flow of information and removes the potential of ever building a true HCL for this product. Untangle has in the past tried to do the hardware support, and they chose to remove themselves from this arena due to the complexities involved. Because Untangle doesn't test specific hardware, upgrades are an unknown in some cases, and hardware can cease to function after a upgrade. Resellers need to strengthen their relationship with Untangle to provide access to the hardware they are selling to prevent this from happening. Assuming of course, that Untangle engineers are willing to test on 3rd party units operating elsewhere.
The bottom line, Untangle is software, it is not a product. You can only sell a product. Therefore, if resellers are going to be the primary source of hardware testing and resources. I suggest that resellers be the only source of information in this regard. Perhaps we build an HCL that is available only to Untangle resellers. This idea also reinforces the need for direct sales to be terminated. Untangle cannot be expected to support the hardware.
The exception is of course the Windows version.
4.) Open Source
Open Source means the community does the work. We do the lifting, we create the new toys. The commercial guys take what we do, polish it off, make it easy and clean. Then they sell it. Our community here is an amazing one with a wide range of talents. Yet, for all that talent there is very little actual development coming in. I haven't been as active in this arena as I should have. I'm not a programmer, but that doesn't mean I can't deal with bugzilla more actively, and be more active in the beta process. I consider the quality reductions in the 7.x series of Untangle to be a direct result of my own failure to get off my carcass and help. These forums shouldn't be about asking random questions about the Untangle product. They shouldn't be about free support because we're too cheap to buy it. They should be about what it takes to move this project forward.
In many ways we've done it right. We don't flame, we help, we give and give until we can't give anymore. We've got a great start, but we've also got a long road ahead.
5.) Documentation
The wiki... why do we have it again? I blame myself here again for not getting more involved. I have the information to fix that thing, yet I have not lifted a finger to fix it. What is especially missing are some of the synergistic benefits yielded by the purchase of some modules. There is sales potential here and it's being missed.
So there you have it, the major issues I see with the product as it stands. The structure of why things are the way they are. I don't have perfect ideas on how to resolve everything here. We walk a fine line between the free mentality brought to the table from Open Source ideology, and the commercial mentality leveraged by corporate interest. I just ask everyone to remember that Open Source doesn't mean "free" as in no cost. It means "free" as in beer, as in available, as in portable. Untangle has given more than enough free of charge, it's time to build a business that can sustain this product and our community going forward. I've invested a good portion of my life in these forums over the last 2 years. I will continue to do so because I believe in the product, and the people behind it.
I love my job, I love building businesses, I love watching the lights come on and the users going to work. Give me the means to keep doing this, and I will continue to do so.
Great job to Untangle, it's been a world of work and pain, but here you are! There is much work to be done. There will always be something else to add, some exciting new feature, or some frustrating bug to kill.
If you've made it through my wall of text, thanks for the time. If you have any ideas you feel can be positive and help move this project forward feel free to share. I have every confidence this community will drive this product. So let's make 2010 the year Untangle takes its rightful place as a key part of every network.