So long and thanks for all the fish

[tescophil]

This morning when I logged in to untangle over the VPN on my phone I noticed three things.

1) Version upgrade to 13.0, great I thought
2) Redesign of the web front end, initially good until I found that on mobile (Chrome) it's totally unusable as I'm no longer able to scroll around the screen when the frame doesn't fit within the browser window.
3) Web filter light has been removed.

I've been using Untangle due many years now, with one of the key functions being the ability to block certain categories of web content fron my kids. This is no longer possible, with $25/month for Web Filter being IMHO extortionate for a small home install.

I'll be moving on to another UTM distro, and I'll be advising all those whom I've advised to use untangle over the years to do the same.

I think its a real shame that you had a great community offering here that helped the commercial side of your business develop it's products, which you have now let down.

I'm sure there will be many others in this same position, and however you want to spin the reasons for your decision, it's just a way to attempt to rinse money from those trying to protect their families on a budget.

Very disappointed...., For Shame Untangle...

[theoak]

$200 for 5 years for the full meal deal is pretty reasonable to me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tescophil]

$0 sounds like an even better deal. Plenty of quality open source UTM's in the sea, OPNsense, Endian etc. offering full stack features, but like I said, Shame...

[abailey]

I think $50 a year is an absolute steal. I tried two other UTM's before Untangle and both topped $200 a year. While I think $200 a year is too much for home use, $50 a year is awesome. Wanting to get something for free has always puzzled me. I have never expected a company to give me their product for free that they spent resources on developing. I can't see the logic behind that. There are some open source UTM's out there and that would be best for those looking for free. For me I am happy to pay for an Untangle home license for everything it provides compared to all the free UTM's I tried when looking for alternatives to the $200 plus UTM I was using.

[sky-knight]

$0 sounds like an even better deal. Plenty of quality open source UTM's in the sea, OPNsense, Endian etc. offering full stack features, but like I said, Shame...

There is no such thing as a free product with a functioning content control system.

And if you feel that strongly about a module that's been demonstrably useless for a couple years now (Web Filter Lite), I suppose you aren't caring enough about actual security to notice the difference between the reportedly free and useless products you just listed, and the powerful actual working home solution for pennies offered by Untangle.

So with that, it's been fun, there's the door.

But then you came here... which means on some level you do care... and if that's the reality, please take a harder look because you'll be surprised at what you find.

[rathb18]

$0 sounds like an even better deal. Plenty of quality open source UTM's in the sea, OPNsense, Endian etc. offering full stack features, but like I said, Shame...

Seriously? How is $50 a year for the full package "extortionate"? That's a pretty amazing deal considering a single license of AV for one computer is like $60 a year usually and this protects ALL your devices. And you act like people will work for free? lol No..

[JasonJoel]

$0 sounds like an even better deal. Plenty of quality open source UTM's in the sea, OPNsense, Endian etc. offering full stack features, but like I said, Shame...

Well if $0 is the only answer you will accept, then I guess you'll have to find another solution. Good luck.

I don't think $50/yr is a big deal, but if you do then do what is best for you and your family.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[tescophil]

Thanks for your replies

TL;DR I do care, its not the money, its the principal

I've been developing software for about 35 years now, and during that time I have worked on a number of Open Source projects. I donate my time and IP to a community in order to make that community stronger, improve standards and drive progress/innovation. I've been playing around with UTM's as a hobby for at least 17 years now, and have run a wide range of implementations, all either open source, or 'Community' versions with a paid for vertical alongside. I hope my participation has help drive development over the years, and that's what I want to continue to do.

Untangle would not exist without open source. Everything from the core OS to the systems this forum its hosted on is entirely based on open source free software. The company needs to make money, but it could not do so without the support of the community who donate their time in return for running the 'Community' version of Uniangle (i.e. its not free...).

My issue is the removal of functionality from the community version which then transitions into a paid model. The 'Web monitor' function is basically useless, essentially its a marketing tool to make you buy the 'Web Filter' module (or full stack). This is evidenced by the fact that if you install both at the same time, you get a warning message saying 'Uninstall the Web monitor, its pointless...'.

There are obviously many 'loyal' Untangle fans out there, but resorting to dismissing other projects out of hand, or trying to justify the payment model is not the way to go. Open source software development is a key driver in technology innovation, and I don't like to see the erosion of this, however small the perception.

Try not to loose sight of these principals, continue to develop the community, support other open projects, even pay for Untangle if you like...

Without openness, progress will wither on the vine.

[sharrisonUK]

Without openness, progress will wither on the vine.

There is still a completely free to use Untangle product that will show you what is being accessed... Seems you could simply adapt your behaviour and use this as a opportunity to engage with your children;-)

"Without dialogue, humans are fated to walk in the darkness of their own dogmatic self-righteousness..."

[tescophil]

There is still a completely free to use Untangle product that will show you what is being accessed... Seems you could simply adapt your behaviour and use this as a opportunity to engage with your children;-)

"Without dialogue, humans are fated to walk in the darkness of their own dogmatic self-righteousness..."

I engage with my kids just fine thanks, and If you have the inclination to manually paw over your kids web traffic, then you clearly have to much free time on your hands...

Education is about dialogue, they know the difference between right and wrong and what constitutes 'inappropriate' content on the internet. But this can't always be avoided even with the best intentions, so I would prefer to do what I can in the home environment to minimise the risk. Once off the home WiFi there are far fewer restrictions in place; This is where education, awareness and trust are exercised.

It's in this regard that I thing the 'Community' edition of Untangle is no longer useful, monitoring is clearly pointless without the option to take action. Castrating the open version of a once useful platform to the point where the only option is to buy the paid for version goes against the principles of open development I've already outlined.

How about we discuss that point, rather than take cheap shots at how I choose to bring up my children ?