Anyone use AWiz as paysite CMS?
 

So, my partner and I are planning to go into the paysite business sometime soon - and we had decided to buy the AWiz Paysite Manager since it had several features we really liked, specially the automated creation of screengrabs, the password abuse protection and multiple site in the same server managed from a single control panel thing...

However, I am at the moment working with someone who has the Affiliate Manager from AWiz which costs WAY more than the Paysite manager and well, it's sort of sucky in the backend (the front end is nice enough though)

So, I was wondering if anyone here has used it and what do they think about it? Are the front and back end as nice and efficient as one hopes them to be? The demo on their site is not fully working (I guess for security reasons) so thought I should ask here.

Thanks in advance :)

Also! Another reason we liked it is that it's decent priced - we are starting and CARMA is out of the question. We are also able to do screengrabs, watermarking and video encoding ourselves quite easily, so it's not like we're saving money on itself by having a script instead of someone doing it for us... it's just that a second saved is a second earned and we are worried about security. So if you have suggestions on CMS that fit, or a positive review/sample, we'd really appreciate it. Thanks again :)

horrible backend

horrible documentation

helpful staff if you understand broken english

TONS of features and seems like a great piece of software, but I have it literally just sitting on my server after giving up because of the reasons above

if they would hire just ONE native english speaker to go in and learn the software inside and out, document it and answer support, they would do WAY better in sales

:2 cents:

Wow, hehe... yup, that was the sucky part I saw in the Affiliate Managing script... I got it figured out now but I was expecting more on the gallery/banner management area... going to integrate something custom instead, probably the tracking and billing integration works great though.

Your post did give me a great idea though, lol... do you think they'd be interested in a free makeover to the backend and documentation in exchange for a license? LOL

Srsly, thanks a lot for replying :)

CARMA is only $150/mo and we're always happy to do all we can to help out anyone, especially new people and companies in the biz. Send me an AIM or ICQ (JohnA1078, 5596373) and I'll be glad to discuss what we can do to help you out.

Awiz blows.
Carma is neat.

Does CARMA have automated screencap creation? Password protection etc? The feature listing in their site is not complete yet...

I use it for my sites and I must say after learning it which took some time I love it now, just takes a little time and some know how on html,php and you can get it and hell for the price it is well worth it.. just my :2 cents:

Don't forget to try our new Apex CMS before making your final decision :)
More info: http://www.calidi.com

Hit me up on ICQ if you have any questions, i will be glad to help you! (icq#18466283)

Want something that's as flexible as something like CARMA, but a bit less in the way of cost, check at APEX. I've been rebuilding my Member's Areas since getting it installed and it's a nice system.

http://www.calidi.com

EDIT: Just saw the post above me. Damien and his support staff rock.

I doubt it, any time I bitched about how shitty their docs were or how I coulldn't understand them, they would get kind of snobby, like i was the idiot...LOL

Mmmph, it felt like a brilliant plan LOL! :1orglaugh

Anyway - thank you all for the help and comments :) :thumbsup

i found the guys at awiz to be very helpful, and they were willing to do changes in the script for me for like $30 a piece - sometimes for free if the changes were small. and they were fast, too. yes, there were some interesting communication issues, but things did get sorted out although i sometimes had to find different words to explain things the second time.

If licenses are transferable someone can get my paysite and affiliate manager very cheap.

For Password protection go with strongbox. Carma is great and nothing can beat the support @ TMM.

I use aWizz to menage 3 sites, it work really nice for me, more than happy. And their documentation is much better in new 6 version. Support is very fast and helpful.
Also I dont have trouble communicating with them, I also use broken English :)

oh, and about security
aWizz is primary CMS, and have just basic protection, for better security use strongbox or frog thing (I cant remember name atm)

Is the broken English the main problem people have? After years of doing icq support with people with many other languages as their first other than English I might be able to work with that. I just need something for two (at the moment) very small sites that isn't going to kill my hosting.

I use AWIZ and I really like them :)

Is that the same damien as 'x stract' CMS? That system was nice, but one day they were 'gone'

We stoped selling the product but the technical support was still provided for all customers by email/icq (until january 2008) :)

This time we have a dedicated technical staff with guaranteed response times!
Our new system is WAY more powerful than the old one, so having a new improved and dedicated technical staff was logically required

I used it.. And I must say the backend is really really horrible, BUT!! somehow this script really delivers.. I guess all the things this script can do for the price it is kinda undoable to create a real user friendly backend for it..

If your a little technical and familiar with HTML etc. this script really does the job for the price. If you don't know shit about web pages and you dont have time to fuzzle around with the script I would go for something else..

Hmm, well we can debate about that :) Anyway, will see how your new system does. Will check out a demo

I was able to get support for the old system, but knew that the new system was coming so I tried not to pester them too much. He did deserve a vacation too! :winkwink:

Check out Apex. There's a lot there I like and I think you'll like it too.

No problem Andre! Hit me up on ICQ when you have time and i will show you our amazingly wonderful demo :winkwink:

awiz is good until you get big then it kills your server, there db tables arent set to clear themselves and they become huge with surfer stats.

Usually communication is the main problem with any relationship. I have had the same experiences relayed above both good and bad while working with aWiz. The back end is a little dated, but, it does have a lot of features for the money. The front end pretty much what you make it. I also, believe they are coming out with a new version that has many improvements over the concerns mention including documentation.

Very nice script for the price if you have an intermediate knowledge of HTML and you take a little time with it. IMHO

Kind Regards,

Les

Bump for more CMS comparisons, reviews, and suggestions.

I currently use Awiz cms on 3 sites along with Phantom Frog for password security issues. There are a few challenges with the English and documentation on their end, but they are quick to respond and address any issues that you may have with their product.

Hmm that ias bad. I hate huge db's with crap data

bump for a very interesting thread

So AWIZ does not conflict with strongbox then? asked the question to the awiz support and still havent got an answer

just my 2 cents. I have checked and found that request from "Sabai" has been answered in 10 minutes after receiving.
If you didn't get the answer, you have to check your spam-folder or maybe use email with less brutal spam-filters... ;)

Here is the essence of response: at least hundred customers does use aWIZ and strongbox with no problems, the only small adjustment may be required and it is explained in new User Manual, which (BTW in response to older posts) created by native Americans and approved by US and English webmasters.

ok thats what i wanted to know, thanks. as for the spam filters i don't have any and my spam folder is filled only manually.... i guess your ISP's sendmail IP is blacklisted ( mine too as some Thai ISP's have been widely used for spam and is in several spamblacklists such as spamhaus used by other ISP's ).

will recontact you very soon for a purchase of deluxe edition ....

I might have purchased Awiz but they wanted 80 Euros to answer a simple question about whether or not my idea was suited to their product.

"By your request we can make complete audit of the site and provide you with a detailed summary about its compatibility with aWIZ functionality, the price of this service is 80 euro. You can check it here:
http://awizsoft.com/awiz_prices.html
position #7"

Every other CMS guy we talked to answered the question or spent time on ICQ with us.

Dear Shoplifter,
We do not provide unresponsible answers "anyhow".
aWIZ website contains:
a) extremely detailed features description
b) live-demo of admin and members parts
This info helps to people to understand does the product fit to their needs or not.
In case man wouldn't like to learn the sites materials, but he need exact answer about compatibility - he can order complete audit with examination of each feature and page of his current website. Hoping you understand that it is really deep job which takes at least half a day together with report and suggestions writing.

However if someone consider that we are forced to make such analysis for free, or we have to answer to the fool questions "will your script works for me?" - maybe such person should really choose some other product. ;)

i bought AWIZ deluxe on wednesday night, its been installed on my server on thursday morning and meanwhile i had the VERY COMPLETE AND WELL WRITTEN IN GOOD ENGLISH manual to read like 30 minutes after my payment.

I'm pretty pleased and impressed sofar with the script and i must admit that
all the criticism i read on GFY about it being hard to use and the "broken english " is totally unfounded and must have been made by idiots who cannot alter their mindsets to try to understand "becouse" instead of "because".....

the template system is great and makes it really easy to customize the site ( i customized my members area to match my site in less than 15 minutes), the overall
learning curve is quite easy ( if you are not a complete idiot ) and when i was stuck i just had to take
reference in the manual to find out what i did wrong. i had just a question for the support, who answered my email in less than 10 minutes in GOOD ENGLISH and in fact the answer was right in the manual ( its so big that i didn't read the section in question)

adding content is made in a snap, it takes less than 30 seconds to add a set or movie and create the galleries.... i spend more time uploading the content to my server than installing it in the members area

adding another website is even faster ..... really this script could be used by my 7 years old daughter
....
in few words ,
i'm happy with my purchase and i cannot imagine what features the other CMS costing 10 times more have that AWIZ doesn't have, ITS SO COMPLETE ( and i'm pretty sure that new features will be added overtime ).....

i sincerely recommand this script to anyone who don't want to spend the skin of their penis for a CMS yet get the best one there is ........ for once the " you get what you pay for" is proven wrong as i got way more than what i paid for .


you can buy this script eyes closed ...

NB: no i did not get paid to write this , its my sincere feeling towards what i think is the best spent money by me this year.

No problem. We did choose another product.

and you spent more than what you should have IMHO... good luck anyway

Well I saved 80 euro off the top...

And I think you would have to pay me to use a product where the owners consider their potential clients to have "fool questions".

In our case I think our questions were pretty simple and not really requiring an analysis. There is a point where I would pay for support or analysis, but that is down the road, once we have identified the right product.

Who knows, Awiz may be an excellent product. But I think their sales team needs some work if someone making first contact with their company is only given these options.

may I ask what CMS you went for?

Good luck on using AWiz!!

horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible horrible

have you only tried version 6? most complainers about AWIZ have just tried /bought the first or second release 5 years ago .......................

read my last reply, and thanks, sofar so good

of course if you don't know zilch about html you will spend more time than me to design your members area but if you don't know zilch about html you have nothing to do in this bizness and its easier to flip burgers than to be a webmaster

Support is fast and reliable.
They deisgned my member area for $120 exactly like I asked.
The backend is not the prettiest around, but that should not be an issue to anyone.

OK, let's make things clear. Shoplifter wrote us exactly the following:
Just the splash page of that site has contained over 50 links to some different subpages and BESIDES THAT - 12 (TWELVE!) different sections right on the main page! So we have had to examine what each of em does mean, whether it is supported by aWIZ or how it may be replaced with some other aWIZ feature. In Shoplifters judgment we have had to do it free of charge, as well as examination of all other pages... No comments.

paysite like! - so was specified somebody else's paysite, with no access of course. Let me remind that we still talk about MEMBERS AREA software, not about one splash page building. It seems that Shoplifter implied that we will ...subscribe for $ 29.95, or how else we should realize is such site possible with aWIZ?... Or maybe Shoplifter considered that he wrote to madhouse, where any question get the only answer without a second thought "Yes, of course, don't worry":)

However Shoplifters got immediate and polite response, which offered the only logically-available variants:
A) to learn the features and demo on the aWIZ website, and thus provide us with more concrete questions if he will get them
B) or if he'd like to stay with "closed eyes", to order paid audit.

I not sure could anybody else do more in response to such absurd request...

CIVMatt: seems you don't know that you also can make the font larger, bolder and colour. Don't limit yourself in your emotions! :1orglaugh

We've been using aWIZ for some time. Had some initial hiccups, but nothing major, and it had more to do with us than with the software.
aWIZ does everything it's supposed to do for a very affordable price, compared to all the other CMSs out there.
We recently moved to a new host, which caused some hassles. Every support ticket I sent was very promptly, politely and adequately dealt with.
aWIZ rocks :thumbsup