What do YOU want in a control panel?

Anjay · Post #1 (**permalink**) 12-30-2003, 11:18 AM

Well?

Ok, let's say you put together the four most popular control panels available - cPanel, Plesk, Ensim Pro and DirectAdmin.
Now, after taking all the good parts from each, adding them together, what more would you want in a control panel?

BlackStorm · Post #2 (**permalink**) 12-30-2003, 12:25 PM

To ne honest, cPanel does most things I want from a control panel, its easy to use for customers, WHM has most of the things needed so you dont have to get into shell for much, there are lots of add-ons available (One in development by one of our members

) it has lots of skins to change the look for end users and the reseller end of WHM.
There isnt really that much else that I want from a control panel.

I have come across a few bugs with cPanel and problems but there is always a work around, sometimes it invovles editing the php pages, but you can still get around it.
I think if that wasnt needed so often it would make the control panel a lot better

Anjay · Post #3 (**permalink**) 12-30-2003, 01:04 PM

Ok John, thanks for your comments.

So really, what you'd like to see in a control panel is less bugs and being more stable? Anything else?
Such as allowing clients to change their own skins, actuallying being able to log out from the WHM rather than just being able to close the page? Having things organised better?

Thanks for all comments.

imported_Andrew · Post #4 (**permalink**) 12-30-2003, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Anjay

after taking all the good parts from each, adding them together...

You get Hsphere :Announce:

Quote:

Originally posted by Anjay

So really, what you'd like to see in a control panel is less bugs and being more stable? Anything else?
Such as allowing clients to change their own skins, actuallying being able to log out rather than just being able to close the page? Having things organised better?

Again,

Hsphere :Announce:

Anjay · Post #5 (**permalink**) 12-30-2003, 02:17 PM

<< You get Hsphere >>

lol - I know about H-Sphere, but I don't think you'd end up with H-Sphere totally.

H-Sphere is certainly full of features, I give you that, but I'm afraid some clients are too clever enough to use it.

I've also heard a lot of problems with H-Sphere... soo, maybe the stability thing could go for that as well?

I like H-Sphere, I'm not dumb by any means, and can get my way around it very well, however I agree it could be designed and layed out better... also needs I think a LOT better design/style.

Any other comments, much appreciated.

-Please peeps, be honest here, you never know, a new control panel with the feature you wanted could come out soon.

imported_Andrew · Post #6 (**permalink**) 12-30-2003, 02:24 PM

Hi Anjay,

We made the switch over to Hsphere about a year ago and I can assure you there have been no problems at all.

If customers can use any other CP, they can use hsphere.

Goto our site and click on live demo or online flash tutorials.

I think you will be surprised by how easy it is to use. Combine this with the full functionality (server resource, billing, plan management, payment processing, invoicing, site builders, etc, etc, etc) I dont see how you could go wrong.

Price is right too - 1 time per user fee (around $3-$4 per user, 1 time fee).

If youre looking to design your own CP, the only thing I can think of that I would like to see improved over Hsphere is greater flexibility in the invoicing and improved reporting functionality - ie to track cart abandonement, etc.. , also, a slightly sleeker checkout process with greater modification capability would be nice.

My $0.02

turnkey · Post #7 (**permalink**) 12-30-2003, 03:55 PM

What you do is learn how to program and work with cPanel themes and then you can do anything

BlackStorm · Post #8 (**permalink**) 12-30-2003, 04:37 PM

Ah yeah good suggestion to allow users to change their cPanel theme, forgot about that one.
Maybe even allow them to upload a theme and its taken from their account space if its not already available.

I havent tried h-sphere so cant say anything about that really...
Something else I would like to see in WHM is a billing/invoice/helpdesk feature, I had Direct Admin for just under a week before I changed it to WHM/cPanel (it was on a new server and wanted to try DA but didnt like it)
I did like that it had a helpdesk in it but never used it because I only had it up for a while to try it out and test it.

I think if WHM had that for the host and resellers it would be a great addition, to be able to manage all support from WHM would be great, I know I would love it

imported_Andrew · Post #9 (**permalink**) 12-30-2003, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by turnkey
What you do is learn how to program and work with cPanel themes and then you can do anything

LOL - we have a programmer for such things...

but, seeing as Hsphere does everything already, I wouldnt waste his time on modifying CPanel - Id rather have him doing work for paying customers - Opportunity Cost

turnkey · Post #10 (**permalink**) 12-30-2003, 04:48 PM

John,

Good idea. Maybe once I get The Source Matrix done will look into making a reseller / admin program that will do the billing with there root / reseller accountings using phpcoin.

GordyMac · Post #11 (**permalink**) 12-30-2003, 09:58 PM

cPanel/WHM takes care of EVERYTHING I ever needed personally from a control panel.. so that is what I look for.. cPanel