ParaInvite
Version
3.5.0 (last update on Dec 22, 2011)
Rating
Compatibility
Reviews
38
License
GPLv2 or later
Commercial
Type
Date Added
19 December 2006
ParaInvite is a full-featured viral marketing component that allows your users to manage, view and send invites. It is designed to look and feel exactly like Facebook's invites functionality.
It allows your users to grab contacts from their webmails (Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo! Mail etc) and social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter). This ensures all contacts import and invites and handled properly. It also integrates with OpenInviter to provide additional services.
ParaInvite also displays a user's history of invites (viewable to all), and a complete breakdown of each user's statistics (viewable to administrators).
The Ranking module allows ranking of users based on accepted invites.
Other features include Auto Connections setup, points, and much much more. It's simply too much to list them all here!
Separate installable Pro add-on adds the following functions:
- Include sending invitations as part of the registration process
- Force users to send out at least a configurable number of invites before registration process is considered complete
- Badges feature which allows your users to place personal badges on their blogs, forums and other websites to promote your site, and getting points in return.
- Namecard feature, which is a URL which your users can leave anywhere they want (forum posts, other websites, emails etc), and when people follow this link, they will view their namecards with a link to register on your site. Namecard invitations are considered a successful valid invitation.
- Allow you to restrict registration to people with valid invitations.
- More!
ParaInvite is integrated with (but does not require):
- Community Builder
- Jomsocial
- Jomsocial points
- Jomsocial activity stream
- AlphaUserPoints
- iDevAffiliate
Images
This is a good extension but when i buy it i try to figured out some issues, but i have issues that not been solved and the whole extension is not working well, also the support is Zero
Owner's reply
Hi
We clear our support tickets on almost a daily basis, so unless you did not open a support ticket, I'm not sure if the support is "zero". Also, last week was the Lunar New Year, so the company was closed for the holidays.
If you have already opened a support ticket, please remember to check it for replies. You should also receive an email everytime there is a reply.
Ive used a few invite systems and have always like openinviter but found the joomla integration a little cumbersome. I purchased this and have to say the install was simple, works flawlessly and support was fantastic. I was also happy to see it uses openinviter as well so you have heaps of options when it comes to importing contacts.
Right, I don't normally leave reviews but this does warrant one.
I was having a problem with another identical type of extension that does the same and was having some big problems with it. I looked at parainvite and pro, saw the reviews and i have to say, they did put me off a bit.
Before even buying i sent in a question to ask that if i could not get it working would they go into my site and sort it out, the response was yes. I thought I would give it a go.
I am happy to say that everything installed perfectly and worked straight away! AWESOME!
I think the app could do with a couple of additions like being able to type someones name into the fb invite instead of having to scroll to find them but it is working very well for me.
So long as you follow the instructions you can't go wrong.
I was having a problem with another identical type of extension that does the same and was having some big problems with it. I looked at parainvite and pro, saw the reviews and i have to say, they did put me off a bit.
Before even buying i sent in a question to ask that if i could not get it working would they go into my site and sort it out, the response was yes. I thought I would give it a go.
I am happy to say that everything installed perfectly and worked straight away! AWESOME!
I think the app could do with a couple of additions like being able to type someones name into the fb invite instead of having to scroll to find them but it is working very well for me.
So long as you follow the instructions you can't go wrong.
I bought Profile, parainvite & parainvite pro at the same slot last week, after i bought i installed in my brand new website... after i installed no profile URL generating, parainvite no service found error... i found the following things from this software
1) this software never work properly with out support
2) you never get the support
so what is the use of paying money? joomla must take step towards to this kind of providers it will make all commercial users losing the money
1) this software never work properly with out support
2) you never get the support
so what is the use of paying money? joomla must take step towards to this kind of providers it will make all commercial users losing the money
Owner's reply
Hi
We're sorry, but as stated on the support ticket page, we simply cannot provide support on weekends, as nobody works on the weekends.
As you may see from the other reviewers, we do provide quick support on weekdays. However, if you read through the instructions provided on each setting on the configuration page, ParaInvite pretty much works out of the box.
The extension would be great if it worked as advertised... Sadly the support is absolutely terrible!
I created a support ticket about a month ago saying I configured the extension as outlined in the instructions but invite was only working for Gmail & Facebook and so far I haven't received any help whatsoever!
I outlined in great detail what the errors were but just got a couple of replies saying maybe I didn't configure it yet.
Being a Joomla! extensions developer myself, I think this is absolutely disgusting! It just shows my support ticket wasn't even read as I did state I had set everything up following the instructions carefully and even mentioned the large number of other unhappy customers with the same problems I've found during my search for a solution.
The majority of my users have Hotmail/Live email addresses and in my target market Twitter is used a whole lot more than Facebook so if I don't get some proper support soon this has just been a waste of $80...
I created a support ticket about a month ago saying I configured the extension as outlined in the instructions but invite was only working for Gmail & Facebook and so far I haven't received any help whatsoever!
I outlined in great detail what the errors were but just got a couple of replies saying maybe I didn't configure it yet.
Being a Joomla! extensions developer myself, I think this is absolutely disgusting! It just shows my support ticket wasn't even read as I did state I had set everything up following the instructions carefully and even mentioned the large number of other unhappy customers with the same problems I've found during my search for a solution.
The majority of my users have Hotmail/Live email addresses and in my target market Twitter is used a whole lot more than Facebook so if I don't get some proper support soon this has just been a waste of $80...
Owner's reply
Hi
Please check back for replies to your ticket. We try to respond to all tickets within 2 working days.
Sorry for my bad english but I want to tell my opinion about this great extension.
I'm using it with joomla 1.5 and I'm actually testing 3.5 before use it with my users.
I have used also previous 2.4 version and I was very satisfied to use it because all problem was releated to Openinviter and not to Parainvite.
Now with this new 3.5 that use native OAuth to retrive contact from service provider this extension is a very powerfull extension. In my test I have found some bug but I have contacted support and I have received a great support.
This extension works very good and have a great support to solve development problem. I recomended this extension to all user that searh a powerfull application for their site.
Great works.
Thanks a lot.
I'm using it with joomla 1.5 and I'm actually testing 3.5 before use it with my users.
I have used also previous 2.4 version and I was very satisfied to use it because all problem was releated to Openinviter and not to Parainvite.
Now with this new 3.5 that use native OAuth to retrive contact from service provider this extension is a very powerfull extension. In my test I have found some bug but I have contacted support and I have received a great support.
This extension works very good and have a great support to solve development problem. I recomended this extension to all user that searh a powerfull application for their site.
Great works.
Thanks a lot.
Initially I was a bit apprehensive after reading the last 2 reviews, and I've tried their demo a while ago and it doesn't seem to work (I found out it was caused by outdated Openinviter plugins and there's nothing they can do), but decided to go for it since they are having a 25% sale. And my god it is AMAAAAAAZING! I mean, it really blew my mind!!
The new version looks stunning. Like the description said, it really looks Facebook's inviter, so my users have no problems using it. It also uses "apps" of Hotmail, Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, where users can login, import contacts and send messages to these services directly. This way is so much better! The industry has been using OAuth for so long, and I've tried searching for a non-Joomla solution, but they all cost hundreds of dollars. I'm so thrilled there is finally something for Joomla!
I can't emphasize how important it is to use OAuth for login. Users trust it more, because they are sending their details directly to the service provider. I've been using another invites sender, and they are using Openinviter, which uses screen scraping and is very unreliable and not secured. Everytime Facebook updates something, it breaks, but Openinviter never release fixes! It's frustrating, even though I understand there's nothing the extension developers can do. By using the services own APIs, you can be sure it won't break when they change something.
All in all I give major props to the guys at simbunch. They really got this right. The interface is so nifty. The "Invites History" is easy to use and looks fantastic. Even though I was initially worried about support, they replied about 32 hours after I posted a ticket, and I'm fine with that.
The new version looks stunning. Like the description said, it really looks Facebook's inviter, so my users have no problems using it. It also uses "apps" of Hotmail, Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, where users can login, import contacts and send messages to these services directly. This way is so much better! The industry has been using OAuth for so long, and I've tried searching for a non-Joomla solution, but they all cost hundreds of dollars. I'm so thrilled there is finally something for Joomla!
I can't emphasize how important it is to use OAuth for login. Users trust it more, because they are sending their details directly to the service provider. I've been using another invites sender, and they are using Openinviter, which uses screen scraping and is very unreliable and not secured. Everytime Facebook updates something, it breaks, but Openinviter never release fixes! It's frustrating, even though I understand there's nothing the extension developers can do. By using the services own APIs, you can be sure it won't break when they change something.
All in all I give major props to the guys at simbunch. They really got this right. The interface is so nifty. The "Invites History" is easy to use and looks fantastic. Even though I was initially worried about support, they replied about 32 hours after I posted a ticket, and I'm fine with that.
this was really a bad choice.
program is not working and support doesn't exist.
really the worst commercial extension I ever purchased
program is not working and support doesn't exist.
really the worst commercial extension I ever purchased
Owner's reply
We have just released version 3.5, which uses services' APIs and OAuth to import contacts and send invites securely. All previous problems related to OpenInviter have been resolved.
hello,
I was searching for a viral marketing tool and parainvite was looking great. nice design and interesting features.
But at the moment I purchased it I realized very fast that this was a wrong decision. The extension is not fully working (many problems) and support doesn't exist there. Forum is dead and support tickets you get no answer or after 1 week with one line which for sure doesn't help.
Probably they don't have time to support their extension because they have to count their money from people like me who are really disappointed. But they didn't care... I'm using lots of commercial joomla products but I NEVER had such a bad support - if I'd burn my money in the fire this would have been better than purchasing this addon. Keep your fingers away from this!
I was searching for a viral marketing tool and parainvite was looking great. nice design and interesting features.
But at the moment I purchased it I realized very fast that this was a wrong decision. The extension is not fully working (many problems) and support doesn't exist there. Forum is dead and support tickets you get no answer or after 1 week with one line which for sure doesn't help.
Probably they don't have time to support their extension because they have to count their money from people like me who are really disappointed. But they didn't care... I'm using lots of commercial joomla products but I NEVER had such a bad support - if I'd burn my money in the fire this would have been better than purchasing this addon. Keep your fingers away from this!
Owner's reply
We have just released version 3.5, which uses services' APIs and OAuth to import contacts and send invites securely. All previous problems related to OpenInviter have been resolved.
This is a great extension but the configuration is difficult and tedious. You need to install Ioncube on your server for the component to work and with only a handfull of tutorials on installing Ioncube, its not easy. Unless your a pro. I spent almost a whole day on this so if anyone needs help you can contact me. Overall if your running a social networking site download this extension, with the ability for users to import their contacts from e-mail and social networking sites, it has the potential to increase your website traffic.
Owner's reply
As of June 2011, Ioncube is no longer required :)
This is a great interface for giving users the ability to invite folks from their address books. An automated import from Outlook or Outlook Express would also be nice, but copying and pasting addresses in works well too.
My biggest complaint is that the licensing mechanism requires that the author's website also be up and running, which you have no control over. So when he's down, you're down, and there's little feedback on when (if) you'll ever be back.
My biggest complaint is that the licensing mechanism requires that the author's website also be up and running, which you have no control over. So when he's down, you're down, and there's little feedback on when (if) you'll ever be back.
Owner's reply
Even if my site goes down, the licensing system will allow the license to continue functioning for another 30 days, unless you're installing it for the first time, which then has little to worry about.
The recent downtime was actually due to a transfer to a dedicated cluster server, which is done to provide even more permanent uptime.
Beautiful interface that is clean and easy to customize. The only beef I have is that the default message is configured in the language file. I understand that is for multi-lingual sites and makes sense to be there, there should just be a drop-down or something to make it easier for those without shell/rdp access to their Joomla server.
I love the web 2.0 interface and my only complaint was that it was not JomSocial compatible... until I just noticed it was updated yesterday. I'm downloading the latest version! w00t!
I love the web 2.0 interface and my only complaint was that it was not JomSocial compatible... until I just noticed it was updated yesterday. I'm downloading the latest version! w00t!
And your site will grow. All the necessary tools are there. You just make the effort to configure everything how you want. I had a few issues with how my Joomla, server and CB were setup but the developer walked me through what was necessary to get things working. Keep in mind that the problems I had were NOT related to Parainvite Pro. Mike (the developer) made a statement (after I had given up) that basically said he would accept nothing less than a satisfied customer and offered to take a look at my setup for me. I ended up figuring out what I had done wrong and all works well now. Also, the latest versions of this component have been extended to include features I suggested a few months ago. Again, that shows the developer listens to his customers. I also added the Octazen inviter script and things couldn't be better for site growth. Invitation links are sent out in a very simple manner (for the member) and they work. Any new members who accept invitations can automatically be added as a connection to the inviters. I would have to write a few more pages to list all the features. You should simply buy it!
The features of Parainvite are exactly what we needed at our site and it has been employed effectively to build our community.
When I experienced difficulty with integration of this software with other joomla components (example CB's captcha system), the creator stepped in and was able to offer solutions. He kept me advised and was also responsive in making appropriate updates to the software.
I recommend this component
When I experienced difficulty with integration of this software with other joomla components (example CB's captcha system), the creator stepped in and was able to offer solutions. He kept me advised and was also responsive in making appropriate updates to the software.
I recommend this component
The support has been abandoned for several months now.
Components are full of bugs and there is no support.
If they did work and there was support, they were still overpriced in my oppinion.
Also, be aware that I bought the expensive Parainvite Pro, just to find out that I ALSO had to buy the basic version for it to work - that is seriously misleading to clients.
I spent a LOT of money on his products, but I really regret to have done so.
Components are full of bugs and there is no support.
If they did work and there was support, they were still overpriced in my oppinion.
Also, be aware that I bought the expensive Parainvite Pro, just to find out that I ALSO had to buy the basic version for it to work - that is seriously misleading to clients.
I spent a LOT of money on his products, but I really regret to have done so.
Owner's reply
Did you contact me at all? How can you claim that there was no support (FOR MONTHS) when you had not contacted me?
PLUS! It is stated VERY clearly on the product description page that the Pro package is an *add-on*, and that the standard package is required. What is misleading?
Hi, Mike are you planning on expending your extension to other Components like JoomSuit? Would be great to have one for Joomla 1.5 native! Thank you!
AJAX ParaInvite is a "must have" for every community website builders. Don't go live without it! I have installed and tested it for several days and I'm very impressed! This application gives me possibilities like I have never seen in other extensions before! The developer is also very helpful and the support is nothing more than excellent! I would like to give AJAX ParaInvite five of five possible stars! Keep up the good work mike!
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