Invalid extension update - Joomla 2.5 and JFBConnect 4.1.2

We just updated the update XML file to state the files need to be updated manually. For now, you'll need to go to the My Subscriptions area, get the newest release, and install like normal. If you "Purge Cache" and then do "Find Updates", the Name of our extension will state "Must be Updated Manually". It doesn't fix your problem directly, but we have no control over the warning message that's been added to 2.5. We'd love to be able to give instructions there.

Currently, the SCLogin module is the only extension that can be auto-updated. For the rest, you'll have the benefit of knowing sooner that a new release is out, but will need to manually update it.

Because we're based off subscriptions, and there's no way to validate users through the update area, the main component will likely always require a manual installation. We are working toward making all the other modules/plugins (except the main component) able to be automatically updated through the Joomla admin area.

Hope that makes sense,
Alex

Yup, it something we're struggling with. We'd love to make it 'simple', but we can't destroy our business in the meantime. Without subscriptions, we simply couldn't keep adding features, fixing bugs and provide the support we do.

We do have some ideas we're throwing around to enable automatic updates, and some changes to the current system that we'll be proposing/submitting to Joomla that any developer could use. It will take some time to get a good solution going, but there's enough interest from user's and developers though, so I'm sure something will come about.

This will be a common stance for most/all commercial extensions though until a workable solution is found. We've heard from many developers that they simply don't even plan to use the upgrade available notification at all. We at least feel the notification of new updates is a wonderful addition, even if it's not an automatic process to update..

Hope that explains, and we hope you understand,
Alex

When an update is released, we always update our changelog below. If there was a security fix in it, we'd definitely call it out there and recommend the upgrade:
www.sourcecoast.com/jfbconnect/docs/changelog

In 3 years, we've never been notified of a security problem with JFBConnect and never had a "security release". We're very vigilant about our code and testing, and are always improving things using best-coding standards. That's not to say JFBConnect is immune to security problems, just that we've never had any (that we know of) released into the wild.

Alex

Mati's correct about license keys being difficult and not always well respected. It's an area we'd want to tread carefully into.

With that said, we are investigating the Akeeba Release System by the developer behind Akeeba Backup and Admin Tools for Joomla. With that, we can actually generate codes for users that they will need to use an automated update system. We're going to be testing the initial capabilities of this integration with our upcoming JLinked v1.1. If all goes well there, we'll be adding some features to JFBConnect v4.2 in April. I don't know if that 1-click updates will be enabled in that release, but it should be a better system and a step along the path to authenticated (but still very simple) updates, which we're planning to have fully implemented around the middle of the year.

Hope that explains, but if you have any other suggestions or feedback, please feel free to let us know!

Thanks,
Alex