Thanks for the clarifications.  Maybe "breaking changes" wasn't the best terminology.  What I guess I meant to say was that switching from DNN3 to DNN4 required going to ASP.NET 2.0 which meant purchasing Visual Studio 2005 (or using the free version).  What I was intending to say was that in order for me to continue to reap the benefit of the most current DNN releases I had to significantly change the way I program to make modules for my website.  I had to purchase new software and re-install and re-configure.  And there were "breaking changes" in my twenty or so custom modules due to changes in the core that had to be addressed.  Modules that worked on my DNN2 and then DNN3 portal did not work "out of the box" with DNN4.  That's what I was referring to but maybe my terminilogy is off.

I hope the creators of DNN and all that have given long sleepless nights to its creation get paid very well for it.  The business model in the future doesn't concern me at all.  I was just noting in Shaun's blog that there will always be "a" free open source version of DNN available which sounded to me like DNN mgiht be moving towards a commercial version.  Again, doesn't matter to me either way and maybe I read into that.  It's a great product and I'm glad to have it and I hope its creators are rewarded well for their work.

But for me, trying to keep up with the latest DNN source has set me back greatly in time because I can only code in my spare time and I'm an amateur.  I don't program for a living.  I've decided to stay with DNN4 and ASP.NET 2.0 from here on out and once the newest version of DNN comes out that would require me to change my modules again or purchase new software then I will consider myself off the upgrade train.  Otherwise I spend most of my time trying to keep up with the DNN versions instead of focusing on my website.

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I'm too poor for anything other than the community version

Ryno,

I agree with your statements and the good news is that I see the upgrade paths inside of the 4.x world much easier to complete than those of previous versions. 

DNN 3.x and 2.x modules seemed to create a huge problem in regards to how they were coded and interacted with the core.  Many people have modified their methods and are starting to function better.  The biggest changes now that cause problems is when you change the minmum .NET version.  Especially when working with third party components such as Telerik or others that require different versions of the .dll files to be used.

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-Mitchel Sellers
Microsoft MVP, ASPInsider, DNN MVP
CEO/Director of Development - IowaComputerGurus Inc.


Visit mitchelsellers.com for my mostly DNN Blog and support forum.

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