Future of Business Catalyst

[Graugans GbR]

I just red a post of cursorcreative about what they think about the future of BC (Adobe Business Catalyst is the end in sight? | Kursor Creative )

Can this be true? Should we all switch to another CMS, should all rats leave this (sinking?) ship? Does anybody know something for sure?

Regards, Dennis

[rbrtsluk]

This is not the first time this question has been brought up. I don't think anyone knows but Adobe. I'm sure it will be one big slap in the face from Adobe if they do decide to call it quits.

They need to stop fluffing around making stupid apps and work on fixing and improving the good stuff.

[Stephen_Blignault1]

When was this post written?

Also, this tells you all you need to know about Kursor Creative:

"We have made the strategic decision to move to WordPress content management system as our preferred cms but we will revisit the use of Business Catalyst in the near future."

WordPress does not even come close to BC and BC's points of differences, such as eCommerce, Web Apps, SaaS, liquid etc.

Had Kursor Creative said they were choosing another SaaS-type platform maybe they'd have more credibility. The biggest marketing difference between BC and WordPress is that with WP, you have another 100-million developers who can undercut your quote and fees and so you're struggling for the lowest price possible for development. BC is simply in a different price point with different type of client.

I've used both systems, and both suit different clients and different markets. At Fueldesign, we simply do not cater to the WP type customer - and I mean that in the most gentlest way possible. One system does not replace the other, they are order of magnitudes different.

[SproutCreatives]

Amen! It's a shame that Adobe is pushing the development of BC. Those of us at Sprout Creatives think that BC is the best web platform out there. Liquid and Web Apps. What other platform has that? If Adobe would just put resources behind BC, it really could take off. Adobe never gave BC a chance. Adobe never really included BC into their family of products. Hell there was a time when you visited the Business Catalyst website you didn't even know it was from Adobe, unless you looked at the terms of conditions.

Come on Adobe make BC the best in class it can be. 

[EZEZ1]

I am a newbie. There I said it. Is it just me or is the BC platform learning curve very steep? I can not find any tutorials that will walk you through  BC that is not up to date. Every video and even the BC Manual most everything is relocated or hidden in all the tutorials. Barely anything is usable as a step-by-step for the new BC platform. BC Guru's videos is outdated as are most all publishing by BC Partners. I am a Muse user, but I wanted to know BC so I could use my Free Partner Site. The attached photo of a book was the best thing I could find that is a step by step that would be excellent if it were up to date and all the items and links were where they should be with the new updated BC Platform, for a newbie. This book is set up like Adobe's Classroom in a Book series. Does anyone know where to get an up to date version of this book? This inquiring mind would like to know. I am sold on BC I believe it is a great product. I sure hope it will be here for me after I get past my learning curve. But, help?

Thank you,

EZ

[Liam Dilley]

These are up to date:
Getting started

I do not use services like BC gurus but the 3rd party doc and support sites are, as far as I understand continually adding new things and hold all new things up to date information.

[EZEZ1]

Thank you, Liam, that link was a help in putting my foot on the right path.

[C9-MB]

Your view on what is a steep learning curve will depend on your background and experience.

Compared to a product like Sitefinity on ASP.Net/MVC and Azure - Business Catalyst really is websites-for-dummies.

However, if your background is just basic html/css/jscript then yes, it's a significant paradigm shift, and the documentation can seem difficult, with good examples hard to find and a bit obtuse - ok, very obtuse.

But again, if you are used to more advanced development and finding your way around things like the .Net-Framework docs, then your view might be totally different.

I develop with it because I get paid to develop with it, but I'm not sold on it by any stretch of the imagination.

Personally, I despise Liquid and am continually frustrated by the shortcomings and unresolved bugs, but it is what it is and it has its place.

The product has potential to be *MUCH* better, and the SAS model is compatible with current trends, but unless Adobe are prepared to invest in its future, then I honestly can't see that it has one.

[EZEZ1]

Hello C9-MB thanks for your analysis and outlook on Azure & Business Catalyst. I had the choice to choose which path to follow, and I decided on BC. I am not the sharpest pencil in the box and websites-for-dummies is what I need to get started.  I hope Adobe will invest in BC's future at this point it will be an investment in my future also.  I plan to keep reading it until I understand.

[EZEZ1]

What do you think of Kursor Creative now? They questioned or predicted this EOL of BC  and Muse way back in 2016.   People thought they were out of line.

Kursor Creative, what is your exit plan? Where did you go? How did you solve this string of unfortunate circumstances? Please share.

[NaviB2]

Looks like BC is closing down. Muse is cancelled as well.

Here is the Muse announcement: http://muse.adobe.com/product-announcement-intl.html

Product Announcement

Here is a paragraph in that announcement: Sites hosted on Business Catalyst will have to be re-published to another hosting platform to remain live after June 18, 2019 when Business Catalyst hosting is no longer available.

[C9-MB]

This needs clarification from Adobe, as to how this impacts non-Muse use of BC.

[hijjawia]

This is a serious matter and we need an answer from business catalyst team ASAP.

[NaviB2]

Update. BC is going March 2020 at the latest. Announcement here:

Product Announcement

[C9-MB]

Actually, it reads much worse than that  - No new Paid or Trial sites after June-18 2018.

They appear to be giving everyone less than 3-months to change their business model and move to a different platform for all new business.

[JAQ_Design]

How is this LEGAL?

At the very least this is incredibly bad faith, I suspect there may also be the potential for legal recourse. At the very BEST this is UNCONSCIONABLE and a huge breach of trust. Particularly with the ridiculously short notice. Lead times for large sites are often upwards of 16 weeks, this will kill some projects MID-DEVELOPMENT.

I bought into BC at the beginning for over 2K and this will beggar me in the time necessary to migrate complex sites. One in particular is a 30K completely custom site which went up last year - it will take me THOUSANDS of hours to migrate to a new system and I can't charge this to a client.

I can imagine some of the bigger firms and app developers who have based their entire business model around it will be in an even worse position. Absolutely disgusting Adobe.

[C9-MB]

With an immediate halt on development and such a short time-line to End-of-Sale, it makes me wonder if it's been sold.

[SproutCreatives]

From what I hear Adobe has been offered GOOD money for BC. They would not sell and probably never going to happen. It has something to do with their Legal Dept. having issues with the login that's tied into all of Adobe's system. 

[EZEZ1]

OH, CRAP!      

I can hardly believe this my self as a newbie I’ve spent months on tutorials learning how to be proficient in Muse and BC. I have written my feasibility plan on how I would make Muse and BC my business model. All down the drain. I am flabbergasted and this has put a big dent in my future plans. I was intent on building a business around this platform. I am totally dismayed by this announcement.  What happens to all the partners that have so much information, widgets, and templates produced?

What is the deal now, I see Adobe and Microsoft have made a deal to merge together?  They call “A new partnership. A new opportunity.” What is that about? THEY THROW THEIR OLD PARTNERS AWAY AND GO FIND NEW ONES and then no invitation to come along? When I was a kid we called people like that “Flat Leavers.”

https://www.adobe.com/partners.html?promoid=QTV3P7CF&mv=other

What is next? Will they discontinue Photoshop, Premiere Pro? I don’t want to invest my time in Adobe anymore If they are going to start shutting down programs without any notices or short notices. I have years invested in Adobe Products.

They have no problem in giving short notices, they should send out assurances about the rest of their products and the longevity of them. This news is depressing for me. I can only imagine how long time partners feel. It makes me feel like they have been doing insider trading. Everyone buying in while they planned to sell out after you go all in. I feel like a real dummy.

EZ

[Kevin61]

There is a Class Action in the works ... send your contact info to dave@koby.law

[EZEZ1]

Graugans GbR,

How did you gain such an insight from 2016 to predict this day and that so few people knew? The Adobe Microsoft Partnership is the result. What is the best alternative for Partners as you see it? What insight do you have for us now? Where and what should we do or go? Why didn't Adobe give us a heads up?

Any Partners that have any suggestions, please speak on this as to how or what you are doing about this dramatic change what other sources do you see as viable.

Bringing the Adobe-Microsoft Partnership to Life

https://theblog.adobe.com/bringing-adobe-microsoft-partnership-life/

[C9-MB]

This is Adobe modus operandi, milk a product then dump it and its users.

As I said above, one possible reason for the outrageously short notice could be that it's been sold while it still had some value, as opposed to announcing long EOS and EOL time-frames, which would leave it worth nothing once all users have abandoned it.

BC was always non-core to Adobe, and the income from it would barely justify the hassles it creates for them, but it may be quite attractive to a smaller player who wants a niche market and is willing to develop it into a better product and expand its potential.

BC is based on old technology and left to stagnate, as it has done basically since Adobe bought it, it was always a dying product with no future. However, the future is web, mobile and SaaS, and BC has the potential to be a good solution if only the technical investment was made to make it relevant to the current needs of developers.

I can see all sort of ways it could be valuable to someone (hell, I wish I had the money, as I have lots of ideas) and if that is the case then the Adobe might actually have just done the community a favor by getting out of the way.

Of course, this is possibly just be a bit of wishful thinking on my part.

[EZEZ1]

C9-MB you said, "it's been sold while it still had some value." Who do you think could or would buy it? Too bad it could not be purchased by all the partners in stock forms like the Green Bay Packers and all the users own it. Dreamer!?? Huh.

You can not trust enterprise corporations anymore. They are like corporate raiders, but all the partners and Americans are the small fries left to flounder on the hard cold concrete until they die and enterprise corps run with all the money. UnAmerican!

Can any of the Dominate  Partners organize us to be a group and respond to save our selves and be our own owners.? Dreaming again, huh?

EZ F#@#&)^ Dreaming again.

[SproutCreatives]

EZEZ1​ I had the same thought about the partners taking control of BC. Let's be honest the partner community is the only reason BC has gotten this far. Let's keep dreaming!!

Another thought I had. Was wondering if Adobe plans on keeping the commissions below the required $500 redemption level.

[Liam Dilley]

1. It has NOT been sold.

2. Adobe will not sell it.

3. It is not about the cost of it and no one could buy it, people have tried.