NEW - Automatic Instant Activation after Donating

[mouser]

After some days of intense php coding, I'm happy to say that we now have a set of fully automated scripts in place for responding to donations instantly with both a universal license key for all of ours programs, and a special activation code that will let donators instantly upgrade their forum account to full charter member status on their own.

This means instant gratification the minute you donate (via paypal) 


We'll still be sending out personal welcome messages to every donation but this should make it a little easier to get a good night's sleep without worrying that we are keeping someone waiting..

Those who have been with us since the begining and have donated in the past know that your donation was handled manually -
a reply was sent manually and then the forum was searched for a matching name - if it was found, it was manually updated; if not an email was sent to the donator asking them to let use know after they sign up.  License keys had to be gotten manually by person visiting the special license key page.

[Carol Haynes]

One issue that might need to be made clear (I haven't looked recently so it may have been done) is that the PayPal account email address and the registered forum email address have to be the same (otherwise there isn't a way to connect the two). Personally I didn't want to do that, and caused myself some confusion at the time!! Obviously people can change the forum email after the Charter Member status is confirmed.

[mouser]

That's a great point carol - but the solution i adopted does NOT require any connection between your paypal account info and your forum account info.
I know that people often like to keep such things separate and not use their good email for signing up at forums.

What happens now is that when you make a donation you are sent an "activation code" which you can use to activate any one (and only one) forum profile.

So basically after you donate you get a license key for our programs and an activation code that will let you activate any forum login you wish.   

I'm a bit proud of the solution actually 


(much of the motivation for automating this was just exactly for the reason you site, that it was a pain for everyone to have to coordinate between donations and logins - now you don't have to worry about it at all).

[Carol Haynes]

Good job ...

(ye gods I sound like an American ...HELP  )