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Which Version Should I Choose: On-Demand or Distributed?
The following chart is intended to help you decide whether the distributed version or the on-demand version of a particular e-Classifieds edition is right for you. Next to each key feature or requirement, we have indicated whether it is available in either the on-demand or the distributed version of e-Classifieds. As you can see from the chart below, unless you are a programmer and need full access to the source code so that you can hack the code for some reason, for most people, the on-demand version is almost always the better choice.
| Installation and Maintenance | On-Demand Version | Distributed Version |
| Easy Setup | Yes | No |
| Free Installation | Yes | No |
| Instant access to the application | Yes | No |
| Easy Maintenance | Yes | No |
| Easy Upgrades | Yes | No |
| Software Upgrades | Free forever | No |
| Continuously and Automatically Updated (zip code db, etc.) | Yes | No |
| Time to Deploy | None | Hours to days to weeks |
| Customization | On-Demand Version | Distributed Version |
| Customization Possible | Yes | Yes |
| Integration Possible | Yes | Yes |
| Non-branded (private label) versions available | Yes | No |
| Point-and-click online configuration of all settings | Yes | No |
| Features | On-Demand Version | Distributed Version |
| Usage of your own domain name | Yes | Depends on your server |
| Access Logs | Yes | Depends on your server |
| Full access to the source code | No | Yes |
| Web Server and Hosting | On-Demand Version | Distributed Version |
| Hosting of application included | Yes | No |
| Server Maintenance included | Yes | No |
| Server Upgrades included | Yes | No |
| All necessary modules available | Yes | Depends on your server |
| Can be run without technical skills or staff | Yes | Not advisable |
| Web servers supported | All (hosted) | Apache, IIS |
| Server operating systems supported | All (hosted) | Unix, Windows NT/2000/2003 |
| No need to download and untar/unzip software | Yes | No |
| No need to edit program code | Yes | No |
| No risk of "syntax errors" caused by editing program code | Yes | No |
| Works with any mail program | Yes | No |
| Works with any database | Yes | No |
| No need to use FTP to upload files | Yes | No |
| No need to figure out which files are in Binary or ASCII format | Yes | No |
| No need to change server permissions settings | Yes | No |
| No need to determine internal server paths | Yes | No |
| Eliminates requirement for cgi-bin access | Yes | No |
| Eliminates requirement for Perl 5 to be installed | Yes | No |
| Eliminates requirement for separate web hosting account | Yes | No |
| Security and Reliability | On-Demand Version | Distributed Version |
| Application Uptime | >99.9% | Depends on your server |
| Data Backups | Daily | Your responsibility |
| Power Backup | Yes | Your responsibility |
| Data Center | Yes | You provide |
| Access to Data | Yes | Your responsibility |
| Physical Security | Yes | Your responsibility |
| Comprehensive Security (firewalls, intrusion detection, etc.) | Yes | Your responsibility |
| Fully redundant 100Mbps network with BGP4 routing | Yes | Your responsibility |
| 24/7/365 Monitoring | Yes | Your responsibility |
| Support | On-Demand Version | Distributed Version |
| Tech Support | Free forever | No free support--all fee based |
| Web-based support | Yes | No (all support is fee based) |
| E-mail support | Yes | No (all support is fee based) |
| Only need to deal with one vendor | Yes | No |
| Pricing | On-Demand Version | Distributed Version |
| Lower Startup Costs (save up to 80% or more) | Yes | No |
| Monthly Fee for Software plus Hosting | $4.95 to $99.95 | Depends on your hosting company |
| Monthly Fee for Upgrades | None (free forever) | $5 to $90 |
| Monthly Fee for Support (1 hour) | None (free forever) | $150 |
| Installation Charge | None | $50 to $500 |
