LimeSurvey PRO e LimeSurvey CE
From LimeSurvey Manual
Introduzione
Note: LimeSurvey PRO is now LimeSurvey Cloud.
Prima di iniziare la discussione su LimeSurvey PRO (LimeSurvey Cloud) e LimeSurvey CE (LimeSurvey Community Edition), è importante capire la differenza tra LimeSurvey e LimeSurvey GmbH. Il primo si riferisce alla versione web-server del software che viene liberamente distribuita sotto GNU Licenza Generale Pubblica v2 (GPL v2). Il secondo si riferisce alla società che è stata costruita per coordinare al meglio lo sviluppo del software LimeSurvey e per fornire diversi servizi a pagamento (ad esempio hosting, modelli personalizzati, pacchetti aggiuntivi, supporto tecnico e così via).
LimeSurvey refers to the web server-based software that is freely distributed under the GNU General Public License v2 (GPL v2) and above.
LimeSurvey GmbH refers to the company that was built around the LimeSurvey software in order to better coordinate its development and provide various LimeSurvey paid services (e.g., hosting, personalized templates, add-on packages, technical support, etc.).
Per leggere ulteriori informazioni sulla licenza di LimeSurvey, accedere al seguente link: https://www.limesurvey.org/about-limesurvey/license. Grazie alla sua licenza, LimeSurvey è un software open-source che può essere utilizzato, modificato e distribuito per scopi commerciali, privati ed educativi da chiunque. Ad eccezione del nome e del logo che sono marchi registrati, il software può essere utilizzato in qualsiasi modo desiderato. Ad esempio, non c'è alcun problema nell'uso di LimeSurvey per creare e distribuire questionari riguardanti la valutazione di un corso universitario o di un professore, o per installarlo su un server personale e condurre ricerche di marketing online/offline per la società in cui si lavora.
LimeSurvey è un software open-source. Ciò significa che il suo codice è completamente divulgato. Per accedervi, controllare il seguente link GitHub: https://github.com/LimeSurvey/LimeSurveyPer installare LimeSurvey sul tuo personal computer (per finalità di sviluppo) o sul tuo server, è necessario soddisfare un set minimo di requisiti per riuscirlo a scaricare ed eseguire. Per una spiegazione dettagliata passo a passo su come installare LimeSurvey, leggi le nostre Linee guida di installazione.
However, for users who may find the installation process too complex and who do not have knowledge of server administration, LimeSurvey GmbH offers Cloud hosting services. With Cloud hosting services, the installation is created for you!
Quite often, you will see words related to hosting services, self-hosted software, and personal server mentioned within this wiki section. We suggest the following post from our blog to better grasp these hosting-related concepts.LimeSurvey Cloud vs LimeSurvey CE
Check out the following table for a brief summary of features of each service for a better understanding of the differences between them:
| LimeSurvey Cloud | LimeSurvey CE |
| Hosting is provided by LimeSurvey. The installation process should take no longer than 5 minutes. | Self-hosted. |
| You can choose one of the four types of plans: FREE, BASIC, EXPERT and ENTERPRISE. | You may either use the free version or pick one of the three premium plans. The premium plans contain the ComfortUpdate feature, access to older versions and a multitude of design templates. |
| Always uses the latest stable version of LimeSurvey. | You get access not only to the latest releases, but also to the older ones. You choose which to use. |
| Technical support included for the paid plans. | Technical ComfortUpdate support included for the premium plans. |
| Contains all the features that make LimeSurvey great. | Contains all the features that make LimeSurvey great. |
| LimeSurvey Cloud comes with response and storage usage reminders due to the fact that these are limited on the free plan. | LimeSurvey CE does not have response and storage usage reminders. Limitations are due to the amount of space allocated from the personal server to the LimeSurvey-related tasks. |
| No server access. This means that no third-party plugins/extensions can be added to your LimeSurvey installation. | If you own your server, you can access your LimeSurvey installation. You can start tweaking it and make further enhancements by adding additional extensions/add-ons. |
| The ComfortUpdate tool is used to update the LimeSurvey installation. | The ComfortUpdate tool is used to update the LimeSurvey installation. The update can also be done manually. |
| Server and installation configuration is handled by us, saving you valuable time. | Ideal for hands-on people with technical knowledge. The LimeSurvey manual Is a great place to start learning. |
| Reliable response inflow due to a self-renewing subscription system. | The only limitation is related to your server and its configuration. |
| More flexibility - You have 3 days until the date of renewal to cancel your subscription! | The software is hosted on your server. There are no links between the activity performed by you with the help of the LimeSurvey software and LimeSurvey GmbH. |
LimeSurvey CE
Convinced that LimeSurvey CE is right for you? You can install it on your server now. To download LimeSurvey CE, click the Downloads tab from the LimeSurvey page.
The following page will load:
- LimeSurvey Cloud: If you click on the Sign up for free button, you will be first asked to create a LimeSurvey.org account in order to create and access your online LimeSurvey site. If you wish to use our hosting services, refer to the following quick start guide: LimeSurvey Cloud Quick Start Guide.
- LimeSurvey CE: This option allows you to download the LimeSurvey software, archived in several formats, including an executable file. Use this option if you would like to install LimeSurvey on your own server or on your own computer for personal testing. It is ideal for hands-on people with technical knowledge. You will see that LimeSurvey CE is divided into stable releases and development releases. For a rock-solid software, go for the stable release. If you want to test new LimeSurvey features and help us improve it, go with the development release.
To get access to the latest software developments, follow us on GitHub.- Templates: You may find example surveys here, label sets, and question templates in various languages. All templates are created by the community. You can also contribute by uploading your work and making it publicly available to others.
- Extensions: LimeSurvey supports plugins and extensions. By clicking on the "Go to the extensions" link, you get access to a directory that contains all of the LimeSurvey third-party extensions (your own contribution can also be listed there).
Only LimeSurvey CE supports third-party plugins! If you would like to use an extension in LimeSurvey Pro, please write Support.
LimeSurvey Cloud
Refer to the following step-by-step guide to learn how to create a LimeSurvey Cloud account and launch your first survey.
You can also view the following video tutorial on how to set up a professional account on LimeSurvey.What do I need?
There is a lot of information to grasp. We are completely aware of this and you might feel a bit overwhelmed. We suggest you do a cost-benefit analysis. Some aspects that are worth taking into consideration:
- Capital: Think of the costs of running a server for example. Even though a lot of low-cost hosting providers can be found online, take into account that you have to take care not only of your LimeSurvey installation, but also of the server configuration. If you want to create more complex surveys and/or install/create additional plugins, employees with knowledge in PHP, HTML, CSS will be needed - which means higher costs for you and your business.
- Human resources: If complex surveys are created, employees with IT-related skills might be needed. That is why it is better (sometimes) to outsource such services. You may use our LimeSurvey Cloud services or the help provided by our official partners.
- Time: Time is a limited resource. Different time-related constraints (e.g., deadlines, lots of qualitative research requests from your clients, etc.) transform time into an important independent variable that should definitely influence your final decision.
Think of all your possible needs and available resources before choosing between LimeSurvey Cloud and LimeSurvey CE.
Generally, if you want to use LimeSurvey without any download or configuration, you should choose LimeSurvey Cloud. You can test it freely as long as you want and then purchase one of the subscription plans. However, if you have a running server infrastructure and want to integrate LimeSurvey into that, take a look at LimeSurvey CE. We also offer great LimeSurvey CE plans to enhance your installation with one-click updates and more custom themes.
Additional help can be found at one of our partners listed here: https://www.limesurvey.com/.What if I still have questions?
We have an extremely helpful community. You are more than welcome to post your questions and/or thoughts on our LimeSurvey forums or Discord channel: