Cloud version - purchased & installed

[ensemblebd]

I wanted to leave some feedback here, mostly for others, but also for the OP.

Version release abnormality

The cloud website indicates by "roadmap" that the current released version is version 3.0.
Yet the downloaded zip provided by purchase was entitled v1.0
No clear wiki article about updating the product. Will I get an email? no idea. Is it really 1.0, or 3? no idea.

Issues Encountered

• the /app/Config/constants.php was significantly shortened from that of community edition.
  It's more my code style -- code, no comments. But the difference is significant and a solid wall to climb.
• the constants.php lacked "default" values to indicate their appropriate usage
• the constants.php did not properly utilize the PROTOCOL define in a logic block for SUB_FOLDER trailing slash detection, had to force the value.
• constants.php does not logically appropriate reverse proxies, one must force the PROTOCOL define under non-ssl proxy forwarding (using automatic port detection would've been nice).
• Akin to the community edition source, I had to replace the SUB_FOLDER define with an empty value to prevent http errors (rewrite to index via Cake can't process domain.com//xyz/abc/ notice the double slash)
• /js/ and /css/ .map files are non existent, blowing up chrome console. I used an apache rewrite to map to a single empty file
• !!MAJOR!! :: Redirect loop with onboarding (requirement to make a project/user) without any escape. Had to manually switch the database flag for [is_skipped] = 1 (sourced via grep scans on source). It was the only way to create an initial project and user, which produces the scenario enabling normal system operation. Post operations against add_project and add_user produces a 302 redirect, preventing successful "onboarding". This was a doozy.

Several other issues which are related to installation not entirely product

This isn't necessarily their fault, but they inhibit, and are a prime reason to follow their installation guide EXPLICITLY. Use php 7.0. Use ubuntu. Use mysql 5.5. ENSURE correct collation. Disable strict.
If you see an error anywhere stop and fix it, period.

• Image processing fails on several fronts (imagecreatefromjpeg, exif_imagetype, imagecopysampled, imagedestroy) resulting in black profile pictures. I have not figured out a resolution, and simply using @ syntax to suppress failures.
• error logs indicate failures with Security::cipher() via CookieComponent.php. Probably going to @ those too.

It works, it's running, and it's usable. I'm happy.
But did I spend a solid ~8 hours manipulating the virtual environment and modifying sources files? 100% yes.

I have seen things that indicate the need of help:

1. documentation that needs explicit guidance improvement
2. Syntax typos with simple words such as "Onboarding" vs "Onbording", comparing js to php funcs. (Does it work? sure, is that something that comforts me? no)

I intend to work on it, but privately. I have already adjusted about 12 files just to get it running.
And I understand now why they are interested in helping with the installation and offer it as a service.
They are respectable and I'll credit them that, but they need a really good developer on their side to help fix some of this stuff.
If I wasn't swamped, I'd do it for free. It's a really great product, just needs help.

Conclusion

I would suggest following their recommendations, and purchasing the Enterprise edition. If you are going to purchase instead of clone community.
The cloud version is bundled nicely and runs quite smoothly as far as UI goes. But you will pay for it, and then pay for it again during installation.
If that doesn't bother you (like me), then go for it. The cloud product far surpasses the community edition. I can't attest to enterprise, but obviously it unlocks quite a bit and from the web demo it looks to be a more solidified product based on a plugin architecture, which these days proves quality (modularity, reusability).

If you can satisfy yourself using their cloud platform (which I couldn't, strict intranet requirements for self hosting), then you should totally use that. It's fair priced and easy to use on their site, with a vast majority of the above issues fixed by their staff.
If you can't afford $9/mo for 10 people, then I don't know what to tell you save all the above.

It kicks OpenProject & Taiga out of the water in my experience. But it does need some git webhooks, which I shall embark upon personally soon.
User Adoption is KEY. And so I have to admit, it's the best "open source" and on-premise I've found yet; I'll put up with the issues.

Takeaway = WYSIWYG