Support

There is a Professional version for Joomla! 1.5 as you can see in our version compatibility page (which is also very public so that you can view it before purchasing a subscription). Supposing that you have PHP 5.2.7 or later, you can download Akeeba Backup Professional 3.4.3 from the Akeeba Backup download page.

Now since you said

This site is stuck at 1.5.17, we would like to upgrade but have issues with customizations that were done

I believe you may be asking a question regarding Admin Tools, not Akeeba Backup? If so, there is also a version of Admin Tools Core for Joomla! 1.5.x, it's Admin Tools Core 2.2.10 (listed on the same version compatibility page).

If you have some related question or need further clarifications feel free to ask :)

I have been announcing the end of Joomla! 1.5 support since JANUARY, as soon as Joomla! 2.5 was released. The original plan was to stop supporting Joomla! 1.5 in April 2012 but I gave it a lease of life till the first day of August.

I have updated the documentation before your purchase, telling anyone who cared read it to consult our version compatibility page.

I have updated our JED listing before your purchase indicating that Akeeba Backup is a Joomla! 2.5 component only.

Our download page also states that it is a Joomla! 2.5 only component.

We have a free version (the Core edition) which you can download without subscribing so that you can make sure that our software fits your goals. You would immediately see that the newest version is, of course, Joomla! 2.5 only.

Despite all that, you assumed there would be support for Joomla! 1.5. So, did you ask me? You could have always send me a pre-sales request through our Contact Us page. You didn't.

Sorry, I can't help with your disappointment. I did everything in my power to prevent it, but in the end of the day it's you who have to read this information or ask me the pre-sales question. At least I have given you a viable alternative. And if you did read our release announcement you'd know that we do provide minimal support for Joomla! 1.5 users, i.e. if your backup fails we can help you.

Regarding Joomla! 1.5.17. It's vulnerable as vulnerable can ever get. It's trivial for any wannabe "hacker" (i.e. pimpled-faced youth who's spent too much time in 4chan) to hack it in 5 minutes (or less). He just needs the widely circulated video showing the XSS vulnerability. And that's the least potent of the vulnerabilities which were fixed from 1.5.17 through 1.5.26 (I'm not going to give a hacking tutorial). Sticking with it means that your client's site will be hacked. If you value your client you should either upgrade him to Joomla! 1.5.26 or, better yet, 2.5. Remember that Joomla! 1.5 will be end-of-life by the end of September. After that no software for it will be produced or supported by any developer. Finally please let me reiterate the widely known mantra: every time you hack core (modify a core Joomla! file) a kitten dies. Never modify the Joomla! core. It leads to unmaintainable sites, like the one your client has over there. If you want to customise something, it's certainly possible by creating a plugin, module or component. I am 100% sure about that.