08-06-2006, 08:33 AM
Much of my time last year was INVESTED (not wasted, Diger!!!!) trying to single-handedly build a ZenCart beating eCommerce solution. I never told anybody, because I was afraid it might fail, which it did. Well, I told Vital, and she basically said MrO is a MO-RON (in so many words).
Well, I still think it can be done, and here's why. First, if you look at ZenCart, it is true that it represents thousands of hours worth of effort spread out over the years. BUT, it also has a lot of features that can be written off as DNA (Does Not Apply) for any given reseller. It is a generalist eCommerce solution using a shotgun approach in the hopes that some of the features will hit the "must have" targets of most online businesses. It includes a calendar, RSS feeds, MP3 downloads, etc. A lot of the complexity and volume of needed code disappears if you ask the simple question, "What do I need for my specific store" before you dive into it. It's similar to the clipart issue, in my mind. "Free" clipart requires you to invest your time (time=money) to find something that sort of fits, while creating your own content allows you to invest that time on something that can be a more exacting fit.
Second, much of the ZenCart Admin complexity is designed to adjust the website without having to dive into the code. The ability to dynamically adjust image size, for one example, is completely unecessary if you batch-process manufacturer photos in Photoshop. Reports, page layout, etc ('cuz I forget) add complexity without adding features that will be needed by everybody.
Finally, the buzz in the Interent world centers on RMAs (Rich Media Applications) which renders ZenCart completely obsolete. The idea behind rich media is that the customer will interact with a one-page website in much the same way prople presently interact with Microsoft Word, and not have to flip through hundred of pages for content.
"So, MrO, how do I build my own Rich Media Application?" you may ask. Well, that's a bigass question, little britches. But I tell ya, it starts with the database. There's a certain efficiency in determining the features you NEED, then developing a site with only those features. With Object-Oriented code, you can write a HECK of a lot less code than ZenCart has, you can write clearer code (WITH comments) that is easier for others to understand (so they can add features), and you have a fraction of the debugging issues that can be a project killer. The database is the foundation, the business tier addresses business logic issues, and the presentation tier show the world what beautious work you have done. "Ya gotta keep 'em seperated," as they say, so the end result is scalable, modifiable, and maintainable. For example, you want a login page for the customer that asks them to .... ummm, login. Start with the database so everything has a tidy place to go. Then you can build the presentation layer with the appropriate crap. Finally, you tie the two together. Done! Simple!
"If it's so simple, why didn't you git 'er done?" you ask??? I gotta go smoke! I don't have time for all these stupid questions.
Well, I still think it can be done, and here's why. First, if you look at ZenCart, it is true that it represents thousands of hours worth of effort spread out over the years. BUT, it also has a lot of features that can be written off as DNA (Does Not Apply) for any given reseller. It is a generalist eCommerce solution using a shotgun approach in the hopes that some of the features will hit the "must have" targets of most online businesses. It includes a calendar, RSS feeds, MP3 downloads, etc. A lot of the complexity and volume of needed code disappears if you ask the simple question, "What do I need for my specific store" before you dive into it. It's similar to the clipart issue, in my mind. "Free" clipart requires you to invest your time (time=money) to find something that sort of fits, while creating your own content allows you to invest that time on something that can be a more exacting fit.
Second, much of the ZenCart Admin complexity is designed to adjust the website without having to dive into the code. The ability to dynamically adjust image size, for one example, is completely unecessary if you batch-process manufacturer photos in Photoshop. Reports, page layout, etc ('cuz I forget) add complexity without adding features that will be needed by everybody.
Finally, the buzz in the Interent world centers on RMAs (Rich Media Applications) which renders ZenCart completely obsolete. The idea behind rich media is that the customer will interact with a one-page website in much the same way prople presently interact with Microsoft Word, and not have to flip through hundred of pages for content.
"So, MrO, how do I build my own Rich Media Application?" you may ask. Well, that's a bigass question, little britches. But I tell ya, it starts with the database. There's a certain efficiency in determining the features you NEED, then developing a site with only those features. With Object-Oriented code, you can write a HECK of a lot less code than ZenCart has, you can write clearer code (WITH comments) that is easier for others to understand (so they can add features), and you have a fraction of the debugging issues that can be a project killer. The database is the foundation, the business tier addresses business logic issues, and the presentation tier show the world what beautious work you have done. "Ya gotta keep 'em seperated," as they say, so the end result is scalable, modifiable, and maintainable. For example, you want a login page for the customer that asks them to .... ummm, login. Start with the database so everything has a tidy place to go. Then you can build the presentation layer with the appropriate crap. Finally, you tie the two together. Done! Simple!
"If it's so simple, why didn't you git 'er done?" you ask??? I gotta go smoke! I don't have time for all these stupid questions.