Closer look at osCommerce
At 19:00
Everybody who ever searched for open source online shop system have heard about osCommerce. My first installation of this online shop was at least two years ago. For two years that system does not much impression on me, but i will install it again and try it out, cause it might be the one of the mightiest shop systems on the web (please correct me if you know better ones). Of cause mighty is not automatically good.
OsCommerece is based on PHP and MYSQL, the advantages of that are clear for every blogger. But there may be also many disadvantages that of such constellation. But they are not the theme of that article.
19:30
I have downloaded osCommerce v2.2 rc1. And now it’s in uploading process. That takes pretty much time, cause there are many files in the base already in the base installation. So there was time to check mails and write this post till here in parallel.
19:45
Upload is ready. Begin of setup…
19:46
Cool I like it. Nice Ajax front end provides possibility to setup DB credentials and server-path. After that you are able to set up the Store Name, Store owner name and password.
That’s it.
19:50
I can start play around. I see that default template that makes me ill… But let’s continue.
20:20
First impressions. Not bad, but also not so good. The base installation has awful template. But it works and brings already in base installation enough functionality to use shop productive. Functionality at glance:
- Support of Products and product categories.
- HTML based Product description.
- Definition of product attributes. That nice and allows user to define some characteristics of product instead of defining thousands of products with few varieties.
- Support of manufacturers management.
- Supports of bargain offers is nice to, but is may be to simple.
- Tax calculation support.
- Many payment possibilities, that can be enabled in the admin console.
- and other things like “awaited products” or user evaluation.
All in one the osCommerce system appears to me to be usable. Of cause with other template and maybe some additional plug-ins.
On the osCommerce site you can read about thousands of plug-ins, handling every situation of life. OK, i have to search them, then base functionality is not enough for my needs. Especially reporting system is not really provided in base version. But i need one extended in any case.
20:45
Thanks for your attention! I’m gone to search for new templates and useful plug-ins.
P.S. Please give me hints about other online shop systems and links to good osCommerce plug-ins!
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Look for a os shop called
Magento