Well,....... if someone hasn`t sold you on a cart yet, I`m surprised .
Good luck on your decision! We use Zen Cart, and have been very happy.
Janie
Not to bash any one solution, but "hosted" solutions have their short comings ... the benefit is basically "short term affordability". Hosted solutions allow you to "get in" with very little money ... but once you are signed up .... you are stuck `renting" their shopping cart / data base "forever". Add ons will cost additional monthly fees ... the same way that having cell phone service does.
According to Wikipedia, "Open source software is computer software whose source code is available under a license (or arrangement such as the public domain) that permits users to use, change, and improve the software, and to redistribute it in modified or unmodified form. It is often developed in a public, collaborative manner. It is the most prominent example of open source development and often compared to user generated content.[1]"
The catch with "Open Source" software is that modifications and "personalizations" might be developed by a 3rd party, but the coding or scripting of those changes may or not be open sourced. Advocates of closed source argue that since no one is responsible for open-source software, there is no incentive or guarantee it will be fixed, and there is nobody to take responsibility for negligence. "Open-source advocates argue that since the source code of closed-source software is not available, there is no way to know what security vulnerabilities or bugs may exist. However, having the source code for a program could also make it easier for a malicious person to discover security vulnerabilities that they can take advantage of (instead of reporting or fixing them.)". Web developers may claim to use an "open source" shopping cart ... but what they fail to disclose is that they "charge" ... (sometimes hefty prices" - for customized changes.
Closed source shopping cart solutions have an inherent need to have glitches fixed promplty - and the product suffiently bata tested prior to release. Secondly, customizations may be developed at a far less cost to the initial customer, as the closed source developer has a much greater chance of re-couping costs and generating profits from the sale of those refinements or upgrades.
And profitabilty is the KEY when it comes to any company.
Would you want to obtain software from a company that has difficulty keeping the light on ... or from one that is profitable and has the resources to pay its billss and grow through the years???
So the points is ... "Open Source" is not FREE ... installs, customizations, and changes can be pricey.
Closed Source in the long run may be the best choice, as the developer has a vested interest in making sure that they are offering the best product possible. Because of their profit based business model, they must constantly upgrade, refine and maintain their shopping cart ... to stay competitive.
Another example of a fine generalization, well argued.
But, as the case with most generalizations (in this case about open source software) it paints a picture which is just incorrect as it applies to specific open source ecommerce software.
In fact, I have never had to pay for any module/contribution (for Zen Cart or osCommerce). A web designer will charge for "customizing" ...but that is customizing the "look" of the site, just as any web designer charges to design any website.
Again, unfortunately this thread has lost sight of the original post and morphed into an open / closed source debate.
Getting back to the original question - I suggest there are already a number of ecommerce solutions presented from which to choose. Perhaps "we" do not need to continue re-arguing the pros and cons of each and let ElbieExpressions use the information already provided. ElbieExpressions can certainly contact any SUN member if there are more specific questions about any solution suggested.
~Roland
I case "we" missed any ecommerce options here is a list of a few.......
Browser-Based Storefront Creation Services
JoeJustin,
Yes... there are times when i think that the posts get more confusing then they are helpful. However, I continue to force myslef into realizing that its not confusing, just a lot of information and choices... all of which will be hashed out with some research.
The information and knowledge that I receive far outweighs the confusion. I am much appreciated to all who have helped me.
Also, vwebworlds list of shopping carts above will be useful in my search.
Thanks agian :)
I'd suggest VevoCart. You can try with the free version. However, the free version does not come with soure code and comes with less features than the commercial versions.
You can download the free version at
http://www.vevocart.com/DownloadGreeting.aspx
Boss Cart is a good one as well. It was developed in the UK, so might be better for those of you east of the Atlantic.