Help Rebuild OsCommerce

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Luke
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Post by Luke »

Jenk wrote:Right.. well, first things first - let's name it.
I'll be thinking about it...
Jenk wrote:
  • Catalog
    Ordering system
    Payment system
    User/Customer accounts (for features such as order history)
    Email (receipt/confirmation)
This is a good foundation... let's keep the core application as small and focused as possible. This is a good idea. I think we need to agree on a list of CORE features the application should have before ANY development starts. I will also be thinking about this.
Jenk wrote:There are other items I would like to add, but should be saved for a later date. Such things as quick-buy. Let's get to a point where we can call it a working application, then add this niceties later :)
These types of things would be better implemented as modules. I would like for the user to be able to download a very simple cart that functions "out of the box" without any clutter and very little configuration. I think that the basis of this application should be "modularity". By this I mean any feature that is not "necessary" (a term we will need to collaboratively define before we start) will be available as a module instead of built-in.

Later on, to make it easier for users who want a robust solution out of the box, we can bundle the cart with its most popular modules and make this downloadable as a package.
Jenk wrote:Next up.. common developing environment! We need a framework that everyone involved will use to make shared development a LOT easier. Would also be good for everyone involved to have a few days/weeks to get familiar with the chosen framework. Be it a 3rd party F/W or we start one from scratch specifically for this project, the choice is ours to make!
My vote is to build our own. I think in order to maintain the modularity I have been ranting about, we are going to need as much control over every aspect of the application as possible. I am not, however, against the use of libraries as long as we can agree on which ones to use.
Jenk wrote:We should also decide if we will support PHP4, or develop for PHP5+ only. My personal opinion is PHP5+ only. By the time it gets finished PHP4 will be but a distant memory anyway.
I say PHP5. If we want to support PHP4, that can come later.
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RobertGonzalez
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Post by RobertGonzalez »

I am ass deep in projects and job changes right now, but if there is anything I can offer that doesn't interfere with the other 1400 projects I am on, I would like in on this too. I will help in any capacity that I can, including UI, core code and databasing, if necessary. Just let me know. My initial investment would be minimal at most, but if I could offer something to the project, I will.
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Jenk
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Post by Jenk »

This won't be a 1 week affair, so rest assured it will be ongoing for quite some time and I think I speak for all in that anyone who is at least "known" on PHPDN will be more than welcome to help :)

I think what we need most is advice and guidance, even if very high level as, for myself at least, we are lacking the expertise of full-on application design :)
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Luke
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Post by Luke »

Let's start a running list of features we KNOW we want in the core application, and then another list of features that could be added as modules. We will start the list here, and then either astions or I will add it to our google code project page once we have agreed on it

Features I believe should be part of the core application (off the top of my head):
Shopping cart
User accounts
Email confirmation of purchase
Catalog

Some stuff I'm not sure about:

How should we go about payment in this app? I want this app to work out of the box, but is payment part of its scope?

Should it be able to support all databases using something like adodb or adodb lite?
OR
Should we build it upon one database backend (mysql) at first, and then later if we feel so inclined, we could build modules/plugins to support additional databases

I am leaning towards the latter

Modules:
Support for additional payment systems (Authorize.net, Google Checkout, Paypal, etc.)
Import products list via excel spreadsheet
Export products list via excel spreadsheet
Template editing system - I will explain
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Jenk
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Post by Jenk »

ok, the Todo list is now official with those 4 items (that will be broken down to sub-items, then again into components and so forth.. later)

Let's stick with the easy stuff for now, so one specific RDBMS.. MySQL, but allow ourselves the ability to plugin other RDBMS' later in life.

Payments.. tricky. Maybe pick one type and work with it, treating it in similar manner to MySQL? (build for one with intent to build plugins for others later?)
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RobertGonzalez
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Post by RobertGonzalez »

Maybe we should look at what users and developers like about osCommerce/Shopping Cart apps and use that as a target to start. Ideally you would want this to be as extensible as possible, not being version/platform/db dependent. That is a truly portable app. You are going to want it easily customizable and easily integateable. And easy to understand the components and installation. I know that is a lot to ask for initially, but I would say over the long term, these are targets to attain to.
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Jenk
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Post by Jenk »

by the way, I've registered on google; user name as is on here: jenk :)
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RobertGonzalez
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Post by RobertGonzalez »

What's the link to the project on google?
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Jenk
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Post by Jenk »

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Luke
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Post by Luke »

not much ther yet heh
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RobertGonzalez
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Post by RobertGonzalez »

Its all good. I can't offer much yet. Other than some humor...

When I type, I put my pinkies in the air. My wife thinks it makes me look girlie.
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Jenk
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Post by Jenk »

one thing has just become apparent.. I suck at subversion.. so will spend the next few days reading up on it when I get the chance. :)

http://subversion.tigris.org/

for anyone else who needs to do the same :P
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RobertGonzalez
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Post by RobertGonzalez »

Yeah, I am still trying to figure out subversion. But that information is good. So is Tortoise, their SVN client for windows.
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Luke
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Post by Luke »

Never even used subversion... it's funny... I had just opened that page when I came back to devnet to see that you had the same revelation. haha. I will have to spend a few days tinkering with subversion as well.

EDIT: Free online book about subversion - http://svnbook.red-bean.com/
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onion2k
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Post by onion2k »

bg wrote:PHP 5, object oriented and ajax functionality.
Three points:

1. PHP 5 will limit the install base considerably. Most hosting companies are still running 4.3, and will be for a while yet. If the idea is to learn a lot from writing a big application then PHP 5 is the way to go. If the idea is to replace OSCommerce you should stick to PHP 4.3. Or, better yet, write code that works with both.

2. Objects are a good idea because they'll let you organise and encapsulate the code neatly. Other than that there's no difference between object oriented and procedural code.

3. Why would a shop need Ajax? Or is that something you want to use for the sake of it?
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