I am currently using Virtuemart on Joomla Platform for my e-commerce site. I love it, in the sense that it is very flexible, and modular. But there are a lot of functions missing which I would love.
So last night, I went to research on the other free, open source, e-commerce shopping software around. Basically, it is still the few players around, and it just re-determined my initial decision on why I chose Virtuemart out of the rest. True, osCommerce might have the loads of functions which I would love to use, but if you want to customize it, it will be a chore. Especially the theme. Considering the fact that I personally believe that visual is very important, that is one software that is out for me. (Just look through their collection of live shops to know what I mean, all look the same)
The others, almost similar. (If you are interested, there are ZenCart and Cubecart)
But there is this new e-commerce shopping software that is coming up. In fact, the marketing for it is ferocious.
We’re proud to announce Magento, the all new open source enterprise-level eCommerce platform that’s going to change the industry. This revolutionary new system will bring the power and security of an enterprise solution without the hassle and cost.
Basically, it states that it would change the way the ecommerce industry will proceed.
And best of it all, it is open source.
Ok, if you are clueless what open source means, simply put, it is free, support by volunteers and community that helps to develop the software. They would not charge you for using their software, but they will appreciate the donation.
Anyway, the marketing work, and quite a number of blogs are already singing the praises for this software, and thus I am hooked. Went to their website, viewed their demo site, tried their demo-admin backend portion. And I love it.
What do I love about it?
The ability to control pricing, promotions with rules. Which is going to be superbed for marketing for your site.
(Which I am desparately finding a solution for it for Virtuemart, I want to create a promotion for discount on 1 specific category. And there is no way for it. Either I wait for version 1.1 to come out, which will create a nightmare for me when I have to migrate my site over. Or I have to wait for mccalf’s advanced discount system to come out, which is also going to be a while as he is seriously busy with the development of 1.1 if I am not wrong. Virtuemart’s development team have been brimming with activity nowadays.)
Of course, there are loads of stuff that will make you really wish to use it, but it is really up to you to go to the site and play around with the demo yourself. No way to describe it, it’s better that you go and feel the experience yourself.
But with saying all these, of course there are the shortfalls currently the demo version that is being released have. Which at the very least, until it is being resolved, I would not be adopting it.
There is a lot of hardcoding of html/css now for the pages of your site, maybe as their template framework have not been set up. Currently, they are still seeking help for that group.
Adding products are going to be a chore if you have let’s say, 10 colors for your tees, and 4 sizes for your tees. As you need to add a simple product for each variation first, before combining all to a single configurable product for others to just select the options.
They should take into consideration that sometimes owners just want to provide the options without tracking the inventory. Thus allowing just setting of options for a configurable product without any simple product will be good.
They do not have the resized thumbnail feature yet. You have to upload the main pic, actual pic, thumbnail pic separately, though you can do all of it in 1 page at one go.
But their attribute sets function is really good. They have the up-sell,cross-sell feautre. Grouping feature. Price rules, conditional rules. Excellent sales report, traffic tracking, currency converters. Etc. All these currently Virtuemart is lacking in some ways or another.
Now I can’t wait for 2008 to come so that they can release their production version.
Woooo…can’t wait. osCommerce is going to be so gone if Magento is ready and fit for production. (no offence, but I really think osCommerce is difficult to use and configure)
Was googling the web for an open-source software that allows me to easily upload 1000s of photos, and tag them. And also provide a simple interface for people to order the item which the photo display through the gallery, instead of emailing me the order form.
I know. Most of you will say just use a simple eCommerce shopping cart software. There are so many of them around, Virtuemart, osCommerce, ZenCart, CubeCart, etc. But the thing about all of them is that in my opinion, it is difficult to do a fast upload of items and photos, and including setting,configuration of the e-store.
Yes. I know, when you are into eCommerce, you should not be haggling over the time spend. But well, I am just thinking of expanding my current eCommerce store to with a wholesale section, which will be wholeasaling thousands of clothes from particular labels, which I do not have time yet to put into my retail store. Besides, I am particular about what I sell in my retail store as it also affect branding. But being a wholesaler has its advantages too.
Anyway, so far the only thing I could find is a Zencart/Gallery2 bridge. Other than that, I came up with nothing. So now, I am thinking and exploring other options. Wish me luck.
Was the reason why I was frantically googling around for answers just now.
Reason being, after clearing the sef url cache for my site, Style with Passionz, the SEF suddenly stopped working. Aka, links are not working!! You can image the panic I am in, given that it is an eCommerce site and a live production site to boot.
So I went to the sh404sef homepage to try to look for answers. Maybe because I was in such a total panic, I have little success in finding out WHY did the SEF links stop producing for my site. But I thought, okie, uninstall and reinstall it and see if it will work again. Went to locate the download link, and saw that sh404sef is already out of BETA (I was running the beta w version), so it reaffirmed my decision to reinstall it since having a RC (release candidate) version is better than beta.
Which is what I did, but still the problem persist.
I went to myPHPadmin and try to find out if it is because my tables are corrupted, but it is not. In fact, it is empty due to the fact that I cleared my SEF URL cache.
Anyway, I realized too that uninstalling the component, and reinstalling it did not recreate the table, and all my previous settings are still the same, which means that it was not a clean uninstall. Which also means that if there are problems, it might exist without being uninstalled (ok, forgive the naive thinking of the simplyz geeky girl, hee~)
So I went to look at the php code for the component, realize that they are retrieving the settings from files stores under the \media folder of your joomla site. (Yeap, if you are looking to delete those configuration settings files to do a clean uninstall before reinstalling, look under \media folder, you will see the files whose names start with “sh404sef” and those are the files you should delete).
But a clean uninstall means deleting the tables too. So to reconfirm that the jos_redirection table belong to only sh404sef I went to seek help from the forum again (as a lurker, well I am never really vocal online) Problem is, I am afraid if I delete the jos_redirection table, other component might be using it and thus will seriously affect my site. (with no sh404sef_redirection kinda name tagged in front of it, it is hard to identify if it belongs to sh404sef solely or shared among components)
So went to do a search around the forum, found that someone had the same problem as me before, (yeah, finally cooled down and manage to find the right post for my problem). Similarly, she have had the problem that the sef url stopped producing, though I am not sure if it was because she cleared the cache like me or what? But well, bugs are evil creatures, they appear out of nowhere sometimes. And she also had the same idea to reinstall cleanly the component. (Oops, I realize I am referring to her as a she, but seriously I am not sure… well.. hee~) So she was asking for help on how to delete the tables, etc. And the kind developer of sh404sef replied stating that jos_redirection and jos_sh404sef_meta are the only 2 tables sh404sef used.
Anyway, in the end, deleted only jos_redirection, and the configuration files under \media folder, and did a complete uninstall, and a reinstall.
And viola, my SEF URLs are working again.
PHEW~
(and ps: If you are reading this post as you have chanced upon it while searching for info related to sh404sef, it is really very good, and is very well supported by a very dedicated developer who take pains to answer your questions. Just take a look around the forum on his site to know.
And personally as I am using Virtuemart mainly for my eCommerce site, there was this issue with the page changing and the SEF URL unable to handle the “limitstart” and “limit” part of the oldurl, thus stripping it, and there was quite a number of people who complained and raised this issue. He did helped by suggesting a roundabout temporary way to solve the problem. And in short span of months, his current RC version have already incorporated the solution for this. Very good indeed. Now I no longer have to go and set the main duplicate URL one by one. Thanks!)
November 5, 2007 at 4:32 pm · Filed under Multimedia
Good friends, Jolin and Xiao Zhu both came up with music videos with dance that make use of light, in Xiao Zhu’s case, more specifically neon light. Quite interesting.
But I guess you can say both style are very “tai” (台). Haha.
Jolin’s Ai Wu She, her dance is term as “kira kira” dance. The song super tai~
Did I say I think the “jail” dress (black and white stripe) dress of hers in the MV looks totally hot.
Xiao Zhu imitating Jolin’s dance.
Xiao Gui learning Jolin’s dance. Super funny.
Xiao Zhu’s song and dance. He choerographed the dance himself I think.
Believe it anot, this anime is super cute, weird, funny and laughter provoking. And I only watch the 1st episode.
Well, what is it about you might ask?
It is about this boy who has the ability to see bacteria.
I know, immediately the thought that comes into your mind will be - YUCKS. Afterall, it is the dreaded bacteria right.
But on the contrary, the bacteria that is shown, that the boy sees, and protrays are cute little animated figures, in pastel sweet colors. Super farni when one of the “expert” was grilling the boy and insist the boy describe how the bacteria looks like to him (which of coz she was expecting the boy say it is micro-nanoish small, rounded atoms, or watever) but he drew this cute little 5 star cartoon on the paper. Boy, was the expert hopping mad! She insisted that it is impossible that the bacteria look like cartoon, etc etc. But well, it is how the boy sees it yeah.
Quite interesting, I am waiting for a fansub to sub it. Besides the chinese ones.
Anyway, they made a computer graphic opening for this anime, so all the bacteria are protray in a real-life setting but in their cartoon forms. Super cute. Watch it below!
Besides the chinese ones.