Shop/Cart/eCommerce Module

[Duketown]

All developers,

It's starting to drive me nuts. What? The various modules that are related to prepare a shop with CMSMS.
Why? Well there are a number of things possible:

• bridges with osCommerce (see http://dev.cmsmadesimple.org/projects/oscommerce/ and http://dev.cmsmadesimple.org/projects/oscommercee/).
• there are bridges to other applications (http://dev.cmsmadesimple.org/projects/dbcart/, http://dev.cmsmadesimple.org/projects/zencartif/). [edit: both are without files and rather old]
• or one could wait for development on a number of alternatives:
  • [li]cart module: http://dev.cmsmadesimple.org/projects/cart/
  • cart made simple: http://dev.cmsmadesimple.org/projects/cartms/
  • shop made simple: http://dev.cmsmadesimple.org/projects/sms/
  • http://dev.cmsmadesimple.org/projects/esshop/
  • soon to be launched in demo (15 dec): http://forum.cmsmadesimple.org/index.php/topic,17018.msg87220.html#msg87220
  [/li]

Enough alternatives mentioned . It's about time that development isn't shattered, but put together and join forces. I think that we all realize that CMSMS doesn't grow by the number of modules that are possible (that are look/work-a-likes), but by the quality of the modules. Isn't one of the statements made earlier to clean up the list of module and start looking/building higher quality modules (see blog and comments: http://blog.cmsmadesimple.org/2007/08/14/glowing-reviews/).
I think it would be wise to ask advice from the modules supporting 'department' (this is addressed to SjG, for what I learn from the blog). That department should state quickly if there will be one adviceable module (to be made or one out there that will be extended) or we (read I  ) keep on mocking what to do. I joined one of the mentioned alternatives mentioned above (SMS), but don't want to end up in a 'fight' on what is best module. We all should join and put the energy in building good thing in stead of turning it into negative energy against each other.

Please read this as possitive critisisme (I also see the thing described above as growing pains).

Duketown

[calguy1000]

Well, in an ideal world it'd be nice to get one solution out there (at least first) and have everybody work on it.... but you're missing a few important variables that are causing this disparity:

A) Everybody's demands and requirements and ideas are different.... Some people want something simple for a 1/2 dozen products, and email ordering rather than paypal.... others want to maintain 30,000 products with numerous payment gateways, different attributes for their products, promotions, new product listings, numerous images per product, blah blah blah.... therefore it may be (and probably is) better to have multiple solutions rather than just 1

B) We all work in a disconnected and distributed manner, in our free time usually.  it's often difficult to get in touch with other developers when you need to get things done (there are only a few of us that camp out in the IRC room and can be easily contacted, most of the time).... therefore, I often find it simpler to do it myself.  I'm sure others feel this way at times too.

C) Then there's the issue of programming styles, and our individual requirements, deadlines, etc. 

D) Related to C) above... I find it better to have numerous components that work together wherever possible, rather than one module that does everything.... it quickly becomes complex and difficult to maintain if you do that.  Also, there's the issue of inflexibility.  with small modules that tie together you may have an option of plugging different modules together in different ways.

I often prefer the open source, individual model, when it works, it works well.... people can take a product, fork it for their purposes or fix bugs/add functionality and submit it back to the original product manager.... or they can write their own and users can have multiple choices.  Unfortunately all of this takes time.... and lots of it.