Entries by Mister Ed

AgoraCart announced a new add-on module that will enhance the buying experience on Gold Version based storefronts. The new module allows a visitor to tabulate shipping on an order at any point of the shopping experience prior to checkout. Shipping methods supported are all real-time rating services supported by AgoraCart Gold, such as USPS and UPS, as well as any custom shipping logic used by a store administrator. Included with this new enhancement is the ability to indicate ship-to state and provinces as well as ship-to countries in the store shipping managers.

The module was initially coded and donated to the AgoraCart project by Tim Copeland, aka DigitalArtifact in the project's user forums. The projects leader, better know as Mister Ed, enhanced the module for to use dynamic settings and additional features.

AgoraCart Gold Version storefronts with the separately purchased booster pack option may update their storefronts with this enhanced feature using the module updater/manager.

AgoraCart Pro version 5.5.000, the enhanced version of the popular AgoraCart Open Source ecommerce storefront platform, is now available.

Enhanced features include search engine aware URLs, speed enhancements in dynamic category building and creation of cart session files. 50+ new database fields have been added for customization of order management and future expansion of the AgoraCart order management modules. A new and cleaner look for the web based manager also come with version 5.5.x

More details on the changes from version 5.1.000 to version 5.5.000 can be found at:
http://www.agoracart.com/version_updates.html

Links to the purchase of AgoraCart Pro version licensing, which supports the AgoraCart project directly, can be found by visiting:
http://www.agoracart.com/proforum.htm

AgoraCart Pro version 5.5.000, the enhanced version of the popular AgoraCart Open Source ecommerce storefront platform, is now available.

Enhanced features include search engine aware URLs, speed enhancements in dynamic category building and creation of cart session files. 50+ new database fields have been added for customization of order management and future expansion of the AgoraCart order management modules. A new and cleaner look for the web based manager also come with version 5.5.x

More details on the changes from version 5.1.000 to version 5.5.000 can be found at:
http://www.agoracart.com/version_updates.html

Links to the purchase of AgoraCart Pro version licensing, which supports the AgoraCart project directly, can be found by visiting:
http://www.agoracart.com/proforum.htm

NiftyPay and NiftyPay to Play payment processing services have been added to AgoraCart 5.0.x and AgoraCart Pro 5.1.x as standard and freely available gateway options for AgoraCart users.

NiftyPay is unique in that it will allow a merchant to accept credit cards, echecks and PayPal payments securely and without the need to use multiple forms in AgoraCart or any other order script for that matter.

NiftyPay to Play is a low cost option for small or new startup merchants that want to have more control over their payment processing options but desire low or non-existent monthly fees. NiftyPay to Play has the same features as the standard NiftyPay, but without the larger financial commitment every month and/or to sign up.

You can find more information on NiftyPay at www.NiftyPay.com

The Echo payment gateway is now available to current Pro members for use in AgoraCart Pro version 5.1.000 and above.

Thanks to the leg work of an AgoraCart user, named Chad (CDC Warrior), completion of the gateway was expedited. As a result, Chad earned a complimentary lifetime membership to the AgoraCart Pro web site.

Information on becoming a Pro member in order to access AgoraCart Pro is available at: http://www.agoracart.com/proforum.htm

The long awaited AgoraCart version 5.0.000 is available to the general public. Version 5.0.000, an open source ecommerce solution. offers significant improvements over the prevous 4.0K-4b version, including CSS (cascading style sheets) design controls, greatly enhanced order management, drop-in templates and button sets with online manager/selector, international shipping with the new USPS (United States Postal Service) module, ability to have layout/header/footer files per category just by dropping them into the html-templates directory of the store, and more security. Version 5.0.000 is has a nifty module updater that allows you to update core program files that are typically not customized by most users, which results in easier upgrades saving store operators a lot of time and hassles.

This is a quantum leap forward over the previous version that was released in late 2002. There are so many features that have been updated that it does not look much like the AgoraCart of the past.

Downloads are only in tarball forms: .tgz and .tar.gz. Semi-automated installer and upgrader scripts will be available by mid-October 2006.

Check out the new version. You can dowload the new version on the download page at AgoraCart.com

We are proud to announce that USA ePay has sponsored the development of a new payment processing gateway package this past week. This new payment gateway is a great addition to the payment gateway line up that AgoraCart already supports. The new gateway is available now for AgoraCart version 5.1.000 Pro and will be available to 5.0.0 users when that release/version is ready for the public. Gateway files for version 4.0K-4b will also be available within the week for users of the well established 4.0K-4b series offered by thousands Cpanel based web hosting companies.

About USA ePay
USA ePay is a full-service ECI and Retail certified payment gateway which supports the First Data Nashville, TSYS [Vital, Paymentech and Global platforms. USA ePay, is a PCI compliant gateway and is certified with the Visa USA CISP and MasterCard SDP programs. The gateway supports the Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode programs. The USA ePay gateway also carries the basic features of Address Verification System, CVV2 and CVC, Recurring Billing and a free developer’s library on their website. For more information, please visit www.usaepay.com or call 866.USA.EPAY (872-3729).

My oldest daughter sent me this and I just had to share it and "show me the funny". For those thinking that this resembles my sense of humor, I half-heartedly deny any personal resemblance to the feller in the story ... on atleast half of the "infractions". Enjoy ...

Letter from a Retailer

Mrs. Ed,

Our store is considering banning your family from ever shopping with us
unless your husband stops his antics. Below is a list of offenses over the
past few months, all of which have been verified by our surveillance
cameras:

MEMO - Re: Mister Ed - Complaints
Sixteen things Mister Ed has done while his spouse was shopping:

June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people's carts
when they weren't looking.
July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute
intervals.
July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the rest rooms.
July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official tone, 'Code 3'
in housewares... and watched what happened.
August 4: Went to the Service Desk and asked to put a bag of M&M's on lay
away.
September 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.
September 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told other
shoppers he'd invite them in if they'll bring pillows from the bedding
department.
September 23: When a clerk asks if they can help him, he begins to cry and
asks "Why can't you people just leave me alone?"
October 4: Looked right into the security camera; used it as a mirror, and
picked his nose.
November 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, asked the clerk
if he knows where the antidepressants are.
December 3: Darted around the store suspiciously, while loudly humming the
"Mission Impossible" theme.
December 6: In the auto department, practiced his "Madonna look" using
different size funnels.
December 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browse through, yelled
"PICK ME! PICK ME!"
December 20: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumes the
fetal position and screams "NO! NO! It's those voices again!!!!"
And, last (but not least!) -
December 21: Places prominent stickers on all the Microsoft branded computer accessories on the shelves that read "Not Compatible with Microsnot Windows XP".
And, last (but not least!) -
December 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door and waited a while;
then, yelled, very loudly, "There is no toilet paper in here!"

I just finished reading the book titled "Object Technology - A Manager's Guide" by David A. Taylor. I must say it made me think alot about how our lives revolve around objects and how even business processes can be modified to be a lot more proficient in the use of the concepts of objects. The result would also make implementing those business processes into programs a bit easier, and maybe even make those processes more efficient in their own right.

I've never read a book on object technology, but this book was a short read and recommened by a friend, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. It takes a generic look at how objects might be and should be without tying the concepts into any particular language. It uses real world examples to show how an object might be used and is explained very well. However, it's not a book to read if you are neededing to apply objects directly to a specific language. But, it is a good book to help you think a bit deeper, or start to, on the subject of objects in programming and how they operate within a web of business units. It's also a good book for managers that might not have a lot of programming skill but need to oversee such departments or projects.

Overall it's been a pleasant read and helped me to personally think of a few changes I could make in processes at my own companies as well as help a few businesses I consult. I would definately recommend this book to those folks looking to understand and/or manage objects better.

Just an update to my venture into mail-in rebates posted in January 2006 ... The Dreaded Mail-in Rebate

This last month I finally received the rebate check from CompUSA. So, this new system they have called eRabates, which are filed very easily online, ended up being a positive experience. Plus, I actually got my money .... of course in the normal 7-8 week waiting period ... but hey, I'm not going to complain when I get a check back from an item that was a good deal to begin with.

I also tried this process with Staples and was pleased with the results.

I still do not trust manufacturers rebates nor any that I have to actually mail in. I believe many other people feel the same way. So all the retailers of America should take note: let us file our rebates online with automatic validation based on our receipt in your system and then and only then will you will win the confidence of consumers when using rebates in your promotions and advertising. Otherwise, keep running your mail-in rebate scams and be left in the dust by your competitors. I, for one, will not bite on an advertisement with a mail-in only price promo, no matter how good the deal appears ... I just don't trust I'll ever see the rebate check.

As a side note to the The Dreaded Mail-in Rebate article:

One aspect that leaves a "bad taste in my mouth" when reading any product or service marketing collateral / information is including the phrase "our patented technology". I can't cover all the reasons why it sends cold chills down my spine, as it encompasses a "lifetime" of watching the current patent fiasco develop, but parts include visuals of patent trolls, patents on "Donald Trump comb-overs", and the demonic BSA (no, not the Boy Scouts of America) which appears to be another microsnot minion that cleanses hard drives with the same efficiency of a rapid deployment armor unit setting up a base in the Iraqi desert. Not only that, but they have a silly Beaver mascot that tries to teach youth not to steal software and the harsh consequences for tangling with big software companies (Perhaps attempting to reach the youth before they become corrupted by pirates, secret torrent societies, and/or evil Open Source Software?).

Now before anyone gets their panties in a bundle, there are times for patents, but business processes, especially over data exhanges, e-commerce, and what a piece of software does is down right silliness. Almost everyone knows that the USPTO (the agency that issues patents and trademarks) is down right incompetent in regards to issuing class 705 patents in the areas of computing and ecommerce. So for I've found numerous patents that are dangerously ambiguous and blanket a technology so broadly that it's a wonder the internet and computing industry still exists. I found patents that covered subjects like: blinking text in a shopping cart (as pretty as it is, you can't use it now), displaying a sub total for items ordered, using red colored text to indicate a final price displayed, and someone that never invented anything to do with the online finance, banking or credit card systems recieved a patent that blankets all transfers of financial funds from one networked device to another... which basically puts the internet and the banking systems under the control of one person for a technology that we all take for granted: online banking, online shopping, etc. Scary right? Well now image this, they have sued 30+ companies and all but 8 have capitulated before the trial date. These are not small companies either, this is a host of who's who in payment processing and online commerce, including our largest banks, online auction sites, and online payment processors. The going rate for royalties is between 2 and 8 cents per transaction. Imagine one company that does 2 million transactions per day times 4 cents and that adds up to around $80,000 per day to a patent troll. Add in the fact that 20+ companies have already settled prior to court. You do the math. So, now our only hope for being saved by 8 remaining companies the might have the deep pockets to save us all from this patent troll, okay maybe just those of us that frequent the internet regularly. Maybe we should pressure our political leaders to overhaul the USPTO and the patent re-examination process (which is already being considered).


So, what do you envision when you read the phrase "Our Patented Technology" in the first 7 or so words of a product or service description? I, for one, envision a trap that if the company offers inferior service, there are no competitors with similar products to turn to. On an addional point, such a phrase looks very self indulgent and offers no worth to a consumer. Afterall, as a customer, what does a patent do for me other than limiting my consumer based choices?

My only comment to any buiness that uses the phrase "Out Patented Technology" as a portion of a selling point: Drop the line bozo, put your hands in the air and turn yourself in at the nearest marketing school. You need a lot of help.

This phrase only pleases CEOs that spent company resources securing the silly patent in the first place and consequently love the sound of saying such a phrase to their investors. It's a useless phrase in marketing your services or products to an end consumer, at least every implementation I've seen in the last 20 years has been.

But, if you must the phrase ... here's your sign!

It's been a long while since I last reported any progress on AgoraCart version 5.0.0 development; mainly due tothe fact I was sick for about 2 weeks.

So, I'm happy to report that I have now completed the new templates and button sets. Now store admin can select a preconfigured template or one that they have uploaded to a custom template directory. Then they can select a button set. This is all designed as drop-in and play so that the template manager will find the new templates and button sets in real time the next time it's reloaded and/or accessed after the items have been uploaded to the appropriate store directories.

The custom layouts and headers still work and if needed, are placed in the original directory so they can be found for each product category that one desires to have a custom header/footer style for.

This also ties into the new CSS manager, where the style sheet for the template can be edited within that manager.

Another detail is that the new templates, appropriately named "TheAgora", are CSS & HTML 4.01 compliant.

This new system also allows designers to submit buttonsets and header/footer templates to the AgoraCart community that will be easy to implement for most folks that can atleast use FTP in some form or another. Another version will come soon that will allow a tarball to be uploaded and installed via a manager interface.

We'll also be attempting to create a few more templates / themes before final release of version 5.0.0

Well, that be the news fer now...

Until next time,

Mister Ed

Order Management is a feature I have wanted to improve for about three and a half years now. I made some major adjustments to the order logging processes in June and July. However, I am happy to report that I have done more in a day towards the overhaul of the order management in version 5.0.0 than I did in a whole month last summer. In addition, all the items I've been working on will be included in the general distributions. I figure this is key feature that I will not withhold for members only. I might make more advanced versions available next year for "members only", if it's found feasible to do, but the idear is to make the cart useful as possible and provide some of the other extras to members only in order to increase donations and memberships (such as additional gateway files and higher maintenance files such as UPS and FedEx shipping in real-time).

I've coded out the backbone for order logs to be written out to individual orders in 3 pieces: cart contents, order details, and old style order logs but for individual orders. I've also added a feature to grab most of the key data from the a gateway order lib file during the processing of an order and place that data into a hash array that can be used in the log_order routines.

Using the above hash array, I've also added the capability to create master order logs in any of the following groups (individually or in any combination): year, by month(within year sold), and an overview log that shows recent orders when logging into the online store manager areas. This will allow reports to be generated by year, month or any range of dates, which are dynamically available according to the dates of orders available within the cart.

I've also kept the old order log style. I have enhanced it for easier downloading and splitting into separate orders for legacy programs that might be looking still use the existing order log schema.

I've also added a product

I still have a lot to do on this aspect of the managers. I need to write the manager routines to look at the data available, and then the routine to generate the reports. It's going to be very flexible. This new format will also make it easier to code out the QuickBooks accounting format exporter, or even to a tab delimited file for a spread sheet... the possibilities are endless with this new format. (I will look at other accounting formats much later)

I took the stance of what I'd like to see in the sales and order data reported and balanced it with resources and time I have to develop these features. It will definately be an ongoing improvement process as my programming eyes are much bigger than the time i have to devote to the desired features. So, I "tone" it down with the intentions of adding in the needed pieces gradually as time permits. I already have ideas on improvements on the new features for later versions. But, in the end, this is yet another massive advancement for the AgoraCart shopping cart project.

Until next time,

Mister Ed

New designs and looks are being implemented for this next release. So far we have 3 designs with each available in 4-7 colors each.

New buttons sets will also be avaialable in many flavors from ugly to fancy to professional.

John has been working hard on as many new templates as he can. John is one of our in-house designers that started using AgoraCart for his own sales project involving custom covers for Dave Mathews Band CDs and DVDs

I am looking forward to the cool new templates for AgoraCart. The part I'm not looking forward to is trying to figure out how make these new themes and the implementation within the managers seem somewhat automated :) But I will prevail in this endeavor.

Call to Designers:

If you design solutions around AgoraCart and have templates you would like to share, we will place links to your design site in whatever managers we cook up for the theme(s) you donate and/or links inteh templates themselves to your site. This can result in some very big exposure for your services and skills as it distributed to the 500,000+ potential users of your design. If you would like to donate a design or button set, please contact me in the forums or by email: Mister.Ed at this domain name (AgoraCart.com), and tell me all about it.

I am also doing the intial steps invloved in redesigning a new look and feel for the manager areas. I also hoep that during the redesign that users will find the managers will also be easier to use and/or find. I've been working on making it also easier to follow the flow of links and where theya re located, however, I'm still finding that some managers need to be quite long in length until I can figure a way have all the settings available without a hundred settings buttons arranged by categories/topics. So in the meantime, there might still be some overwhelming pages during the store management process.

ME

Starting with the release of version 5, a new numbering system will be used for new installs. Upgrades are planned to be handled differently.

Previos versions used a format with a number such as 4.0 and a letter to indicate revisions. The new version system will include two decimal points such as 5.0.0 whcih should be easier to follow when trying to determine if your installed version is out of date. This numbering system will apply to complete releases. Individual files will still use individual versioning of it's own as not all libraries will need to be updated with every release, which makes it easier for us to build features like automatic or semi-automatic updating processes for installed carts.

If you map out the new versioning with this format A.B.C, then the meaning of each decimal location would be as follows:

A = main version increment. this increment is usually a huge step inthe code and features, sorta kinda like an initial moon landing in the perspective of the AgoraCart project. Version 5 is such an event, bring the version from 4.0K4b to the 5.0.0 release with the massive changes going into place.

B = these are significant updates based on fixes at lower release levels and cool new features added that don't quite make us feel like we are walking on the moon yet. However, once we reach a level such as 5.25.999, then we might consider all the baby steps to that point a good time to roll over to a new base version, but this will be subjective to the whims of the developer folks ... myself included.

C = these will indicate bug fixes, typo corrections, other minor edits, etc. With this location in the version system, the ending version indicator can get to relatively higher numbers depending upon how many needed changes we encounter for the particular version/release.

However, I still have not decided how to version the individual files or if they really need to change fromthe format they employ at this time, as they are based on a date which is easy to remember when I last worked on them. I might use the new version system to indicate the last version the file was changed... but maybe not. This will need the input of other folks helping to develop the project, after which I'll make a final decision on.

ME