[ic] Newbie has questions and needs some help

Caleb Phillips interchange-users@icdevgroup.org
Mon Sep 9 20:24:02 2002


On Mon, 2002-09-09 at 15:23, Jim Balcom wrote:
> On Mon, 9 Sep 2002, M.McNeil wrote:
> 
> M>>I'm brand new to Interchange and I'd like to get pointed in the right direction
> M>>for customizing it. My questions are:
> M>>
> M>>1. How do you customize the appearance of the store

look in <catalog>/templates/

> M>>2. How can I add my own logo

look in <catalog>/templates/foundation/regions/

> M>>3. How to I add extra buttons, ie. "View your cart".

same as above

> M>>
> M>>The RedHat docs suck and I'm trying to have a usable website by Halloween, so
> M>>any help would be greatly appreciated
> 
> If you expect IC to work right out of the box, then you might as well quit
> now. Because unless you are going to sell the exact same things as are in
> the demo, it won't.

Ok, I gotta put in my two, slightly more optimistic cents...

> 
> I am experienced in writing large applications in C, as well as holding my
> own in HTML, and reasonably proficient in Linux (I started running it in
> 1994.

I am proficient in C, PHP, Perl, HTML, Java, Javascript, and the Feed 
and Care of a Linux Server.

> 
> I started working on my IC store in October 2000, and I finally got it
> on-line on July 4,2001, and that was just a scaled-down version, just to get
> something on-line.

I started working on my store on: August 1st. I have been working on it
since, omitting a 1 week period where my department completely
reconfigured our server setup. As of now, I have completed:

1. Look and Feel
2. Database Backend
3. Order Reporting to MAS90
4. Started the ball rolling at Authorize.net

That is in about a months time, of 40 hour weeks. I think, you can do
it, if you know what you are doing and buckle down for some long weeks.
> 
> IC has a VERY steep learning curve.

It isn't THAT bad...it is kind of the intent of the project to be
dynamic and understandable.  I must admit though, the documentation is a
little difficult to search.

> IC is more complex than anything that MicroSoft has ever put out.

Even if Windoze is a POS, it is still a complex OS...

> IC is more powerful than anything Microsoft has ever put out.
> IC is far more stable than anything that Microsoft has ever put out.
> IC is far more flexible than anything that Microsoft has ever put out. (See
> www.freecell.com which runs under IC, so I am told)
> IC is far cheaper than anything that Microsoft has ever put out!
> 
> If you want something quick and easy, I personally recommend commerce.cgi. I
> used it for a couple of years and it's great and quite configurable. I
> didn't like the way that it handled shipping, nor did it allow customers to
> have accounts.
> 
> I recommend that you get the demo running the way that it was intended. Then
> go in and make small changes - one at a time. Make frequent backups so that
> when you screw it up badly that you can back up and recover. (And, yes you
> will screw it up. That's how you learn.)
> 
> If you don't want to take all that time, then pick up the  phone and call
> Mike Heins in Ohio (He puts his phone number at the bottom of every message
> of his) and hire him to help you. After all, it's free software so anything
> you pay for consultants is still less than you would pay for comparable
> software (if you can find it) in the Microsoft world!
> 

Maybe I am just a masochist, but I welcomed a three week deadline with
IC...now given, my model wasn't fully functional after that time, but my
superior was nonetheless placated.  Dont give up too easily...though it
is important to know when to quit. Good luck, and if you need more help,
make sure you explore alot first, then ask.

(p.s. you will have to excuse my buddy Jim, I think he was having an 
'I HATE MICROSOFT...I MEAN REALLY...A-LOT ' moment ...I can certainly
relate :P )

> 
> -= Jim =-
> 
>                    .-.
>                    /v\
>                   // \\
>                  /(   )\
>                  ^^ - ^^
>           > Phear the Penguin <
>               L  I  N  U  X
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> Jim's Linux-Operated Underground Bomb Shelter
> 
> Tagline for Monday, September 09, 2002 at 18:05 PM:
> There's my way, and then there's the easy way.
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> This Linux System has been up 227 hours
> 
> My web page: http://www.idk-enterprises.com
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> 
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| Caleb Phillips                          |
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| IT Specialist                           |
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