Re: E-Commerce Monks

[perrin]

• Search and/or join the mod_perl mailing list.
• Look into Interchange, and possibly join its list or even use it.
• If you decide to write your own, you can read my article about it.

[markjugg]

But before you use Interchange, you might read my explanation of why I dumped Interchange.

Note it's been a couple years and I'm not sure what's changed with Interchange.

My current bias that I tend to write smaller e-com applications and the re-usable applications I find tend to be "too much" and are harder than needed to work with and maintain because of the additional complexity.

Although e-commerce is complex, it's a collection of things are all fairly straightforward these days: using a database, session handling and posting over SSL. Definitely because ther are financial transactions involved, I think there is more of emphasis (and programmer fear!) of quality control and "getting it right".

In my own cases I've found that custom solutions have been a good fit to build and maintain.

That said, I would happily consider adopting an e-commerce package if it used some my favorite tools:

CGI::Application, HTML::Template, Data::Pageset, SQL::Abstract, and Postgres

The right fit for me would allow me to use just the bits I need when I want them, and also have more power there when I need it....much like a collection of fairly independent Perl modules. :)

Mark

[perrin]

These are very valid criticisms and I agree with most of your sentiments. I've never used Interchange, preferring to build my own with the help of CPAN, like you do. Unfortunately, it's hard to find a better fully-working example e-commerce app in Perl. Zelerate is not good. Do you have any other suggestions for things we can point people at when they need an example?

[Alexander]

I had spent some time on Interchange several weeks ago and encountered obsticle after obsticle until I finally threw my hands up and shelved it.

All I know of it is what I have seen in the demos. On preliminary inspection, it looks impressive, but I have yet to make a successful install. I may look into it again if only to satisfy the lingering questions of it's viability I still have. For now, I will reserve judgement.

One thought which I cannot help to ponder is that Interchange is put out by Redhat. Redhat's angle is ease of installation, yet in my experience with Interchange so far, it is not an easy install. Granted the documentation and reviews I have seen are upfront that it has a steep learning curve... at what point are the benefits of Interchange outweighed by it's steep learning curve?

For me, it is currently a time consideration. As long as I can satify my minimal requirements and keep away from security pitfalls, I'll take the least line of resistance for now. Who knows, by the time I am ready to consider taking Interchange off the proverbial shelf, there will be something better, or I will have advanced far enough to write something myself.