[ot] ShowIf & HideIf Question

This WebDNA talk-list message is from

1998


It keeps the original formatting.
numero = 16227
interpreted = N
texte = >But if you are frustrated to the point of writing this sort of reply then >DONT - It doesn't help anyone!Actually, I am QUITE a happy user of WebCatlog. I have developed about 10 Major storefronts, and a handful of minor storefronts and fulfillment pages with it. It is an incredible program for creating powerful stores quickly (once you know what you are doing, and if you enjoy programming challenges).[rant]BUT... When I make sarcastic comments, they are pointed towards PCS because WebCatalog IS $2500.00 It isn't Lasso, or WebFM, and in it's price range it IS competeing with ICAT and other shoppable solutions. Webcatalog is limited to 100 open databases. Sounds like a lot at first. Put a few stores up. Put some more stores up. Use a bunch of lookups with each store. If I followed Grant's advice, I'd tie up 7-10 additional databases PER store doing small lookups. Try explaining to your customer why your webserver is SOOO slow when you are ONLY hosting 10 stores on the machine, but it decided to unload their 20,000 product database from RAM because it wanted to load a lookup table. Then It has to reload the MUCH bigger database again. Pretty RAM based... And this problem isn't even dificult to fix. Why can't we use the pipe character (above the backslash) to separate values in a [showif] command? I can't think of a database field I've ever seen that had a pipe character in it. Also, earlier today, I was talking about loading a fixed format file into a database. It was suggested that this file just be loaded as a database, then use a [getchars] command to strip out what i needed. Sounds great right? The file in question is 84Meg daily updated. I need effectively 3 fields out of it to replace values in a smaller product database. So I only want to open it line by line. Could this be solved by running perl? Probably. Maybe at the customers side? Probably not. They seem to be pretty clueless, that's why they hired me. But I want WebCatalog to do this, since it IS being positioned as a single solution to web commerce. Back end data tie ins should be part of a $2500 program.As for a common knowlede database for webcatalog, I'd be happy to program it, and host it. My fear is I'd be the only contributer. How many people want to post hard thought out developed code free for their competitors? (I realize that webDNA has SUCH a small market penetration, but I'll probably bid against someone on this list sooner or later - Please don't take it personally at the time :)Hey, how about that FANTASTIC webcatalog documentation? You know the one. It fails to show examples of how three different BUT VERY COMMON methods of shipping charges could be calculated with WebCat. (see my past posts on this) I guess that shippng from mail order companies in California is very simple. UPS ground at 4.95 or 2 day at 7.95 EVEN if it weighs 400 pounds. (well, that's what the example shows) Hey, how about a field called weight. It would work similar to unitshipcost. Oh, nevermind I'll just program it myself. It's too much to ask of an ECommerce piece of software to have this built in. If you think I'm being a bit harsh about all of this, I have 3 words for you. I'M THE CUSTOMER. That's right, I bought webcatalog, and I want a program that isn't good, it's GREAT. Don't think for one minute that my customers let me off the hook if something doesn't work right. Don't think for one minute that they care about how easy or hard something is to implement. The want it NOW for not too much money, perfect the first time. You know what...they have a right to deserve that, They are my customer. I'm PCS's customer. PCS deserves to hear if I'm unhappy or you're unhappy, it's the only way they will now what their customers want. Let's face reality, in 1 or 2 years, MS Front Page or Adode Pagemill or Filemaker will come with built in shoppable stores and customization for $99.00 Are these powerful enough for a medium size store? Probably not. Will a custmer hold this price against webcat developers? You bet your ass. I don't know about you, but I better have something SUBSTANCIALLY better to show the customer to get the business. Oh, and let's not forget ICAT and MS ASP and the rest banging on the high end door. So NO, I won't shut up until PCS is delivering the BEST DAMN SHOPPABLE SOLUTION OUT THERE![/rant] Brian B. Burton BOFH --------------------------------------------------------------- MMT Solutions - Specializing in Online Shopping Solutions 973-808-8644 http://www.safecommerce.com Associated Messages, from the most recent to the oldest:

    
  1. Re: [ot] ShowIf & HideIf Question (Kenneth Grome 1998)
  2. [ot] ShowIf & HideIf Question (Brian B. Burton 1998)
>But if you are frustrated to the point of writing this sort of reply then >DONT - It doesn't help anyone!Actually, I am QUITE a happy user of WebCatlog. I have developed about 10 Major storefronts, and a handful of minor storefronts and fulfillment pages with it. It is an incredible program for creating powerful stores quickly (once you know what you are doing, and if you enjoy programming challenges).[rant]BUT... When I make sarcastic comments, they are pointed towards PCS because WebCatalog IS $2500.00 It isn't Lasso, or WebFM, and in it's price range it IS competeing with ICAT and other shoppable solutions. Webcatalog is limited to 100 open databases. Sounds like a lot at first. Put a few stores up. Put some more stores up. Use a bunch of lookups with each store. If I followed Grant's advice, I'd tie up 7-10 additional databases PER store doing small lookups. Try explaining to your customer why your webserver is SOOO slow when you are ONLY hosting 10 stores on the machine, but it decided to unload their 20,000 product database from RAM because it wanted to load a lookup table. Then It has to reload the MUCH bigger database again. Pretty RAM based... And this problem isn't even dificult to fix. Why can't we use the pipe character (above the backslash) to separate values in a [showif] command? I can't think of a database field I've ever seen that had a pipe character in it. Also, earlier today, I was talking about loading a fixed format file into a database. It was suggested that this file just be loaded as a database, then use a [getchars] command to strip out what i needed. Sounds great right? The file in question is 84Meg daily updated. I need effectively 3 fields out of it to replace values in a smaller product database. So I only want to open it line by line. Could this be solved by running perl? Probably. Maybe at the customers side? Probably not. They seem to be pretty clueless, that's why they hired me. But I want WebCatalog to do this, since it IS being positioned as a single solution to web commerce. Back end data tie ins should be part of a $2500 program.As for a common knowlede database for webcatalog, I'd be happy to program it, and host it. My fear is I'd be the only contributer. How many people want to post hard thought out developed code free for their competitors? (I realize that webDNA has SUCH a small market penetration, but I'll probably bid against someone on this list sooner or later - Please don't take it personally at the time :)Hey, how about that FANTASTIC webcatalog documentation? You know the one. It fails to show examples of how three different BUT VERY COMMON methods of shipping charges could be calculated with WebCat. (see my past posts on this) I guess that shippng from mail order companies in California is very simple. UPS ground at 4.95 or 2 day at 7.95 EVEN if it weighs 400 pounds. (well, that's what the example shows) Hey, how about a field called weight. It would work similar to unitshipcost. Oh, nevermind I'll just program it myself. It's too much to ask of an ECommerce piece of software to have this built in. If you think I'm being a bit harsh about all of this, I have 3 words for you. I'M THE CUSTOMER. That's right, I bought webcatalog, and I want a program that isn't good, it's GREAT. Don't think for one minute that my customers let me off the hook if something doesn't work right. Don't think for one minute that they care about how easy or hard something is to implement. The want it NOW for not too much money, perfect the first time. You know what...they have a right to deserve that, They are my customer. I'm PCS's customer. PCS deserves to hear if I'm unhappy or you're unhappy, it's the only way they will now what their customers want. Let's face reality, in 1 or 2 years, MS Front Page or Adode Pagemill or Filemaker will come with built in shoppable stores and customization for $99.00 Are these powerful enough for a medium size store? Probably not. Will a custmer hold this price against webcat developers? You bet your ass. I don't know about you, but I better have something SUBSTANCIALLY better to show the customer to get the business. Oh, and let's not forget ICAT and MS ASP and the rest banging on the high end door. So NO, I won't shut up until PCS is delivering the BEST DAMN SHOPPABLE SOLUTION OUT THERE![/rant] Brian B. Burton BOFH --------------------------------------------------------------- MMT Solutions - Specializing in Online Shopping Solutions 973-808-8644 http://www.safecommerce.com Brian B. Burton

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