Using The Right CMS or eCommerce Software
Each clients' needs and how they will use the CMS and/or eCommerce software being installed is a little different, as are the features of each software system being considered. We try to match your needs with the right software for the job.
Though we're familiar with most of the major open source offerings in this category, new products are being introduced all the time. Also as with other types of software, sometimes one version of a product will work wonderfully in a set environment, then a newer version is introduced where the developers introduce new features that don't work as expected, or changes are made to the core scripts, or the server system requirements are changed...and it's an entirely different ballgame. If you use Microsoft Windows and have ever had an update that broke certain features (which worked perfectly well before the update) then you understand what I mean.
Testing
For this reason the only time to really test each CMS and/or eCommerce shopping cart system is once a project requiring them has started, during the first 2-3 weeks of development, and the only way to test each is to install and take it for a test run. Testing includes installation, setting up the categories, adding products or services, adding product photos, making test orders...everything you'll be doing when we go live.
It typically takes a day per CMS/eCommerce system for the testing, sometimes more, sometimes less. Though this may seem like a long time to you, the client, it actually saves a lot of time in the long run. The last thing I'd want to do is set up a system for you that has bugs in the basic functions of how you'll be managing your website, or a system that doesn't work as intended or doesn't fit your needs. Each system is tested under the conditions of how it will be used, and the one that is the best match for the client is chosen. Please know that it's always possible a "deal killer" bug may be discovered (in the CMS or eCommerce system being installed) later in the development of your website. I always have a back-up, or second choice ready if this should occur.
Bugs, Big And Small
All software has bugs, it's just a question of how many and what type. It's always a delicate balance between chosing "mature" software that has most of the bugs worked out and is actively developed or maintained (meaning the developers are responsive to bug reports, fix issues and release updates and security patches), and yet chosing software that makes use of newer technologies and security practices. In any application that allows a web-based access, especially eCommerce, security concerns are one of our top priorities.
In almost all cases BETA software will never be used or recommended for a production environment. An exception might be Google's many free products, since they seem to leave them in BETA status for years.
In The Beginning...There was Sample Data...
Almost all CMS/eCommerce systems have sample data, which is installed at the time the system is installed. Sample data (sample products, photos, fake company information) is there as "placeholders", to show what the site could look like. Once the system is chosen and installed, the next step is to set-up what's known as the "back-end", set-up the basic structure you'll be using. Lastly the "front-end" is designed, the look and feel, layout and color scheme. For this reason, at the very beginning your test site won't look anything like your finished website. Think of it as a house. You built the framework first, then the wiring and plumbing, then up goes the sheetrock for the walls...and finally the walls get painted.
Caching and the Test Site
Caching is a way of making large websites load faster. In a nutshell, when a website or web-based application uses caching, it tells the browser to save a copy of the page, images, and/or scripts used on the website, and not check for new copies of those items. On a large website (especially an eCommerce one), this can make a big difference in how fast a page loads.
Caching is great...once the website is fully developed and finished, but it's counterproductive during development, when frequent changes are being made and I need to see those changes immediately. For this reason, and caching is turned off during development, until the website goes live. With caching turned off the pages may be slower to load on the test site than they will be on the live site.
