Mysql front

Along with the right hardware and developer know-how, OpenSales AllCommerce lets you put up a store with virtually no start-up software costs. A freely distributed open-source solution, this program truly surprised us with its maturity. AllCommerce was developed for Apache and mySQL running on Linux. But being a Perl-based solution, it is compatible with any Web server running Perl and a SQL database.

Although it is available free, you will undoubtedly have to hire a Perl expert or two to customize your store. If you have access to such talent, you should definitely consider the extremely capable AllCommerce as your e-store solution.

Unlike the other products in this roundup, AllCommerce uses a command line script to define common options for your store. After answering a few simple questions, you generate the HTML pages for the store by running some Perl scripts. On a Linux system, the other parts of the puzzle–Apache Web server, the Perl module for Linux, mySQL, and the DBD/DBI Perl database connectivity library–are installed separately. A solid knowledge of Linux is useful when getting up and running.

We also tested AllCommerce on Windows NT 4.0 using Win 32 versions of mySQL and ActiveState Perl, with Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0 as the Web server. Though the Windows installation took more work, AllCommerce did prove itself as a cross-platform solution.

Once your store is running, few of the managerial and administrative tasks require Perl expertise. The administrator front end let us add and manage catalogs and products easily. One minor quirk: You must copy an object ID (a unique ID assigned to each data item in the database) manually between pages. The administrator module lets managers tweak business rules for the store.

We like the way AllCommerce lays out products on the page intelligently. A camera bag, for example, wouldn't appear before the camera it holds. Our test store functioned well and looked very professional. We were particularly impressed by the shopping basket and customer access to order information.

The AllCommerce package contains technology derived at least in part from real sites, including MyHome.com. As a result, it's ready to manage complicated product lines and support variants. AllCommerce can also track inventory from multiple warehouses. You'll want to tweak the look and feel, of course. This is done through HTML templates, saving you from having to rewrite Perl scripts.

One of the great things about AllCommerce's open-source model is that as customers add whiz-bang features out in the field, the new features can be integrated back into the main product. This includes scripts like our favorite, which imports the current UPS and USPS shipping rates directly from the Web into AllCommerce's shipping tables.

As a result of feedback from real customers, the reporting capabilities are comprehensive and provide truly useful data. Available reports give you a quick snapshot of site activity over the past 24 hours. These include total orders and the 25 most popular pages and items, as well as more detailed reports of site traffic and customer activities. You can even view click trails.

AllCommerce's only obvious limitation is its inability to automate promotions. OpenSales plans to include this in a future release. In the meantime, you must use Perl to add promotions yourself.

For developers, OpenSales relies on well-documented Perl APIs to perform common functions. Unlike IBM's WebSphere Commerce Studio and Microsoft Visual InterDev, AllCommerce's development lacks a visual interface. Still, there's no denying Perl's elegance and power as a Web development language.

OpenSales proves that with a Perl guru and a little more up-front work, you can get a powerful electronic store for free. Following in the footsteps of Linux, the AllCommerce package shows off what's best in the open-source movement: Continual updating from some of the best programming minds in the world.

Copyright ?? 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in PC Magazine.