LiteCommerce v3 Preview

rrf · #1 05-20-2010, 06:21 AM

Today, we are making Alpha version of LiteCommerce version 3 available to all users.

It's not final version, it's not stable version, just a quick preview.

But LiteCommerce v3 already has these major advantages over LiteCommerce v2:

1) Performance: LCv3 is more than twice faster that LCv2.
2) No encryption. That means no problems with IONCube.
3) AJAX in customer interface.

And one more thing: it has support for Drupal CMS integration. This means they can work together as full functional e-commerce CMS. And this means you can use 5,000+ Drupal addons on site with LiteCommerce v3.

... and speaking of X-Cart version 5, you can treat LC v3 as the first sign of upcoming X-Cart v5. Because they will share the platform and will only be different in the number of features.

LiteCommerce v3 Alpha is available to everyone free of charge.

rrf · #2 05-20-2010, 06:23 AM

Some more details:

Unlike v2, LC v3 is not split into many small modules. We decided to group most modules together and some are still missing compared to v2.

By the time we release production version of LiteCommerce v3, there will be more modules and a way to add install modules (including third party ones) straight from the admin interface.

Swish · #3 05-20-2010, 06:29 AM

So Litecommerce is not now being merged with X-cart into X-cart 5?

I'm confused here.

Is Litecommerce going to remain the 'lite' cart system while 'x-cart 5' is the pro solution?
So QT now have 3 cart systems to manage and develop?

Regarding LC3. Does it contain the same feature set as LC 2? It looks a million miles away from LC2.

I have a business based on LC2 and I've been holding out for x-cart 5 but now you have LC3 which I don't really understand what its about. The website is pretty vague. Can you perhaps explain in simple terms to existing LC2 users please?

xplorer · #4 05-20-2010, 11:24 AM

Hi!

LiteCommerce v3 is the first step towards a single ecommerce platform written in PHP. We plan to use it for all future PHP ecommerce solutions. "X-Cart 5" will be a paid solution built on that platform when it goes out of alpha/beta stage.

Right now LiteCommerce v3 has less features than v2.2. However, it is faster and can easily be integrated with Drupal. Drupal is a leading CMS solution, a true CMS solution with professional content-management functions and tons of custom skins and modules: blogs, forums, newsletters, social bookmarking, Google Analytics, and so on. And all these modules can be transparently integrated into your ecommerce website without customization. There is no shopping cart software that can do that out of the box.

Of course we will add more "shopping cart" features when implement several "must-have" improvements (ORM, a function to install and keep custom modules up to date, and so on) to the LiteComerce core and when we get rid of bugs.

For those who need an ecommerce solution right now, we will release X-Cart 4.4 that will feature many functions requested for "X-Cart 5".

kulture · #5 05-20-2010, 03:52 PM

It certainly looks completely different to LC 2.2. It seems to have a lot less functions, and naturally is not a serious contender for any LC user who wants to move to a more advanced looking cart now. So the upgrade path is to xcart 4.4 and then to xcart 5 which will be LC 3.1+ (i.e. a stable version of LC3 with added goodies to make it a real cart.)

One thought stands out for me. The average Litecommerce user wants a straightforward yet powerfull SHOPPING CART, not a complex CMS with a cart bolted on. Maybe this platform will appeal to the X-Cart user base as they are clearly more comfortable with compex systems and seem to like to play arround with the code and get their hands dirty.

kulture · #6 05-20-2010, 03:59 PM

p.s. in the demo I hate the checkout. No option to checkout as a guest, if you make a mistake and the error messages appear all your typing is obliterated and you have to start from the beginning.

labboy · #7 05-21-2010, 03:41 PM

Hey All,

OK, I'll admit it, I am seriously confused here.

I went today to find a add on for LC - the Quickbooks module, and found instead a whole new site. Great on the announcement of V3 but folks, c'mon, you have totally ditched the legacy system, or so it seems.

I have been running LC since about '04. I have two major product sites integrated with it: http://www.lab-gear.com and http://www.mountaincycle.com. We have developed what is a fairly seamless integration between our front end sites and our LC backends and have everyone running along happily. Now though I am getting rather nervous because it seem that the new LC is from the ground up, lacks the functionality and to be honest I have zero interest in Dupral. With modules etc. seemingly dropping off the radar, am I to accept that LC2.x is going to go the way of the dinosaurs?

What are the options here? Move to X-Cart? I liked LC because it was light, not a monster with a bunch of stuff we don't need. But if it's no longer in game play, what should I do??

Suggestions would b appreciated because we are revamping one of the sites and will be running the entire backend operation through LC. I'd like to know now before it's too late if this is a dumb move now.

Oh, and what did happen to some of the LC modules like Quickbooks integration?

Thanks!

g

ADDISON · #8 05-22-2010, 12:14 AM

why drupal and not joomla? joomla is more friendly user interface. I've made a try with drupal a week, than I went back to joomla.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrf

And one more thing: it has support for Drupal CMS integration. This means they can work together as full functional e-commerce CMS. And this means you can use 5,000+ Drupal addons on site with LiteCommerce v3.

rrf · #9 05-22-2010, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by labboy

Hey All,

OK, I'll admit it, I am seriously confused here.

I went today to find a add on for LC - the Quickbooks module, and found instead a whole new site. Great on the announcement of V3 but folks, c'mon, you have totally ditched the legacy system, or so it seems.

I have been running LC since about '04. I have two major product sites integrated with it: http://www.lab-gear.com and http://www.mountaincycle.com. We have developed what is a fairly seamless integration between our front end sites and our LC backends and have everyone running along happily. Now though I am getting rather nervous because it seem that the new LC is from the ground up, lacks the functionality and to be honest I have zero interest in Dupral. With modules etc. seemingly dropping off the radar, am I to accept that LC2.x is going to go the way of the dinosaurs?

What are the options here? Move to X-Cart? I liked LC because it was light, not a monster with a bunch of stuff we don't need. But if it's no longer in game play, what should I do??

Suggestions would b appreciated because we are revamping one of the sites and will be running the entire backend operation through LC. I'd like to know now before it's too late if this is a dumb move now.

Oh, and what did happen to some of the LC modules like Quickbooks integration?

Thanks!

g

LC 2.2 is fully in play, all modules are still available for download / purchase in the HelpDesk. Please contact sales@litecommerce.com if you need any help in purchasing the modules.

Swish · #10 05-22-2010, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xplorer

For those who need an ecommerce solution right now, we will release X-Cart 4.4 that will feature many functions requested for "X-Cart 5".

Anyone in their right mind is not going to start a business based on a cart which is soon to be scrapped.

I'm really concerned here about QT's leadership and direction.

Currently your development team is spread across X-cart 4, X-cart 5, LC3 and Ecwid. Are you confused as a company? This is way too fragmented.

You announced last year the LC and x-cart 4 would be replaced with x-cart 5.
With competitors carts becoming more and more feature rich and leading the way I actually thought it was a good idea that you had decided to put all your energy into x-cart 5 rather than maintaining two systems.
Then out of nowhere you release ecwid. I still don't really understand what it is to be honest.
Then on Thursday we get LC V3 which has nothing to do with LC V2 so really LC V3 is a brand new platform.
Now you are saying LC V3 is a preview for X-cart 5. What????????????????????

Don't get me wrong, QT are an exciting talented company but are you really listening to your existing customers and what they require?