You will know osCommerce as the free online e-commerce solution (open
source), which has a number of favourite shopping cart functions. This is one of the most popular free open source software that is used for setting up and managing online shops by small and medium enterprise owners. It is one of the ‘most wanted’ software’s because it cost nothing, it involves least effort to set up and have no maintenance fees.

It is no surprise then to find that about hundred thousand online shops as well as developers from the world over use this on a regular basis. These users are also contributing to the evolution of this wonderful software; today you will find more than three thousand add-ons, which have been contributed by those who use it.

The fact that the osCommerce script comes as an open source with a free platform, which has the excellent web scripting tool, PHP and an efficient and fast database server in MySQL. Since the requirement for this platform is minimal, it is highly compatible with all operation systems including Mac OS X, Windows, Solaris, BSD, Linux, and so on. Its very easy to install on either windows or linux shared web hosting package. It is freely available on net and also comes with fantastico script on cpanel hosting.

osCommerce Hosting

osCommerce hosting is running successfully now for the six years and it has already captured the hearts and imagination of shop owners the world over; with every day adding to its numbers. Its total success and acceptance in the community has prompted the osCommerce to the next level, i.e. an easy to use, free of maintenance e-commerce framework solution, which can be easily adapted to the individual requirements of any online shop.

The great success of this open source solution is owned to the fact that all the community members are constantly fine tuning it with their contributions, making it a highly efficient tool to manage online stores. This is combined with the fact the software is easy to use, load and is totally free. Though people have so many individual needs and requirements, they all are able to use the osCommerce to their optimum satisfaction because it is so easy to adjust to one’s needs. Besides, each user can add additional functionality out of which the rest of community benefits greatly.

It is hoped that in the future too, the thousands of people who use this wonderful open source tool will continue to contribute to its evolution to make it the ultimate tool for those who run successful online stores. Since this is an open source, it is free, and with it comes the bonus of being able to adapt the same to your exact needs. As if it is not enough, this open source solution also allows any type of modification in suitability and functionality, making it better with every user that touches it.

OsCommerce is a product that needs to be watched in the future – it will be the ultimate tool for the majority of the micro and medium size entrepreneurs over the Internet.

Anyone who is uses computers today will be familiar with Windows and Linux as operating systems. Some prefer Windows because it is extremely easy to use – both hardware and software – and some prefer Linux because it is much more flexible is use; above all it is open source ware and hence it is free. Those who enjoy Linux are totally baffled as to why people would want to pay for something that you can get absolutely free.

Actually there is a simple and logical answer to this question. When the Windows was launched some 20 plus years ago, it caught like wild fire because it was all of a sudden so easy to use and so convenient to install. The best things that it maintained a constant identity – as the product of Windows, while on the other hand Linux went along under many names, such as Knoppix, Mandrake, SuSe and so on. With each name (different companies) Linux as an operating system had slight variations. Hence, it was bothersome for people to keep track, and sometime use Linux due to this aspect.

Then comes the inherent difference between these operation systems.
Technically speaking, you will find the Graphical User Interface (GUI) is optional in the Linux operations system while it is part and parcel of the Windows. The separation of the GUI directly affects the reliability and speed – not to mention efficiency – of a web server and hence here Linux server scores over the Windows server.Another major difference is in the way these operating systems handle their command prompts. While Windows uses similar command interpreters for its Windows 9x versions, the NT series have a different style but common to each other. Linux on the other hand, being a UNIX version has the capability of handling multiple command interpreters, which can be a boon, though it mostly favors Bourne Again Shell (BASH). The other interpreters that you will find in Linux are C Shell, ash, Korn shell and so on.

The best and most highlighted difference is the price tag attached to the operating systems. Windows web server is an expensive to say the least, operating system which comes with a copyrighted license, while Linux Web Server is cheap for all, as Linux OS is free and easily downloadable anytime you want it. The downside here is that Linux has instruction which will tell you what to do – which may be why people are indeed reluctant to move away from Windows; though there are a few low cost Linux versions which come with automation and manuals.

Another plus in favor of Linux is the lack of any security requirement. The viruses, spy wares, malawares and what not you have it are all a product of Microsoft, for Windows. Hence, while you have to use high security firewalls with Windows, you are free from any such headaches with Linux.

Lastly, you have the difference of availability of software. The majority of the software that you find on the market are for Windows and they will not run on Linux unless Windows is somewhere configured as a subsystem which actually goes against the reason of using Linux in the first place.

Hence, till a suitable interface is found where Linux can be compatible with Windows without using Windows itself, have a few clear-cut instructions for first time users and sufficient information on its technicalities, people will prefer Windows to Linux, even if they have to pay to use it.

A Website hosted with a “dedicated IP” never changes location. The advantages of having a dedicated IP number is that dedicated IP’s tend to lend themselves much better to advanced web development, they are much easier to work with and they are more compatible with server side applications. So why don’t all hosting companies offer all their customers a dedicated IP? There are numerous reasons ranging from cost to the availability of IP addresses. In reality this is a hotly debated topic that no one can prove which is better, or in reality; the battle is are dedicated IP’s per website better for the owner of that domain and his web presence then a shared IP environment. This in my opinion is the real question.

Shared IP’s is like an apartment building where you can have one address i.e. first Avenue but then have 1000 apartment numbers. The mail and people show up to the front door and the gatekeeper lets them in and points them in the right direction. The people usually find the right apartment. A Dedicated IP per website is like living in a single detached house and your address is 3 First Avenue – The people knock on the door you answer – faster and less chance of something going wrong. The search engines “BOTS” as they are called come and knock on doors, read and examine you site, determine how many people want your website, look at certain content etc and then leave and compile the information for their search engines. Do they penalize a website for being in an apartment building? More than likely NO! Now do you want to be in that apartment building if you neighbour is a spam artist, or do you want to be in that apartment if the people above you a running a high volume mail order business? Sometime you need to wait for the elevator to come get down to leave or your customers waiting at the front door because of you neighbour high use of the front entrance.

So the above paragraph does not really say which is better, even though I would prefer my own dedicated IP for my Website. Other advantages to having a unique IP for your site is if you change web servers, you can point your users to a new IP, so they don’t have to wait for the domain name change to propagate. With a dedicated static IP, it can also be simpler to upload and test your site before transferring the domain name to a new server. Setting up Secure sockets (SSL) is also much simpler. You may also not want to share your IP with some sites that could lead to your site being banned by search engines or spam lists. It’s more stable having your own dedicated IP for your Website.

Now the debate is always about search engines optimization (SEO) but here is my belief; if you get added benefits of search engine optimization that would be great as well. Don’t be fooled by hosting providers that do not want to provide you a static IP for your site, or charge extra for it. Don’t listen to excuses about the shortage of IP’s and that they are not needed.

Rebel Networks offers dedicated static IP for every website, and dedicated server we host. The reality is it costs them more money to provide this type of service with a static dedicated IP’s per web site and thus they most hosting companies don’t provide them. When you’re ready to host you business, or if you already have a business on line but want extra benefits ask for a dedicated IP address for your website.