osCommerce Blog

You know, remodeling a home is a pain… well can be a pain but it sure does make you feel good when you can see the end of the work. Hopefully for me that will be soon. : ) I mention the remodeling because Melinda (modom) has been great enough to help me keep up with the Live Shops while I have been busy trying to paint, rip up carpet, put down tiles, etc and so on.

I got through 3 pages (60 entries give or take a couple) worth of entries tonight. Lots of great sites added, but sometimes I have to wonder what people are thinking. I came across several sites that were not active… not only did they not even have a coming soon page (which still can’t be listed but atleast it is something) but they actually still had the generic place holder page webhosts give new people. There were a couple where the sites could not be found. I would really like to know why someone would submit a website if the store (or any site at all if they are trying to sneak em by someone) isn’t even there.

Another thing I would like to mention, although I know it has been said several times now by me and by Melinda… there are rules to submitting websites. Atleast 10 sites had to be removed because they did not follow the rules. It is bound to happen but it gets frustrating when it keeps happening over and over and going through the Live Shops is something I (and others) do in our spare time… what little there is of it.

Anyhow, I did come across a couple of really great sites… meaning they were well done and appealed to me. Everyone has their own tastes and people should definately check out the sites as they get added to see what others are doing with osCommerce.

I really liked https://sklep.swiatczekolady.pl/index.php although I couldn’t read a word of it and have no idea what the title is. I do know they sell chocolates. The site definately took some time to change the stock look. The product list page is pretty neat and they put a lot of thought into the product descriptions.

I also liked http://www.kleidershop.ch They used the STS template system for the layout which is very clean and professional looking. Only thing I found that could be an issue was that there was a javascript error.

Now, this site may not impress some but I absolutely loved the colors and the fact that even though the layout itself is very “standard” they did some really cute things with the look tpo make it their own. http://www.girlcharlee.com/

Well, I am off now to go do some work before I head to bed. Lucky me.

Or maybe it is just me being a goofball… but I have just spent a bunch of money trying to make a Betta happy. Bettas are those colorful fish you see in Walmart or petstores that most people keep in a small bowl. Well, the other day my husband and I were in Walmart and we were in the pet section getting food for my dogs and I spotted the Bettas all lined up in these tiny little plastic bowls with white covers. I am such a softy and talked my husband into letting me get one. Like we need another pet. We have 4 dogs and 2 cats as it is. Anyhow, to make the fish happy I HAD to have a bigger tank so we got a 1 gallon tank, some pretty glass stones and a plant. Not bad, everything included about $40.

Ok, get home fish is in the new tank and happy. I am happy cause the fish is entertaining. Had to name him because Bettas have amazing personalitys. Like little bitty dogs or something. So anyhow, named the fish Bart. He seems really happy for a couple of days. Wouldn’t you know it though… poor thing get’s bored and keeps attacking his shadow and swimming in circles. I have had several Bettas in my life but never one that had so much energy so I had to have a bigger tank for him. HAD to. Did I mention I am a goofball?

Now, 3 days go by and I talk my husband into taking me to the pet store to get a bigger tank but I don’t feel good so he goes by himself. He comes home with a 5 gallon tank, another plastic plant, a big rock, more gravel and an algae eater Yay! Get Bart, that’s the Betta, into the new tank and he is like so psyched. He’s swimming in the stream of the filter like some little under water surfer having loads of fun. I am happy cause he is happy. 2 days go by and he is no longer swimming around all happy but spending most of his time bugging the algae eater trying to make him swim so I think he needs some friends. I really think he sees “sucker” written on my forhead.

Two days later after watching Bart act all depressed we go to the petstore and get him 4 friends. No idea what kind of fish they are but they are small and kind of cute. Well, Bart doesn’t like two of them so we have to give them to the sister in law. So now the tank has Bart, Zig and Zag… two speedy little yellow fish, and the algae eater without a name.

You would think things are perfect now but no. Things are great for about a day and a half. Because it is a new tank and plastic plants the algae eater has nothing to eat and is like acting nutso so the husband stops at a petstore on the way home from work today and picks up 2 live plants and algae eater food. omg who ever heard of such a thing? And because the fish won’t eat the food that falls to the bottom he also picked up a crab. Yes, a little crab. I named him Gary. That thing can eat and eat… he hasn’t stopped since we put him in the tank.

Well so far so good but it has only been a couple of hours. Bart is loving one of the plants the algae eater is liking the other. I have to wait until later on to put the tablet food in and see if he will eat that. Zig and Zag are well…. zigging and zagging all over the place and Gary the crab is cleaning the tank and pretty funny to watch.

So to make a Betta fish happy, this insane sucker of a woman has spent just about $150. I think I need to see someone about my softness but it is almost my birthday so I have told the husband he doesn’t have to get me anything. Like he was going to after spending all this money on a fish anyhow. They are fun to watch and sitting right here on my desk so that is a plus. I catch myself just sitting here watching them for long periods of time. Kind of relaxing and honestly more fun than most of the stuff on tv. Zig and Zag like to chase my led light I shine in the tank and Bart comes up to the surface and “kisses” my finger if I put it in the water… yes, I am easily entertained. This story should have already clued you in.

As a side note… anyone who tells you Betta fish can be happy swimming in a bowl the size of a coffee cup is just plain old wrong. They just don’t know any better.

As some of you or all of you may have heard, the Live Shops are now up to date. Melinda and Rhea worked very, very hard. I did what I could, which wasn’t nearly as much as they did but now it is my turn to work and keep the sites up to date.

I am checking them every day which seems to be working well so far. Going to keep my fingers crossed that I am able to keep up. There are many submissions a day which is fantastic. Just shows how popular osCommerce is!

Don’t forget to follow the guidlines when submitting a site so it can be listed.
If you are unsure what they are go here…
http://www.oscommerce.info/kb/280
and that will tell you what you need to know.

Gotta run, got a canasta game to play!
Have a good one.