My name is Kim Elliott, the formation of a member of the Zen Cart team. Our team is a total of three PHP programmer (2 from the original osC team) and two retail / design / advisory members.
Zen Cart templates project began in June 2003, using the basic code osC MS2. We spent six months to rewrite the code and eliminate errors, and then released the Alpha version of Zen Cart. In the past 18 months, we have the source code based on the constantly revised and improved to increase the variety of functions, sustained release the new version. Upcoming release of new version of v1.3 will be the biggest changes since the adoption of a completely different business and interface logic design, fully compatible with XHTML category, object-oriented coding. Next plans to re-structure “Checkout” and “Create an Account” steps, and then modify the management page, make the interface more friendly, more intuitive. The ultimate goal is to make one so that the vast majority of users do not modify the code or add features, you can install and run software.

Q: Do you think OSCommerce templates is not for you or your client’s most important reason for that?

Let me use another program is mainly due to: osC software is difficult to add new features. To install and run even a very simple store, all need to do a lot of changes

(I then opened a line of professional bird supply stores). Is very difficult to upgrade, unless you rebuild the entire store. If you want to change the store appearance, need to rewrite the code.
When we abandon osC, it was decided to make it easier for some shop owners, they are the software end-users.

Q: Zen Cart template and OSCommerce template The main difference between the basic what is?

Ah, the difference too much … the biggest difference is that the use of Zen Cart common owner can store their own custom look and functions. We are in the management page, to almost all of the features are set to open on or off option. Block can be re-positioned, in the column to move, or shut down the entire column. As long as the modified format and some graphics, you can store a face-lift, in addition to modify some language definition, do not need to modify any files.
Zen Cart contains a osC require user input most of the features, such as increasing the overall discount. In the management of pages, the tax function more flexible and easy to configure. About more than 100 improvements.

Q: Do you know a similar version of what the difference?

Most of the other versions, is an enhanced version of osC, that they increase a lot of features, but most do not have the basic code from osC.
Zen Cart with osC code base, but not just add new features and add the code, but to give the code more flexible and innovative. Zen Cart is fully compatible with the register_globals_off. Business and interface logic, independent of the template, the template is to be covered, which makes the code update the store a few days or even weeks from the previous reduced to a few hours.

Q: The project for a particular market?

Zen Cart the majority of users are small businesses or the newly opened shop owner, but also for a public transport company in Canada, Florida, a large computer custom business, several non-profit organizations, and many others.

Q: The current OSCommerce  template users to migrate to Zen Cart’s easy? You have provided or planned relocation guides and tools?

From osC migrated to Zen Cart template is relatively simple. Similar to our database structure, as long as the osC database mapping to the Zen Cart, and then import the data. Our FAQ section has guides, the Forum also help. There are no migration tools available.