Quote Originally Posted by kuroi View Post
HTML is interpreted in your visitors' browsers. PHP runs on your server.

PHP does things that HTML simply can't do, like extract product information from your database and inserting it into HTML pages, or validating customers information before passing credit card transactions to payment gateways.

You don't have to use PHP to do these things, but if not you would need a different server side language and there are carts that use Ruby or PERL, but you'd probably find the learning curve for those even greater.

However, I'd recommend that you step back and examine your premise. Why does it matter that Zen Cart is written in PHP? There are an awful lot of people using it who know little or nothing about the programming language in which it's written, just like I don't need to know the details of how an internal combustion engine works to be able to fill my car with gas and drive it.
Reason being is I would like to be able to style my website and shopping cart how I want it, I want them to be the same. I noticed that I can use an html template and have links to my shop categories from my html home page "html home page, not being part of the zen cart template" however, if I do so my home page and whatever else differs from the looks of my shopping cart/store.

I love designing and messing around with different codes to see how nice I can make it look, I spent a good 2 weeks of building a template how I wanted it and then was told I have to use a Zen Cart template, that was a smack in the face.

I currently have a website up and running and have nothing but time for this new site I want. My current site is ran on Joomla and Virtuemart, and I honestly hate both of them. Joomla is alright but in my opinion limits you compared to cpanels.

Quote Originally Posted by schoolboy View Post
Kuroi makes good sense here. You should focus on getting your business going, and making sure the site functions the way you want it to. Don't worry too much about the programming. If your site is intended to earn you a living (or even make a contribution to it) then you need to extract yourself from the temptations of being a web designer and start being an entrepreneur...

There are a load of good, clean templates around (stay away from Alcozone and TemplateMonster), and you can install one of these and then use the CSS to style it up nicely.

As long as the store looks clean and fresh, customers are there primarily for the PRODUCTS, so just make sure you have good product images, accurate descriptions and attractive prices...

Why stay away from Alcozone and Templatemonster? I already purchased a zen cart template from Templatemonster.

I am not worried about rushing to get my store up, it is up and has been for 6 months. Running on Joomla and Virtuemart and I need to get away from both of them. Virtuemart is nothing but a hassle and I have been having problems with it since I started using it and I have lost business because of my shopping cart and giving people issues.

I'm needing to switch shopping carts, I already have another hosting plan with a personal friend of mine, so I have the ability to test out different things. Like I said I have a site up so I'm not worried about rushing to get this done.

What sites to you recommend getting a templates from?


Thanks for your opinions guys,
Jon