Quote Originally Posted by solo_400 View Post
I believe Ceon Uri Mappings is part of zencart history and every zen user has the right to know about the future of that software and possible integrations with other modules in order to take good business decisions. Let's avoid this common issue of open source software.
A few things, it had been discussed on the CEON URI mappings thread over a relatively long time about the possibility of incorporating uri mapping functionality into a variant of Easy Populate. It is even something covered in the documentation of the mapping plugin as a possibility. I had previously withheld work on such a venture to truly not undervalue/undermine the commercial product the same coder had developed. (Btw, for those that don't know, Connor Kerr was the maintainer of these other plugins and passed away late in 2012 and since then there has been something of a void in some open source/free development. Search for the name in the forum, there is plenty to read about.) Anyway, while EP4 can through some modification be used to continue using CEON Uri mappings, it also can be used to transition to a different uri mapping tool, then again it could be used for a great many other things as well...

As for the common issue of open source software, generally speaking all things "free" have come from someone that had a need for it and has then made it publicly available. For some the need is simply to do something for others, while for others to meet a business need of some sort. I tend to fall into both of those categories... Every zen user has already been made aware of the free aspect... Zen Cart... Provided free, supported free, and while there is a plan forward, like anything it could get derailed... The thing is that there is enough supporters that while maybe a web address might change or an individual providing a type of support may change, it seems that the product has grown to a point to be supported if others had to step in to help. That said, I seem to have happened across possibly three different items that had nearly gone their own separate ways, one: EasyPopulate, there have been at least 3 variants posted to the forum and there is even another product that does not go by the name EasyPopulate that some prefer; stock by attributes, well almost don't want to go there because of the chaos that had previously existed but is coming to a common solution and not surprisingly is also supported in part by EP4; and now URI rewriting (there are still three variants at present, but they are not as closely related to each other as my previous two examples)... But, CEON URI mappings is something that has been made available to work with EP4...

I personally prefer the results (uris without numbers or odd characters and that are uniquely controllable) of CEON uri mappings over the other uri mapping tools, but also don't see anything wrong at least with USU. Further I plan to keep the plugin operational at least on the site(s) I manage until something about the base code of ZC exceeds my ability. Thing is that so far the problems identified with the plugin have been with server configuration being outside the norm (not necessarily an issue with the code) and the method of integrating the plugin into newer versions of ZC, although the base code of the program hasn't changed much other than to correct an issue that was noticed first in ZC that had to be applied/carried over to the CEON URI mapping tool.

It would seem to me that those already using EP4 have been able to do so without concern of potential changes of other software. The difference here is perhaps a more formal notification that EP4 can now be used with CEON URI mappings installed assuming that something "more" is done to add that capability. I wouldn't be surprised if others haven't already done this in offered support of their and other's sites...

In closing, open source does not outright mean free... It does offer the ability to manipulate the product/program as desired without the need for code cracking or the old usage of the term hacking. (In more recent circles (younger groups) hacking can also simply mean writing code and is not always intended to mean doing something malicious.) Try to add a field to or move a displayed value on most any store bought software and see how easy it is... :) May take notifying the company and then what? Oh yeah, purchasing their latest version...