What is a "Responsive Classic" template in V1.55?

Need advice!

My site: https://www.Ritalie.com/store uses Version 1.54, with SSL enabled. I need some help understanding what constitutes a mobile template? On an Android phone my site seems to scale down very nicely.

I'm having trouble deciding if it is worth abandoning 1.54 altogether, and upgrading to the new 1.55 store, with the "responsive classic" template. My 1.54 site was damaged by hackers recently.

Is 1.55 significantly more secure?
How is the responsive classic theme in v1.55 better than my present v1.54 store, for mobile devices?

It's been a while since I have had to explain the various types of templates, but a responsive template (ie. The responsive classic template in ZC 1.5.5) basically uses css to adjust the screen based on the resolution of the device. Now, that's a very VERY simplified explanation. So, your site looks like it is built on the standard classic template.

Something that was built into the responsive classic template though was a little bit of device identification such that the screen would also get updated based on the such things as a tablet that gets rotated. When that rotation occurs, the resolution of the screen actually changes and with a responsive template, the window is expected to adjust accordingly.

The big thing though is that, 1) you ask about security of the software and in turn state that it was via ZC that your site was broken into. What do you have as evidence that it was the ZC software that was the issue as compared to say the server, ftp, cpanel, your own personal computer by which access was obtained? Have you fully resolved that issue because if not, then it may be possible that whatever is/was happening may continue.

As far as moving on, yes, it is always suggested to stay up-to-date.

I guess one other way to look at your site related to a mobile template is to use one of google's site review type tools to identify if the site is considered mobile friendly or not... a lot of what that means is: reduce the amount of extraneous data (smaller pictures) transmitted, items legible, links clickable, etc...

There are other mobile templates that seem to use a lot of javascript in order to respond to the device and drive home mobile capability. Personally I'm more in favor of the responsive style because, really the responsive template is still the same template only "smaller" where the other style described is independently formatted and means that out of the box, the two versions of the site are likely to be different and must be independently maintained as far as content. Both types require testing for various device look, but that's a different topic.

Hopefully helps a little.

To add to the advice that Mc12345678 has shared; in response to your statement that your site scales 'very nicely' on Android devices. Yes it scales down, but that is the browser doing it for you, but in doing so EVERYTHING is forced to shrink. Images, text, links etc. Therefore the first thing I need to do, as a user, is zoom in to be able to use your site, which then makes it difficult to see the whole page. Whereas a responsive template as per the above reply means it's user friendly. User translated into ecommerce means 'customer', and customers are the people you are trying to keep on your site to spend their hard-earned...

Thank you, so the responsive classic template does change the site to a mobile site view, where as the 1.54 classic template I'm using just scales everything down equally. I get it. Thanks!

As far as security goes, I actually have no idea if hackers damaged my web store. My FTP server ended up with files installed on it that were malware. After removing those files from my server, my web store seemed to be going really slow, and wouldn't load for 15 seconds, and seemed really clunky, despite trying everything to speed it up.

The database appeared to be corrupted, because I tried exporting the database (using Zencart's instructions) then uploading it into another new Zencart installation, it said I had "syntax errors." All the settings and database files were in UTF8 format. I can only assume the hacking somehow damaged my database? I took an old version of the exact same store, and database, and reinstalled using those backups and the store is lightning fast now, with no "syntax errors" message when I imported the old database backup. Strange?

Thanks for the advice!