osCommerce, CRE Loaded or Zen Cart

If you're looking for a free shopping cart, you might be wondering which of these cart is the best suit your needs; osCommerce, CRE Loaded or Zen Cart? Below is a quote from a forum that relates this three applications.

You have the Open Source Community which made osCommerce as a shopping cart. Then more features and installs were provided by the community which made later versions of osCommerce. Then still more features are added at the .org site. Next, some groups realized that people kept wanting some core set of modules and features installed on their oscommerce sites. So you have CRE Loaded. (the Chain Reaction Edition of osCommerce "loaded" with many of the features and modules). Then the CRE project has a split and Zen Cart is born. From there, Zen Cart goes on its own path and CRE Loaded goes on its path (not totally different, but both are great and have their own style). You also have VirtueMart which is osCommerce cart combined with CMS like Joomla/Mambo.

I've installed osCommerce and CRE Loaded before but Zen Cart is still new to me. I like some of the Zen Cart's powered shopping cart and I just can't wait to play with it.

My First Windows Vista

When I had to buy a notebook for my wife last week, it's clear that this is my chance to test out the new OS from Microsoft, Windows Vista. Yeah it's a risky move but I believe eventually we all have to face it sooner or later. Remember the moment when you had to change to Windows XP? This is exatcly the same situation. Read on.

We decided to buy the Dell Inspiron 640m. I like XPS better but my missus reminded me about the budget so I had to stick with the budget range. Next step is the OS selection. This is where I had my first confusion, to choose which version of Vista is suitable for us. They have 5 version of Vista (official Microsoft page), but I believe Dell offered 6 type of Vista. Since this is my first Vista experience, so I simply pick Vista Home Premium. It said something to do with AERO experience (what the heck is that?) Later I found out that it's a redesigned user interface and visual style developed by the Microsoft.

The moment I get my hand on this OS, I start installing all my usual stuff; WampServer, Yahoo IM, Firefox, Opera, SQLyog, Photoshop CS, SPSS and Zend Develeopment Environment. The WampServer 5 had no big issue with Vista however I can't figure out how to install their services. Now SPSS is a different story. I just can't figure how to to install it. I tried to install SPSS from edition 10 to 14 but Vista just rejected it all.

As for the Photoshop CS2, when I first launch the program, it terminate itself right after launching the software activation program. Simply run the program as administrator by right clicking the program icon and select 'run as administrator' to overcome this problem.

Oh well, it's all as I expected. There is always a glitch every time when you want to migrate from one system to another. As for the Windows Vista, if your programs aren't working, I mean almost all of them, perhaps Vista is the last options on your list.

I read lots of negative comment about Vista, some are being cynical but for the rest of us, we just don't care.

Piping With Yahoo

I almost forgot about this, but recently Yahoo launched a new service called Pipes. It's a drag and drop interface which allows you to combine several feeds into one. Remember how much time you'd spent to read every single feed subcriptions. With pipes you can actually combine your favorite feed and categorized it as a theme (News, Tech, Gizmo, etc) you just name it.

If you look inside the pipes you must agree with me that to build a pipes it is not for a faint heart. But once mastered, you can build as many pipes that you want with different purposes. For example, did you ever wish to monitor eBay price that match your budget? Pipes allows you to build query from a base feed url and set rules or filter before streaming it out to the pipe output. Take a look on my simple pipes. It translates a feed into a different language.

I thought saw one or two blogs refering Yahoo pipes as a web 3.0. Looking at pipes capability it's definitely a next generation of web application. In this new era, manipulating a web 2.0 application is the next challenge and Yahoo! pipes succeded.

Replace Pop-up with Modal Dialogs

Early this year, Microsoft has change their website interface and I notice that they are now using modal dialogs. What the heck is that? Modal dialog is an alternative way to load any detail information without changing the main page, just like the pop-up does. But the problem with pop-up is that currently there so many pop-up blocker tools out there. So your pop-up might be trapped in one of the tools. My boss had at least 5 pop-up blocker and he just don't have a clue which one is in active.

Today, Arjoule is kind enough to show me how it can be done. To experience it first hand, point your browser to this page and click the "show modal window button". Another good example is Widgetbox. I never use it before but someday this snippet will definitely come handy.

How To Save YouTube Video

YouTube.com is great place to share your video online. However if you want to safe any video into your PC, YouTube don't have a direct access for this purpose. At least not for now. But there is always solution for every single problem and saving YouTube videos is not a problem anymore. Of course we need helps from others and that is why YouTubeX.com comes into the picture.

Now what you have to do:

- Browse for the videos at YouTube.com
- Copy and Paste the URL of the YouTube video into the form above.
- Click "DOWNLOAD" to save the YouTube file to your PC.
- Rename the YouTube file with a .flv extension if necessary

To playback the .FLV video, you'll need a FLV Player. You can get a FREE one here. Done.
You can now play the YouTube videos as many time you want without the need to connect to your ISP.

Update: The you TubeX.com is dead. I will show you a new way of saving the YouTube video.

I will follow you flick

Meet my youngest son, Muaz. He's just 17 months old but, man, he's so active. There is nothing wrong being young but whoever baby sit him, they will exhausted. The only time he stop doing his stuff is when the DIGI commercial (the one with yellowman - Teletubbies) on air. He just paused and watch the entire clip and laugh aloud. Voila, all I have to do now is to find this yellow guy and hire him as my baby sitter. Problem solved.

Here is the DIGI's TV commercial that slows down my hyper kid.



The song is based on a song from Sister Act movie (yeah the one with Woopie Goldberg) titled "I Will Follow Him" (it's a religious song)

The Basic of XSLT Transformation

From the early student year up until now I always learn anything new in programming with the help of some examples. XSLT Transformation is one of them. It's not a new technology but if you can master this, a lot of things can be done. As for me I use it to organize the XML generated data so that it can appear nicely on the web. So here are some basic guide for this.

XML Document
Let's start this with creating XML document so that we can transform into XHTML format.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="shopping.xsl"?>
<shopping>
<item>
<name>Paper Clip</name>
<price>00.90</price>
</item>
<item>
<name>AAA Paper</name>
<price>10.90</price>
</item>
<item>
<name>Glue</name>
<price>3.90</price>
</item>
<item>
<name>Cutter</name>
<price>2.50</price>
</item>
<item>
<name>Pen</name>
<price>6.99</price>
</item>
</shopping>

Save this as shopping.xml

Create an XSL Style Sheet
Next we create the XSL Style Sheet ("shopping.xsl") with a transformation template:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
<xsl:template match="/">
<html>
<body>
<h2>My Shopping List</h2>
<table border="1">
<tr bgcolor="#9acd32">
<th align="left">Item Name</th>
<th align="left">Price ($)</th>
</tr>
<xsl:for-each select="shopping/item">
<tr>
<td><xsl:value-of select="name"/></td>
<td><xsl:value-of select="price"/></td>
</tr>
</xsl:for-each>
</table>
</body>
</html>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

Load the shopping.xml from your favorite browser and it's done.

P/S: Try play around with the shopping.xsl XSL transformation file.

DIY - Pop Art Portrait

When I first migrate to the New Blogger (formerly known as Blogger Beta), I thought that it would be nice to have a caricature photo as my photo profile. But I didn't know how to draw a caricature especially my own face. But when I browse Flickr, I saw several profile photo morphed into pop art portrait. So I get inspired and start to create one using Photoshop CS based on Itchy Squirrel works.

I'm truly amazed with the outcome and it's not so hard to do it by yourself. In fact I was having fun all the way. A new blog friend of mine Khuzaimi find it very appealing and ask me if I can produce one for him. OK mate, it's just like learning to ride a bicycle, once learned you'll never forget. All you have to do is to follow the steps shown by Itchy Squirrel here. One thing that I learn from all this is don't be be afraid to do mistakes.

Electronic Library - Where is the fun?

I can't remember when was the last time I visited a public library to get reference for my research. I missed the environment and the people. I used to hang around in the library all the time during my student years. Not because I'm a book worm or nerd but at that time lot of thing in library amused me. Of course that was before I discovered internet.

In 2004, Google start a mission which is very bold and ambitious, to digitally scan library books and make them searchable online. The program enables users to find matches within the full text of books, while publishers and authors monetize that information. Libraries like Harvard, Stanford, the University of Michigan, the University of Oxford, and The New York Public Library were among the pioneers. However, nnly books published before 1900 will be part of this project.

Well last night, when I watch "A Beautiful Mind" movie, story about a Nobel Prize-winning economist and mathematician John Forbes Nash, the Game Theory caught my attention. I never learn that in engineering school and I thought this theory must be an ancient mathematical theory so maybe I could try the Google Book Search to look for related books. It was really my fist time using the Google Book Search and I think the system really impressed me. Once again Google has proved that it can go through the billions of pages on its search engine to string together material on any subject that has been written about.

Personally I think the program can helps publishers from all over the world to market their books effectively. There is a link to the success story of some partners. So I guess I'm going to missed library for good.

Convince Me Not ?

I never had a good laugh for a while but today a debate in convinceme.net really tickle me. I'm wondering who is going to win the debate on Superman vs. Batman.

Convinceme.net is the debating website. You can create any number challenges, and compete in any number of debates that other users create as challenges. Compete for votes, a winning record, and points. It's your chance to convince the world that you are right!

I open up a debate called "Living in the Moon or Mars" to test some of the website functionality. If you have some point to debate about this is your platform.

(I wish they pay me for this)

What's Up Azo?

Maybe some of you might be wondering what's up with me and this blog. It's so quite for quite a while. Well to tell the truth I actually doing my work, integrating publication system with the news websites. I must say it requires lots of XSL transformation than I ever did before. To make it worse, I'm doing it alone. My boss said I could ask help from our principal but every question that I asked would never been answered. So I had to come out with my own solution to deal with most of the problems. That is just unproductive to me.

I also found out that cakePHP framework resemble Rake's architecture. So I decided to get my self busy learning the manual and all cakePHP's stuff. OOP programming in any framework sometime makes you completely lost or perhaps frustrating.

So should I give up with all that troublesome burden type of work? No way. The thing is if you love what you do, eventually all problems will blown away by your burning desire. Trust me on this.