On 28 Jan 2002, at 0:11, Joel Wickard wrote:

> I really hope that this method of designing qausi-customizeable
> websites never takes off.  Can you imagine how absolutely mundane the
> web would be if all you could do is surf from one page to the next,
> and the only thing that changed from site to site, was a color scheme
> and  maybe the layout of a few elements within the page?  (I realize
> this happens even today through many designers total lack of design
> ambition.)

Well, veering off topic here but such subjects were the reason I 
went to the wrox site as I heard they had disucssion lists about 
development on a strategic/conceptual level but those lists are 
dead.

I agree with some of the above. But I believe in the concept of a 
core set of "modules" upon which to build. That core set are pretty 
much the same thing that everyone builds when building any type 
of ecommerce application.  They would represent about 30-40% of 
development time. The remainder would be the customization 
according ot the individuality of the particular client. 

As much as I've tried to use the same cart from client to client, I find 
that each client is different. We've never said "well you have to do it 
this way because that's the way the software is", rather, we always 
said, or at least I did, "it's only a question of time and money :)".   
Yet I still believe in that core set of modules, although, I admit it, my 
process was to take the last cart and slash/burn/build for the new 
client as opposed to building from a pristine base.

If Mark is creating a modular, easily extendable application then I 
encourage him. If he's creating a monster that is a bear to change 
well, I won't use it, yet I think there are a lot of "developers" who 
glom on to these things.  

Peter



---------------------------
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go
away".
                -- Philip K. Dick