Customers Who Bought This Also Bought...

[oracle]

I am considering buying some Actinic software to build ecommerce sites for my clients and I have a couple of questions.

1. I gather that if I buy Actinic Developer each of my clients will need to buy a copy of something like Acatalog or Actinic Business if they want to manage their own shop - is that correct?

2. Some websites like Amazon have a feature which says "Customers who bought this item also bought..." when an item is placed in the basket. Is it possible to do this with Actinic? If so what software would I need and what software would my client need?

[jont]

Hi Rob

1. yes - they need their own copy - or you can use their licence to develop their site for them if you don't want to buy Developer. There is also a lite version of Developer with the download features removed - purely for building sites to hand over. There is also order manager which just allows them to receive the orders but not manage the site if they want to outsource to you as a developer.

2. v8 has this long awaited feature as standard. There is a plug-in for v7 but is quite expensive as you still have the cost of v7 on top of the plug-in which is a single site install. v8 is the way to go if your client has not yet purchased the software

[Duncan Rounding]

You should perhaps look at Version 8 that will be released in the near future (in Beta now).

As a developer you can purchase a reasonably priced Designer version and your clients would need a client licence.

V8 allows management of Best Sellers, New Products and Also Bought. See the Beta document at:
http://community.actinic.com/showthread.php?t=22072

[oracle]

So if I buy Developer Lite and the client has Acatalog, he can still download his orders? I don't quite see why I would want to download my client's orders anyway - seems a big difference in price between Developer and Developer Lite.

Any idea when v8 will be released?

[jont]

Developer is best suited if you run your own multiple sites and need to take orders... its name is a little confusing but it also allows you to develop for other clients... the lite version is pretty much the same but with the order processing removed.

If your client wants to maintain the site and receive orders they will need their own copy of Catalog or Business.

v8 "should" be released in the next few weeks

[oracle]

Hi Guys,

I have been having a look at the Beta version of v8 and I am impressed. It seems like a major step forward in ease of use for people like me who like to design and edit in Dreamweaver.

Will there be a comprehensive manual (paper version) to go with the new v8 Designer software (or is one already available)?

My main focus is going to be creating a design in Dreamweaver and using that design for my Actinic store. I have done that part ok and have experimented with inserting Actinic content into the layout.

What I would like to do now is to be able to customise that content (the appearance of the shopping cart summary for example).

Rather than trawling through the Help section every time I need to know something I was wondering if a manual exists somewhere (or will exist).

When I learnt how to use Dreamweaver I found the best way for me to learn was to sit down with a 500 page instruction manual and plough through it step by step.

Actinic Designer for Dummies anyone?

[jont]

If you have a look at the sticky threads in the v8 section there is a starter guide and the start of the user guide by Chris - this is being worked on at the moment so should be available upon full launch.

The inline help is very good and often over-looked by the majority of people .. but I agree ... nothing better than a full printed manual to get your head round the very complex stuff ... I tend to download the guides at work and print on their paper

[oracle]

Thanks. If I were to start building a site with the beta version, will I lose that site when I install the final release version or will I be able to carry on with it?

[jont]

I can't see any massive changes being made this late in the day to the core code - only tweaks here and there - so you should be OK by snapshotting the ACD before upgrading and then importing back into the live version.

Maybe someone from Actinic could verify this before starting out on a long fruitless design expedition

[oracle]

Do you suggest I email someone from the actinic.co.uk site or ask the question in the V8 forum? Or both

[jont]

I would wait for this thread to be read by the mods - they are doing the v8 design course today so it may be later today

[oracle]

Ok Thanks Jonty.

[cdicken]

I can't see any massive changes being made this late in the day to the core code - only tweaks here and there - so you should be OK by snapshotting the ACD before upgrading and then importing back into the live version.

Maybe someone from Actinic could verify this before starting out on a long fruitless design expedition

I suggest not going too mad with it until the production version is out. As John says, the production version will not differ hugely, but it's just that no support can be given by the support team for upgrading from a beta version.

[oracle]

Thanks Chris, I appreciate your honest response.

[george]

But obviously the experience gained while playing with the Beta version will make using the proper version a doddle.