I'd say avoid oscmax – it's full of bloated, unnecessary code – go with oscommerce and add the handful of contributions that you really need…

Also Gary if it is the same as OsCommerce will what you have in your ebooks for design work on it….

Thanks,

Yes, I should have bought you a cup of coffee on that one. :-0

And of course, the best and original STS design eBook;

http://www.oscbooks.com/oscommerce-ebooks/oscommerce_sts.php

I think STS is better now than what it was prior to the version 4 release. It's faster (one of, if not the biggest drawback to using the older Simple Template System)and it DOES have more options and most of these options are contained within new STS files, so the core osC code is not all mucked up.

There are no SQL modifications, very few core file changes and the ease of use has been, well, made easy.

It allows any non-PHP coder to design an osCommerce shop to their heart's content. This is really what makes STS a useful contribution. A lot of shop owners know HTML, CSS but they do not know any PHP at all. STS opens the world of osCommerce up to them.

With STS, you instantly have the following functions without adding another contribution:

- Infobox Templates: Easily create infobox templates that control the header, header link, background, border, content and anything else infobox related.

- Home Page Template: Place anything you want or remove anything that you want from the first page a customer sees visiting your store.

- Category Page Templates: Make a single template to be used for all of your category pages and/or make a specific template for a specific category including subcategories.

- Add category descriptions to specific categories.

- Product Page Templates: Make a single template to be used for all of your product pages and/or make a specific template for a specific product.

- Content Templates: STS comes with Product Info Content Templates and gives you the possibility to create your own content templates for any page in your store.

- Change Themes on the Fly: STS allows you to have as many template folders that you want, each folder can be a different theme to be used for such events as holiday seasons, special sales, etc. This is controlled in the Admin by simply stating which folder you want STS to use. This includes image/button sets, page/infobox templates, stylesheets, etc.

- Add PHP Code directly in the Template: Since version 4, you can add PHP code inside the HTML template. This brings unlimited functionallity to osCommerce without ever touching any of the Core Code of osC! This is for advanced users and is a whole lot of fun to play around with. I like using this feature for adding different Flash files depending upon what category is being displayed, or poping up a special box to promote another product depending upon the product being viewed.

- Automatically display New Contribution Mods: STS will automatically "pick up" any new add-ons that you may install that makes changes to the content (stuff in the middle). Simply by adding a content variable ($content$) to your template, STS will display whatever your new contribution has added to your store, such as Product Listing in Columns, etc. Of course, if you are using the Product Info Content feature in STS, you will need to make changes to the sts_inc/product_info.php file that is made to the stock product_info.php file. This is not very difficult to do but does require a basic knowledge of PHP. Keep in mind, if you don't know PHP, you are not left in the cold here. You simply need to not use a product info content template when using these contribuitons. Otherwise, ask in the forum and someone may help you out. You should also take a peek in the STS Add-on Site as someone may have already crossed this bridge and has uploaded a gift for you.

- I'm sure I'm missing some of the obvious uses of STS but the above should provide a glimpse of some of the benefits STS gives.

STS is highly supported as well as offers a separate download site for all STS related add-ons. These add-ons are really tips & tricks from the osCommerce/STS community. Here is the link to STS Add-ons:
http://www.oscommerce.com/community/contributions,4456

You can download the most recent version of STS here:
http://www.oscommerce.com/community/contributions,1524

Free STS support can be found here:
http://forums.oscommerce.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=295660&view=findpost&p=1400113

Gary, I hope you don't mind me posting this info here on your site. Keep up the Great Site and all of the helpful tips!

Bill Kellum