osCommerce

I am 9/10 complete on my first osCommerce store. My biggest complaint is that the core store install is incomplete and requires users to trust modules (they call them contributions) which are ambiguously described and have no user ratings.

Even UPS needs to be installed and there is NO default UPS module. So if you are confused you can spend 8 hours reading the forums and begging folks to tell you which UPS module to use and then guess if the respondants know what the heck they are talking about.

Module updates can be posted by any forum member who has the urge.

The credit card modules are all unofficial and at least one modules poster suggests that they are all potentially unsafe.

All in all there seems to be a serious lack of easily accessed documentation on modules, serious lack of module feedback, and the absolute necessity to rely on at least some modules to run an store.

Nobody runs an oscommerce site without installing at least a contribution. Contributions are features contributed by the community. Key functionalities in Oscommerce are implemented as contributions (Paypal WPP, UPS, coupons etc ...)
The problem with contributions is the way you install them. You have to hack several core files, but there is no cross-dependency mechanism to help determine if a contribution is compatible with the ones you've already installed.
After installing several contribution, you basically end up with a system that you can't upgrade by moving to a new release or by installing further contribution.
I like Oscommerce, it's perfect to build a basic ecommerce site, but iI think it fells short as a foundation to build an advanced, customizable, maintainable site.
My 2 cents

excellent thing,thank you