====== Goals ======
  * **Make Pat happy.**  She is our customer.  "Whatever the woman wants, God wants."
  * Long range: 
    * give special benefits to dues-paying TIGHAR members;
    * sell access to special items (videos?).

====== Current system ======
  * HTML forms.
  * CGI scripts.
  * Some data written to a private folder.
  * Some data sent via e-mail.
  * Pat retrieves info, enters it by hand, confirms transaction, maintains lists with Filemanager.

^  Advantages  ^
| Pat understands the system.|
| Dreamweaver / HTML forms are simple.|
| Lowest dollar cost.|
^  Disadvantages  ^
| Users make entry errors.|
| Bots attack the scripts.|
| Keying in CC info costs time and energy.|
| Not connected to the website; cannot give special access to TIGHAR members or customers.|

====== Custom Filemanager System ======
===== Total solution =====
  * $10,000 for Tammantech.
  * Leave forms in HTML.
  * Add database management to scripts.
  * Connect Filemanager to MySQL to download and update transactions.
  * Upgrade credit card account at bank or other credit card clearing agency.

^  Advantages  ^
| Pat can continue to use Dreamweaver and Filemaker.|
| Automated CC confirmation between website and agency puts data entry burden on the user, not Pat.|
| Simplest learning curve for Pat.|
^  Disadvantages  ^
| $10,000 entry fee.|
| No connection to Joomla/Forum lists and permissions.|
| Increased processing costs for CC validation.|
| Documentation for source code and user.|

===== Simpler solution =====
  * Parse e-mail and private data log.
  * Update Filemaker semi-automatically.

^  Advantages  ^
| Less than $10,000.|
| HTML forms not changed.|
| Filemaker lists augmented, not replaced.|
^  Disadvantages  ^
| No online validation.|
| No integration with Joomla/Forum lists.|
| The burden remains on Pat to get correct CC info.|

====== OpenCart ======
  * Open source.
  * Standalone component.
  * Online validation.
  * Parse e-mail and update Filemaker.

^  Advantages  ^
| Essentially free software.|
| Lower cost for Tammantech support.|
| Documentation and support from other OpenCart users.|
^  Disadvantages  ^
| Pat has to learn the OpenCart inventory/shopping system.|
| No integration with Joomla/Forum lists.|
| Increased processing costs for CC validation.|

====== Joomla Component ======
===== CBSubs =====

  * [[http://www.joomlapolis.com/content/view/7345/77/|Community Builder CBSubs]] (annual fee of 145 € for 5000 users--more than enough).
  * Move Filemaker data to Community Builder tables, coping with duplicate entries on startup by administrator judgment (present conflicts, allow admin to choose resolution).

^  Advantages  ^
| Reasonable software cost.|
| Integrated list of members for TIGHAR, Joomla, Forum through Community Builder (CB is free and is already installed).|
| Online validation of sales.|
| Documentation and support from other CBSubs users.|
| Marty has some experience [[http://nsrca.us/formfunction/design/190-database-gameplan.html|with a similar project.]]|
^  Disadvantages  ^
| Learning curve for Pat.|
| Everything managed through Joomla interface--no Dreamweaver, no Filemaker.|
| Marty is the only of us who is comfortable with Joomla.|

===== Other Joomla components =====
==== Marty's KISS Storefront ====
  * 90% complete.  Of course the last 10% will take more than half the time that the first 90% did. :-(
  * Works with PayPal only.
  * Online validation; customizable filing of data in MySQL.
  * No inventory management.

^  Advantages  ^
| No dollar charge for the component.|
| Storefront can be edited with Dreamweaver.|
^  Disadvantages  ^
| Adding items is tricky.|
| No user community.|
| May be hard for others to understand and maintain.|
| 3% or 4% PayPal commission for each transaction.|

==== Etc. ====
  * [[http://extensions.joomla.org/search?q=shopping+cart|Other Joomla extensions.]]

^  Advantages  ^
| Some are free, open-source software.|
^  Disdvantages  ^
| All have arbitrary decisions made by others.|
| Quirks, bugs, limitations ...|