eCatalogs have existed since the first day someone tried to do eCommerce. So what's different about this package? Nothing really except for one small little itsy-bitsy thing which everyone else seems to gloss over -- the user interface.

As mentioned elsewhere it's become obvious to me that many folks know how to use their browser and how to post auction listings -- and that's about all. FTP, html, and all that other stuff is just too weird for the normal guy or gal to deal with. At least in the beginning. Hence I'm working on an eCatalog which should be useable by anyone who is capable of buying and selling on an auction site such as eBay.

So far so goo....

In fact, things are moving along far enough that I've started collecting yet another gaggle of guinea pigs. What is the correct term for a herd of guinea pigs?

In any case, a bunch of willing "field-testers" has and is being assembled. As with the auction software "field-testing" a NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) is required and a willingness to abide by the most basic of sand-box rules:

• Don't kick sand in other's face.
• Share
• Be nice to the poor programmer he's had a hard decade.
• Don't squirt milk out through your nose when you laugh -- unless of course you are going for playground cool points
• Don't be mean
• and of course, Party on dude.

I think I've mixed in a few rules from Bill & Ted and other sources. But you get the point.

As with the auction software, I believe it's only fair to allow any "field-testers" who sell a domain during the testing phase to pass the software along to the purchaser -- as long as he or she is willing to abide by the same rules.

I'm optimistic that this software will be finalized in 5 months. By then a minimal shopping cart should be implemented and incorporated in the package. As before a free single site license will be given to each tester at the end of the "field-test" phase.

If all goes well, by this time next year there will be a complete suite of simple easy to use software packages for the average webmaster which is not founded on the "pay and pray" principle. You know the one: pay for it now and pray that you can handle the administration.