Need a computer/IT person who knows PHP and OsCommerce

[AussieGrocer]

Thank you

[JohnSheppard]

Your hosting company should be able to give you more bandwidth, it might just cost a little bit more. Or was it the same mob that was developing the site that was doing the hosting?

We could all recommend, but I guess your best bet is to ask whoever you get to maintain your site and use whoever they are comfortable with.

[JohnSheppard]

..also some more info on wages; This is what I reckon is about the going rates;

Noob, code monkey, tinkerer not much experience $35,000
Code monkey, 2 years playing around with php scripts and mods $45,000
Junior Architect (can build from scratch) $55,000-$65,000
Experienced Architect $80,000+

It's difficult to advise without a period of verbal consultation and requirements specifications but if you plan to stick to your oscommerce install you would only need a junior architect or code monkey.

As for finding a solution, find someone who has experience with oscommerce. Verify their history and references. Someone fresh out of uni is unlikly to have used oscommerce (especially not a masters, they're academics interested in other things)

Internal staff is not a bad idea but really, once its up it should stay up and working without the need for full time staff and you can get more experienced people externally...ie...you'd have to find work for them after 6 months...

[huwebdev]

Hi Katie,

I'm a web developer that specialises in php and have had my own oscommerce store in the past.

If you would like some assistance even if it's just to evaluate where the store is at and it's future potential I'd be more than happy to help.

I can be contacted through my site http://www.huwebdev.com.au

[HamishBorthen]

Originally Posted by AussieGrocer

Our current hosting company says we need to move to our own server but I am having trouble finding the right company to maintain the site and do the hosting.

Any suggestions?

I'd be surprised if you needed your own dedicated server. The jump from shared hosting to dedicated server is huge; usually not just in pricing but also in knowledge (unless you shell out even more for a managed service).

Some local hosts like Jumba offer higher resource shared hosting. So instead of the ultra budget squeeze 100's of sites onto each box they do restrict it. Their URL: http://www.aussiehq.com.au/

I use their service and am very happy.

Of course that won't help with your ongoing oscommerce maintenance.
You might get better advice if you expand on what needs "doing". I personally think you would need a seriously HUGE list of changes to switch to a new platform. As regardless of how good the new platform is or the developers are there is going to be the usual teething problems with a new system. Or if you do need a new system, there will be a long development cycle in switching so you will most likely still need a PHP/OsCommerce developer during the transition.

Is it possible that what you need is a relatively low skilled IT person to just maintain product images, product details etc - i.e. website administration. Then a on-hire based developer for changes to the code-base?
I've made modules/components for oscommerce and implemented many sites (some years ago mind you) and I couldn't imagine what needs doing to charge you 60-70k!! or I've been to cheap in the past.

I'm not looking for IT work either; so this isn't a hidden sales pitch.