More about website development

Dave Hrynkiw
October 15, 2019

A decent website is a core of a web-centric store like ours. Back in the early days, I hand-coded HTML (yeah, go back to waybackmachine to admire that work), and what you got is what you got. Since then, we rebuilt Solarbotics.com through 3 more iterations of totally refactored hand-coded platforms, and then 2 aborted attempts as re-releases on Magento and then WordPress/Woocommerce. Those last two attempts cost us the ball-park of a really really nice Tesla with nothing much to show for it, with a devastating website hack in-between to kick us in the nether-regions. Many expensive and painful lessons were learned in this process.

Since then, we've released unsatisfactory consultants, brought the development management in-house, and piece-mealed specific development aspects to consultants with MUCH better results. It's come at the cost of letting our internal R&D coast for the better part of a year while we focus our top-talent on getting the website reworked, but its something that needed to be done.

We are about to re-release Solarbotics.com on a WordPress/Woocommerce platform, with some new features added, and some others removed. We'll be staging out further enhancements as we get comfortable with the platform, and hope you'll continue being good customers of Solarbotics.com.

MORE POSTS

October 30, 2008
Pololu is neat.

They make neat things. Like wheels that fit the 3mm "D" shafts on GM11a/12a/13a/15a/18 gear motors. And super-cool motor mounts. This stuff is so neat, that we're selling it now. 32x7mm Fine wheels 42x19mm Fat wheels Standard Mini Metal Motor Mount Extended Mini Motor Motor Mount Oh, did I mention that the MAKER Faire: Austin […]

July 12, 2007
Circuit: L293D Mini-Sumo

This circuit is used to create a simple "edgebot" sumo robot. Being an edgebot refers that it will repeat the same backup/turn/go forward action when it's single edge sensor detects the edge of the ring. This version of the circuit is quite simple, and always turns the same way.

May 6, 2004
More new stuff... SC3782!

Cool! We've found some SC3782 (37x82 mm) solar cells! Since Panasonic ain't making these anymore, and there aren't many of these left, you'll only find them here at Solarbotics until they're all sold out. Get'em while they're hot!

July 1, 2013
Closed July 1st for Canada Day

Did we forget to mention that we're currently closed for Canada Day? I think we did. So, yeah. We're not really around for the rest of today, but we'll be back in action tomorrow to return phone calls and emails and ship your orders. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to […]

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Solarbotics has been operating for more than 25 years, bringing electronics know-how and supplies to both the electronics professional and hobbyist. We'll be happy to help you too!

Solarbotics, Ltd. is not responsible for misprints or errors on product prices or information. For more information, please see our Terms and Conditions.

Warning: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov for more information. This item was manufactured prior to August 31, 2018.

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