The new oscommerce V3.0 is now available for download, and it differs quite substantially from the older osc 2 series version.

Here are some extracts from the developers:

This is our first release that abstracts user features from the core framework to allow customizations to be easily applied, to improve existing and introduce new core framework API features, and by installing and managing Add-Ons for exciting new user features in a flexible and modular manner.

This abstraction no longer limits us to just providing only a shop frontend and a shop backend, but now introduces the opportunity to build entire websites with the framework. Our focus remains on e-commerce and cannot wait to see what the community builds in addition.

osCommerce Online Merchant v3.0 is optimized for and requires PHP 5.3+, supports real database abstraction to support native database server features such as stored procedures, contains a separate namespace to override and perform customizations in, and can easily and securely be upgraded via signed Phar update packages.

Read more here>>

Download the latest V2 and V3 version of oscommerce here>>