X-Cart 4.2 released
Qualiteam released X-Cart 4.2 today, and I have already received about 10 e-mails asking how to go about upgrading. Unfortunately, there will not be an upgrade kit available from 4.1 to 4.2, as the template and shipping systems are so drastically different, it would be nearly impossible. There will be a database patch released, which will allow you to upgrade your 4.1.x database to 4.2, but that still means you'd need to start with a fresh install of 4.2. So for those of you who are running a 4.1.x store, I would recommend sticking with it.
If you are about to build a new store, I'd still give it a few months for the third party developers to catch up, as they will most likely need to completely rebuild their modules to accommodate the new template system. It does look like a nice clean layout, something we have been asking for forever. The dimensional shipping and pre-auth/capture functionality for some payment gateways is also a nice touch.
All of the other 'new' features have existed for quite a while in the third party market, so there is really nothing earth shattering here. Still, always nice to see Qualiteam making progress and keeping their cart updated. The CSS-based template is essential, as it renders much cleaner than tables, and is a lot easier to modify. It is also much more search engine friendly and cross-browser compatible, so a welcome change indeed.
Wishing you all a Happy Holiday season!