Joomla buzz, CMS and open source talk

[JacquesR]

Topic suggested by Darb - aka ssnobben

Discussions how Joomla is perceived in the world and what people around the world is thinking about Joomla, what is good and what is bad, how compared to other CMS etc and what other CMS that people like, open source.

[jeremywilken]

I'll be so bold to start.

I'm based in the US, but do work around the world (who doesn't these days). Its never as simple as this, but let me summarize the general feelings I gather.

Joomla is a middle ground CMS, powerful for those with little knowledge, has limitations for those who program/develop. It seems to me that new users tend to choose it over say Wordpress for its wider set of default features, but that they avoid something like Drupal due to its complexity. Some people love the large set of templates, extensions, and help available for Joomla, and some actually look at that as a sign of weakness or confusion.

I only work with Joomla, Wordpress, and Drupal, so I cannot say much to other CMSs, but Drupal tends to get enterprise projects, Wordpress tends to get smaller sites centered around blogging, and Joomla gets the rest.

Now please excuse my gross generalizations on the discussion, but that is what I would call the state of the situation as I've seen it.

[Robert_Vining]

I agree with Jeremy on all points... and will expand just a bit on what I see.

I find clients who need to build a site around a specific extension see Joomla as the winner for them. With my direct involvement in Sobi2, a good 60 to 80% of my clients build directory sites.

I think community sites are big for Joomla as well. Early on with 1.0 it was CB and now Social is the heavy hitter with 1.5.

My experience with Drupal is nil, but I have built a few different WP sites. I even own a few. They are awesome for point and click setup and updates... they 'get it' for ease of use/administration. Multi-user is being integrated to core for WP as we speak!

Can Joomla get there on the 'point and click' interface WP enjoys? We shall see... but the complexity of what the Joomla CMS does and is capable of may never get us to be as user friendly as WP. Then again, maybe it will.

I think Jeremy hit the proverbial nail on the head with the amount of extensions available. It can be a good and bad thing. So many to choose from becomes a process of elimination on finding the best one for your particular needs. But if there's 20 of the same extension and they all have pretty good ratings and rave reviews... it can be time consuming finding just the right extension for the job. Can you say Consulting? I knew you could...

Edit: I would love to hear from some newer users to Joomla! on why they chose Joomla over another Open Source software.

[darb]

First thanks for setting this topic up here.

I think its good for us to help spread the buzz and also keep track of what is said about Joomla so people in the world got the right impression and info what Joomla is and how it can be used.

Pls discuss here how we can help in different community by helping each other to protect the Joomla name for what it is - a great open source system with a great friendly community that help each other!

So if you see something negatively that is said about Joomla pls tell us here and we can help to make that negative Joomla talk not be biased and wrong..

All the best!
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About your thought some comments..

I think both Joomla and Drupal core is more a great modularized system and mostly about setting up a configuration system, choosing the right addons for doing most of the work for a site design. Drupal people talking much about Drupal like this I have seen.

I also have tried both Wordpress and Drupal for a week. I was though surprised how difficult it was to make things I wanted for a good blogging solution with Wordpress multi-blogging integrated into Joomla from a dev point of view. In the end I skipped Wordpress bcs It didnt add any extra value to a Joomla - Wordpress solution as I saw it then.

And everybody talking how easy it is to use and uppgrading etc but Joomla have the same easy to upgrade with its core, comps, modules and plgs so what the difference? I have just heard this from Wordpress people that have not used Joomla I believe.

This test Is also interesting to read for easy of use and see the results. Testing Wordpress, joomla and Drupal and see how easy and long time it took to set up, the results and how well it performs for validity etc. http://www.cmswire.com/cms/web-cms/sxsw ... 004124.php

Where you see the result here http://www.cmsshowdown.com/

Click on top for each like "Joomla" and then you see the out come of the different sites clicking on the right like for Joomla.

Joomla!

* joomlashowdown.com
* Media

so what you think?

[doom1]

I prefer Joomla above all simple secure and do any thing I want to do in few simple clicks it has allot of extensions and it's support Arabic and RTL lang.and now joomlart.com support RTL lang also in the templates who will not use Joomla if it has all that and free
but we want more attention to RTL lang from Joomla team a very very wide range of users that use Joomla in the Arabian side have tons of problems with Joomla extensions and templates due to the translation stuff and reversing the direction of the templates it's a very complex operation for the normal user
thanx all

[Beat]

I prefer Joomla above all simple secure and do any thing I want to do in few simple clicks it has allot of extensions and it's support Arabic and RTL lang.and now joomlart.com support RTL lang also in the templates who will not use Joomla if it has all that and free
but we want more attention to RTL lang from Joomla team a very very wide range of users that use Joomla in the Arabian side have tons of problems with Joomla extensions and templates due to the translation stuff and reversing the direction of the templates it's a very complex operation for the normal user
thanx all

It would be very helpful to have a link to some explanations on how to make a template working also in RTL. Most templates and extensions developers are not aware of what needs to be done. A central place explaining in simple steps would help greatly for this.

[darb]

I see that Concrete making a short buzz video on its first page on site showing "how easy it is to use".

http://www.concrete5.org/

Wouldn't that be good for Joomla to do too? Just show how easy it is to change things for an end user with the editor etc?

Just 1 minute demo to spread the word..

What you think?

[darb]

This could be interesting for discussion and have some impacts of figures and facts comparing Joomla, Drupal and Wordpress.

http://www.google.com/trends?q=Drupal%2 ... all&sort=1

As you see in the trends Wordpress is growing and Drupal and Joomla have the same numbers

Wordpress is popular in regions like:
1. Indonesia
2. Malaysia
3. Singapore
4. Philippines
5. India
6. Russian Federation
7. Romania
8. Sweden
9. United States
10. Spain

Drupal in:
1. India
2. Czech Republic
3. Russian Federation
4. Hungary
5. Indonesia
6. Ukraine
7. South Africa
8. New Zealand
9. Belgium
10. United States

and Joomla in:

1. Indonesia
2. Greece
3. Ukraine
4. Russian Federation
5. Netherlands
6. Malaysia
7. South Africa
8. Switzerland
9. Czech Republic
10. Italy

So what you think? Analysis welcomed!

[darb]

How well are Joomla prepared to start buzzing/marketing the new 1.6 release?

Are we doing anything to prepare to promote our new J 1.6 that is coming out and who is leading that?


whats is going on - share if you have any tips of what we can do to help marketing J 1.6 release!

[darb]

If you want to help Joomla and have or want to create a LinkedIn account here is a discussion about "HELP! Which CMS to choose?"

9 days to expire now!

http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?sp ... &gid=21005

Pls join and fight for Joomla!

[prothemer]

darb,

Please give us the original url to the LinkedIn page you're referring to. Clicking the link in your message just brings up a message saying "The comment was successfully updated." ..and I have no idea about what discussion it's referring to.

Thank you,
Tess

[darb]

Hi

well this should be the discussion sorry about the link...
http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?v ... 159771_5_1


Others too..
http://www.linkedin.com/answers/technol ... 1-50292578

http://www.geekazine.com/cool/joomla-or ... ms-and-win

[prothemer]

Hi again Darb,

Thanks. Unfortunately I get "Sorry you are not a member of the group you are trying to access." when clicking the first link...? What can we do about that?

Cheers,
Tess

[darb]

Hi again Darb,

Thanks. Unfortunately I get "Sorry you are not a member of the group you are trying to access." when clicking the first link...? What can we do about that?

Cheers,
Tess

You can make an account = be member of LinkedIN it takes 3 minutest to create and account.

https://www.linkedin.com/reg/join

Its very large network that could be very useful for you.

After you got a membership you go to this group with this discussion and be member of this group and you can start posting..

Good luck!

[prothemer]

Darb,

I am a member of LinkedIn and several Joomla/Wordpress/Drupal groups. However, it seems I'm not a member of this particular group, which means I can not even see which group it is - please advise regarding the direct link or name of the group and I'll join it. Love being involved, so bring it on.

Thanks,
Tess

[darb]

Hi great!

Seems du är svensk också? Like the pinotage grapes you have there in South Africa!

The group is Inbound Marketers - For Marketing Professionals Inbound Marketers - For Marketing Professionals Just make a Google search and you can join there..

Best of luck!

[prothemer]

Hejsan Darb,

Javisst ar jag svensk. Thanks for the group name, here's the direct link to the group in case anybody else wants to join: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=21005

Take care,
Tess

[JacquesR]

Topic: "Making RTL sites with Joomla!" split to here:
http://forum.joomla.org/viewtopic.php?f ... 55&start=0

[darb]

Some new discussions in LinkedIN community boards.

Pls join and share your opinion. You have to register to participate

Open Source vs Proprietary CMS: why go either way?
http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?vi ... wg_62966_1

Joomla vs Wordpress - your thoughts?
http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?vi ... =.mwg_*2_1

[darb]

Archdiocese of Saint Louis Migrates to Drupal

In early 2009, the Archdiocese of Saint Louis determined that it needed to upgrade its website, mostly for security concerns. After investigating a move from Joomla! 1.0.x to Joomla! 1.5.x, the Archdiocese determined it would be more cost effective and a more future-proof decision to migrate the over 49 individual Joomla! sites that comprised www.archstl.org into a single Drupal installation.

http://drupal.org/node/720832

Any comments?

[mandville]

the problem with linked in boards is that not everyone wants to sign up an get their "important" emails every 5 minutes.

[darb]

the problem with linked in boards is that not everyone wants to sign up an get their "important" emails every 5 minutes.

Yes thats a "sign up" problem as with this board too but you can stop subscribe them if you want so its up to you.

But I still think its an important effort to enter to discuss this things outside the Joomla box world bcs the perception of Joomla is very biased in many discussions that going on outside the Joomla box world.

So I still think its important to promote and defend Joomla in these kind of forums in every way not just discuss and talk about a defending use of Joomla trademark as been a focus on Joomla.org lately.

The Drupal reference is not any linked in account so any comments mandville?

rgds

[mandville]

Joomla vs Wordpress - your thoughts?
http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?vi ... =.mwg_*2_1

lovely comment

There is no comparison between Wordpress and Joomla. Wordpress is in a different category, mainly blogging, whereas Joomla is a super powerful CMS that does everything, literally everything. It's like comparing a hut to a mansion.

Are you that bored, Colin?
The question is pure flamebait.
It's like "Which language is better, x or y?" The only right answer to the question is "Which do you *want* to use?" There is nothing of significance that anyone skilled in the one can do that one skilled in the other cannot.
A better question is: "What is this troll doing in on the job board?"

is there any "moved from dupal/wp/blogger to joomla on there?

i think that all the true joomlites defend it as best they can but theres some so deaf as will not hear

[darb]

That would be interesting if you find anyone that move from Drupal to Joomla. If you find that info somewhere in the world pls post here!

[stevegd]

I also use the three systems. My first impression of Joomla was quite good, but once I got to work more on it I was disappointing. The extra modules in Joomla seem to do everything on their own without using all the Joomla core. It seems that the modules are patches to Joomla instead of integrating with and enhancing the functionality. This really made it hard for my customers to edit their website, even more thatn Drupal. If you are not gonna add any extra functionality, Joomla is a good option but for specific functionality Drupal is more developer friendly as said before

[JohnDevise]

I also use the three systems. My first impression of Joomla was quite good, but once I got to work more on it I was disappointing. The extra modules in Joomla seem to do everything on their own without using all the Joomla core. It seems that the modules are patches to Joomla instead of integrating with and enhancing the functionality. This really made it hard for my customers to edit their website, even more thatn Drupal. If you are not gonna add any extra functionality, Joomla is a good option but for specific functionality Drupal is more developer friendly as said before

What you think about WordPress .
My first two websites I create using WordPress , and it was not so difficult (at that time I didn't know any programming language such as html, php or any other). I'm agree that WordPress and Drupal more developer friendly.

But now I'm using Joomla, and for me it's easy to use (because now I know some programming languages).
I think Joomla need a professional approach from user .