New Joomla Version 2.5 Released Today

Good news for Joomla users everywhere! Joomla version 2.5 was released today! If you're already running version 1.7, the update is easy as pie. If you need to migrate from 1.5, check this link for detailed instructions on the migration process. For even more assistance, JoomlaChicago will host a live learning session on Joomla 1.5 migration at the JoomlaChicago meeting in March (Palatine, March 14th). Here are some of the highpoints of this major long-term release of Joomla version 2.5:

• Advanced SmartSearch Capabilities
• Multi-Database Support For Enterprise
• Automatic Update Notification
• Powerful New JPlatform Release (under the hood, for more power, less footprint)
• Much more!

THANK YOU to all volunteers who helped Joomla 2.5 take flight today! Developers & engineers, UX pro's, designers, marketers, infographic artists, documentation writers and 3rd party developers ALL "came together" to make this long-term release possible!

Joomla 2.5 adheres to Joomla’s newly-adopted six-month release cycle that began with the previous  Joomla CMS release of Joomla 1.7 in July, 2011. Downloading the latest version of Joomla is the best way to ensure organizational and personal security needs are being met since it will have the most recent updates to protect against the latest security threats. 

Get Joomla 2.5 Now, And Take Your Site Even Higher: 

• Download Joomla 2.5
• JRelease Announcement
• New Features in 2.5
• Changelog

Want To Get Involved?
If you, or someone you know would like to get involved in spreading the good word about Joomla, either here in Chicago or at an international level, LET ME KNOW, we'll get you involved! You'll be happy to know, there's a group of over 70 people working on improving communications and "evangelizing" Joomla! If you want to join this group, contact John Coonen today.

To help get Joomla 2.5 ready for release in January, Joomla! is throwing a bug squashing party!!! On December 10th at 9am (in your time zone), groups from around the world will be joining on Skype and in local locations to work on bug squashing and testing of Joomla 2.5.

Here in Chicago, we do not have a local business sponsoring a site for us to meet and take part as a group. Joomla itself is offering Pizza to the local groups that are registered by Dec 10th.  If anyone is interested in hosting the bug squash, we can register with Joomla and get free pizza for those taking part. As of now, no one has tried to arrange anything for the Joomla Chicago group.

If we don't get a host, you can still take part. You can join me and many others virtually in the bug squashing chat on Skype. You have to be invited to the chat by the organizer. You should also take a look at what you need ready to go in order to do this event. There is some pre-setup that needs to happen for you to be able to help test the software.

If you have any questions, I'm going to be getting myself setup for doing testing and possibly trying to fix bugs as well.  I have one or two that I know I want to try to see if they are already fixed.

Come on and help Joomla get 2.5 ready for launch in January. Join me and many others at the Pizza, Bugs and Fun 2011 event!

More information can be found here: http://docs.joomla.org/Pizza_Bugs_and_Fun_2011

If you are interested in hosting, feel free to contact me as well. I can help to coordinate everything.

Steve Jobs has passed away.   No matter if you are an Apple fan or not, you can't deny the impact this man had on the world of technology.    He was a visionary and one of a kind.    He will be missed.    Think Different - change the world.

• Working with a team to implement new web initiatives
• Updating and creating new content
• Performing software upgrades to existing websites
• Helping with ecommerce cart management
• Learning about site/server security and upkeep
• Performing website audits

Required Skills:

• HTML and css coding
• Understanding of databases
• Basic Photoshop skills
• Content management system experience a plus
• PHP programming a plus
• Knowledge of linux a plus
• Experience with video conversion a plus
• Working knowledge of social media

Our culture demands driven, energetic thinkers who possess leadership qualities and the desire for aggressive personal growth. Please send your resume and letter of interest itjobs [at] sourcebooks.com. This position is open immediately and require 15-30 hours per week (schedule is flexible).

Without a doubt this has to be my favorite Joomla theme ever!    This has all the latest bells and whistles and is based on their new Pulse framework.  

Check out the demo here:

http://www.yootheme.com/demo/joomla/mega

I've had the privilege to be in contact with some folks from Portland Oregon that have been attempting to pull together a Joomla User Group in Portland.  The first attempt didn't go very far, but a new set of people have stepped up and have really started pushing things forward.  On my latest trip to Portland, I contacted the group to see what was going on.  Nothing was scheduled but the organizer suggested a meetup between myself, her, and another gent that mentioned they wanted to meet soon.

From that meeting, a user group meeting was planned, date set, venue found, and publicity released.  All from a simple post to the user group forum.  What was the key?  I believe the biggest thing that helped was just the push of someone offering to be the speaker at their event.  That someone was me and I offered to speak on a topic they were definitely interested in - Joomla 1.6. 

I have gotten involved with the local group as part of the steering committee to help from afar based on the experience I have gained from being on the core team in Chicago.  When I visit Portland, I can plan my trip around the meeting in Oregon and visit with some new colleagues around the NW portion of the US.

It's amazing where you can find new places to converse about Joomla!.  I'm very happy to have met some very nice, talented, and passionate people.  Joomla! enthusiasts are everywhere!

Want to see what's happening in Portland if you are going to be visiting, go to http://www.joomlapdx.com and see what's up for their next meeting.  If it was like the first one, it should be another great meeting.

There's good news on the Joomla 1.6 front! Tonight, the Joomla! Project officially released its RC1 version.  Fifteen beta releases later, Release Candidate #1 is now live, and available for download on Joomla.org. Give it a spin here!

That said, those in the know in the developer community are still recommending you treat this release with a fair dose of caution, almost like this is a "beta 16" version. At least one developer mentioned to me that there are some rather substantive, pesky bugs that remain in the stew.

That said, for now, let's all CELEBRATE the release! Proceed cautiously, as if some orange cones still line the roadway...hell, we're used to that. You may not want to use this RC on a live site. A big THANK YOU goes out to all those who contributed to the release of 1.6RC1! Three CHEERS!!!

See Molajo's new site (and spiffy new branding) here, at www.Molajo.com.  Consider joining their team! Pronounced "moe-lah-joe," the project is lead by the prolific Amy Stephen, of All Together As A Whole fame.  Amy's been a long-time Joomla! fan(atic).  

Watch for more updates on Molajo, as they have just accepted our invitation to train on Molajo at the 2011 CMS Expo Learning and Business Conference, May 2-4, in Evanston. Speaking on behalf of the Molajo team will be Amy Stephen and Jen Kramer. We're very pleased to welcome Molajo here at CMS Expo's "home chapter," JoomlaChicago!

From the Molajo website:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The first Molajo Joomla! 1.6 distribution includes the following features:

• Usability improvements, including ACL simplifications;
• JAdminTools, a single-click administrative solutions, such as permissions modification and database maintenance and backup;
• Construct, a frontend Template framework;
• Minima, an Administrator Template;
• Comments, ratings, social bookmarking, activity logs for Joomla! 1.6 Components;
• Sample extensions for Joomla developers.

A development road map details these, and other, plans. All code used in Molajo will be available for consideration for inclusion in the official Joomla! releases.

Molajo Website

Today, the Joomla Project announced the immediate availability of Joomla 1.6 beta 7 (download).  As with all recent releases, it is a beta version and is not intended to run any type of production site. Since the Joomla 1.6 beta 6 release on July 26, the Joomla! team has fixed approximately 85 issues. This progress is directly related to the continued efforts of the Joomla! Bug Squad. The Joomla! Project plans for beta 8 to be released on August 23, 2010.

In preparation for the July JoomlaChicago meeting, we'll be upgrading the networking software on JoomlaChicago, so you may experience some interesting turbulence in flight over the next 48 hours on the JoomlaChicago.com website. We apologize for the rough ride, but FAA regulations require us to make the upgrade as soon as possible. Please wait for the site to come to a complete rest before moving about the cabin. Thank you ;)