Ryan Ozimek, president of Open Source Matters, talked to the WHIR about Joomla 1.7
(WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — Joomla! (www.joomla.org) has become the most popular open source content management system software, having been downloaded more than 24 million times since 2004.
The software is used for the backend management for some of the most visited websites in the world, including Citibank, eBay, General Electric, Harvard University, Ikea, McDonald’s and Sony.
With the release of Joomla 1.7, the developers have incorporated feedback from the user community to further improve the CMS software with a focus on simplifying the CMS installation process and improving the development lifecycle to make future release dates more predictable.
Joomla 1.7 also features pre-defined search options, provides better example code for different plug-in types, automatically validates form data against a list of options during the save operation, enables the submit article form to automatically set the article category, and offers multi-language improvements for faster navigation.
In an email interview, Ryan Ozimek, president of Open Source Matters (www.opensourcematters.org), the not-for-profit that supports the Joomla! platform, discussed the new version of Joomla!, the improved features of the software, and the process of using feedback from the open source community to build a better CMS.
WHIR: What are some of the new features included with Version 1.7?
Ryan Ozimek: Key updates in the new version include pre-defined search options, a new defense against form manipulation, language specific font settings, one-click version updating, six-month release cycle, and Joomla! platform split. What does this mean? Updating a site to the latest stable release will be much easier. The shorter development cycle will enhance Joomla! stability by providing more core feature development and adoption; And the platform split from the CMS will allow it to be used and enhanced in projects outside of Joomla!.
WHIR: How will these new features collectively improve the user experience?
RO: By making backend tasks easier and providing more stability, this provides web developers with more time to spend enhancing frontend features.
WHIR: Can you explain the whole process of updating the new version based on feedback from the open source community?
RO: The new upgrade cycle makes it much easier for site owners to upgrade to the latest version. This is because it can be done with a few clicks, making it a more automated process versus what is currently a very manual one. You can read more on the update process here: http://docs.joomla.org/Upgrading_1.6.5_to_1.7
WHIR: Can you explain how overhauling Joomla!’s development lifecycle will make “future release dates more predictable,” as stated in the press release?
RO: The new development lifecycle introduces a time-based release system as opposed to a feature-based release. This gives developers and users a concrete deadline for new features, upgrades, etc., allowing the Joomla! software to constantly improve instead of waiting for a set of features to be ready, as well as letting users more easily keep their sites up to date
WHIR: When do you expect the next major update for Joomla!
RO: January 2012 – this release will be a major software update (1.x) as well as being a stable, long term support release.
About Liam Eagle
Liam Eagle has worked as a contributor to the Web Host Industry Review since its inception in 2000, and as editor since 2003. He has been editor of the WHIR's print magazine since its launch. His daily involvement in the gathering and reporting of Web hosting news and his regular interaction with Web hosting leaders gives him an uncommonly broad appreciation of the issues and tends facing the business. Through his WHIR blog, Liam spots Web hosting trends and offers opinions on the industry-wide impacts of major developments and the motivation behind big announcements. Follow him on Twitter @liameagle
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