Joomla?

WTF is it?

like most of these wonder tools, you find the site, and it tells you
lots of stuff that you don't need, but the main questions:-

what is it?
where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql) etc.
why should I want to use it?

go unanswered...;-)

Its Friday. Free for all discussion. Any input on what its good for,
where its broken, how to integrate it with an existing website etc welcome.

I know so little, I don't even know what questions to ask ;-)

Re: Joomla?

> what is it?
> where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql) etc.
> why should I want to use it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joomla
The blue passages in the text are wonderful inventions called links. You
just have to click on them to get further information.

Re: Joomla?

Jonas Werres wrote:
>> what is it?
>> where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql) etc.
>> why should I want to use it?
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joomla
> The blue passages in the text are wonderful inventions called links. You
> just have to click on them to get further information.

Been there done that. Still doesn't tell me what it IS.

Re: Joomla?

> Been there done that. Still doesn't tell me what it IS.

A content management system.

Re: Joomla?

Jonas Werres wrote:
>> Been there done that. Still doesn't tell me what it IS.
>
> A content management system.
So indeed is a box file.

So how does it differ from a bookshelf full of box files?

Re: Joomla?

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> WTF is it?
>
> like most of these wonder tools, you find the site, and it tells you
> lots of stuff that you don't need, but the main questions:-
>
> what is it?
> where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql) etc.
> why should I want to use it?
>
> go unanswered...;-)
>
> Its Friday. Free for all discussion. Any input on what its good for,
> where its broken, how to integrate it with an existing website etc welcome.
>
> I know so little, I don't even know what questions to ask ;-)
>
>
>

Did you try looking at their home page? It says exactly what Joomla is.

--
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attglobal.net
==================

Re: Joomla?

> So how does it differ from a bookshelf full of box files?

Easy. A bookshelf is normally made of wood or a similar kind of solid
matter. Joomla is a computer program.

Re: Joomla?

Jonas Werres wrote:
>> Been there done that. Still doesn't tell me what it IS.
>
> A content management system.
It manages content.

Re: Joomla?

Jerry Stuckle wrote:
> The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>> WTF is it?
>>
>> like most of these wonder tools, you find the site, and it tells you
>> lots of stuff that you don't need, but the main questions:-
>>
>> what is it?
>> where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql) etc.
>> why should I want to use it?
>>
>> go unanswered...;-)
>>
>> Its Friday. Free for all discussion. Any input on what its good for,
>> where its broken, how to integrate it with an existing website etc
>> welcome.
>>
>> I know so little, I don't even know what questions to ask ;-)
>>
>>
>>
>
> Did you try looking at their home page? It says exactly what Joomla is.
>
It says its a content management system.

Thats a bit like saying a sherman tank is a road vehicle.

I guess that, as usual, all those who have responded so far know even
less than I do.

Re: Joomla?

Jonas Werres wrote:
>> So how does it differ from a bookshelf full of box files?
>
> Easy. A bookshelf is normally made of wood or a similar kind of solid
> matter. Joomla is a computer program.

Right. That really helps a LOT.

Re: Joomla?

taps128 wrote:
> Jonas Werres wrote:
>>> Been there done that. Still doesn't tell me what it IS.
>>
>> A content management system.
> It manages content.
So does my stomach.

Re: Joomla?

taps128 wrote:
> Jonas Werres wrote:
>>> Been there done that. Still doesn't tell me what it IS.
>>
>> A content management system.
> It manages content.
So nobody actually knows what Joomla is, does or how you use it?

Re: Joomla?

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

> taps128 wrote:
> > Jonas Werres wrote:
> > > > Been there done that. Still doesn't tell me what it IS.
> > >
> > > A content management system.
> > It manages content.
> So nobody actually knows what Joomla is, does or how you use it?

The words "content management system" really should've said it all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_management_system

But if you want it explained differently, sure:
It's a blogging tool (if you even know what a blog is, since you're
actually asking the question "what is a content management system"),
it's a file manager (upload/organize/delete image files, audio files,
documents, presentations, spreadsheets, style sheets, etc), it's a
layout manager (for changing the design/layout of your website), it can
be a forum (by installing the right modules/plugins), it allows people
to search your site, you can set up polls, you can present your content
as RSS feeds (so other can keep up to date with news from your site)
and you can assign different permissions (like where to post, what they
can access/upload/delete) to different people (users).

Additionally, Joomla is open-source, which means that the PHP source
code is available to anyone, and anyone (with the skills for it, of
course) can add to it, fix bugs, etc.

To answer your question "how to use it", you might find the "Help"
section useful. Although the majority of the help section details the
installation and configuration of the system, you might find the
keywords "user manual" and "FAQs" helpful.
http://help.joomla.org/

Even so, most of the Joomla! system, once installed and configured,
should be pretty much self-explanatory. If you ever get stuck or have
questions not already answered regarding the administration of a
Joomla-based website, you might find the "Forum" section of the Joomla
website helpful.

--
Kim André Akerø
- kimandre@NOSPAMbetadome.com
(remove NOSPAM to contact me directly)

Re: Joomla?

* The Natural Philosopher is quoted & my replies are inline below
* :
> WTF is it?
>
> like most of these wonder tools, you find the site, and it tells you
> lots of stuff that you don't need, but the main questions:-
>
> what is it?
> where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql) etc.
> why should I want to use it?
>
> go unanswered...;-)
>
> Its Friday. Free for all discussion. Any input on what its good for,
> where its broken, how to integrate it with an existing website etc welcome.
>
> I know so little, I don't even know what questions to ask ;-)

In lay terms, it's a whole bunch of php web pages and templates
from which you can build a site with little knowledge of actually
coding html or php. There are many plugins so your site can do
webmail, calendars, blogs, galleries, timesheets etc.

You can also download templates that can change the appearance of
the site - layout, colours, images etc.

Hope that's a little clearer. :)

--
Troy Piggins | http://piggo.com/~troy _ __ (_) __ _ __ _ ___
| '_ \| |/ _` |/ _` |/ _ \
| .__/|_|\__, |\__, |\___/
|_| |___/ |___/

Re: Joomla?

In article <1196424926.55726.0@iris.uk.clara.net>,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

> WTF is it?
>
> like most of these wonder tools, you find the site, and it tells you
> lots of stuff that you don't need, but the main questions:-
>
> what is it?
> where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql) etc.
> why should I want to use it?
>
> go unanswered...;-)
>
> Its Friday. Free for all discussion. Any input on what its good for,
> where its broken, how to integrate it with an existing website etc welcome.
>
> I know so little, I don't even know what questions to ask ;-)

A Content Management System (CMS) allows you to create a website with a
certain style/look to it, without you needing to know anything about
html (or PHP).

Typically, you use the CMS via a browser, in fact. Suppose you are a
franchising outfit. You might want your franchisees to all have websites
that look very similar; so you provide a CMS to them all. So,
frinstance, the CMS might have a popup where you enter your location. It
will then build a frame of the home page for the target website
incorporating some text like "The WIdget Co Outlet in " with
some graphics. You might then have another popup where you can create
sections for your website, with some content in each that you specify.
As you create each, you can from time to time click on (say) "create
website" and go look at what you've built so far. And so on.

Ebay has a built-in mini-CMS for when you are selling stuff. You input
all the crap like photos of the object and text about it, and it then
lets you preview how your item-for-sale will look when you actually
click "Sell".

Re: Joomla?

Tim Streater wrote:
> In article <1196424926.55726.0@iris.uk.clara.net>,
> The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>
>> WTF is it?
>>
>> like most of these wonder tools, you find the site, and it tells you
>> lots of stuff that you don't need, but the main questions:-
>>
>> what is it?
>> where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql) etc.
>> why should I want to use it?
>>
>> go unanswered...;-)
>>
>> Its Friday. Free for all discussion. Any input on what its good for,
>> where its broken, how to integrate it with an existing website etc welcome.
>>
>> I know so little, I don't even know what questions to ask ;-)
>
> A Content Management System (CMS) allows you to create a website with a
> certain style/look to it, without you needing to know anything about
> html (or PHP).
>
> Typically, you use the CMS via a browser, in fact. Suppose you are a
> franchising outfit. You might want your franchisees to all have websites
> that look very similar; so you provide a CMS to them all. So,
> frinstance, the CMS might have a popup where you enter your location. It
> will then build a frame of the home page for the target website
> incorporating some text like "The WIdget Co Outlet in " with
> some graphics. You might then have another popup where you can create
> sections for your website, with some content in each that you specify.
> As you create each, you can from time to time click on (say) "create
> website" and go look at what you've built so far. And so on.
>
> Ebay has a built-in mini-CMS for when you are selling stuff. You input
> all the crap like photos of the object and text about it, and it then
> lets you preview how your item-for-sale will look when you actually
> click "Sell".


Right. So given all th data I want to display is in a prexexistent
database, (MYsql) it ain't a deal of good to me really?

I wanted something top do screen design fast, grabbing data via PHP
commands where necessary for drop down menus etc etc.

Re: Joomla?

In article <1196439391.24792.0@proxy02.news.clara.net>,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

> Tim Streater wrote:
> > In article <1196424926.55726.0@iris.uk.clara.net>,
> > The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> >
> >> WTF is it?
> >>
> >> like most of these wonder tools, you find the site, and it tells you
> >> lots of stuff that you don't need, but the main questions:-
> >>
> >> what is it?
> >> where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql) etc.
> >> why should I want to use it?
> >>
> >> go unanswered...;-)
> >>
> >> Its Friday. Free for all discussion. Any input on what its good for,
> >> where its broken, how to integrate it with an existing website etc welcome.
> >>
> >> I know so little, I don't even know what questions to ask ;-)
> >
> > A Content Management System (CMS) allows you to create a website with a
> > certain style/look to it, without you needing to know anything about
> > html (or PHP).
> >
> > Typically, you use the CMS via a browser, in fact. Suppose you are a
> > franchising outfit. You might want your franchisees to all have websites
> > that look very similar; so you provide a CMS to them all. So,
> > frinstance, the CMS might have a popup where you enter your location. It
> > will then build a frame of the home page for the target website
> > incorporating some text like "The WIdget Co Outlet in " with
> > some graphics. You might then have another popup where you can create
> > sections for your website, with some content in each that you specify.
> > As you create each, you can from time to time click on (say) "create
> > website" and go look at what you've built so far. And so on.
> >
> > Ebay has a built-in mini-CMS for when you are selling stuff. You input
> > all the crap like photos of the object and text about it, and it then
> > lets you preview how your item-for-sale will look when you actually
> > click "Sell".
>
>
> Right. So given all th data I want to display is in a prexexistent
> database, (MYsql) it ain't a deal of good to me really?

Doesn't sound like it.

> I wanted something top do screen design fast, grabbing data via PHP
> commands where necessary for drop down menus etc etc.

I just spent several days writing a bunch of PHP/mysql driven web pages
(87 files, in fact) letting me create/edit/delete/search for entities
that sit in 6 mysql tables. Some of the tables have rows that have
many-to-many relationships with rows in other tables or within the same
table. So there were some complexities.

It'd be interesting to know if there are tools to make such pages
quickly.

Re: Joomla?

Tim Streater wrote:
> In article <1196439391.24792.0@proxy02.news.clara.net>,
> The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>
>> Tim Streater wrote:
>>> In article <1196424926.55726.0@iris.uk.clara.net>,
>>> The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>>>
>>>> WTF is it?
>>>>
>>>> like most of these wonder tools, you find the site, and it tells you
>>>> lots of stuff that you don't need, but the main questions:-
>>>>
>>>> what is it?
>>>> where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql) etc.
>>>> why should I want to use it?
>>>>
>>>> go unanswered...;-)
>>>>
>>>> Its Friday. Free for all discussion. Any input on what its good for,
>>>> where its broken, how to integrate it with an existing website etc welcome.
>>>>
>>>> I know so little, I don't even know what questions to ask ;-)
>>> A Content Management System (CMS) allows you to create a website with a
>>> certain style/look to it, without you needing to know anything about
>>> html (or PHP).
>>>
>>> Typically, you use the CMS via a browser, in fact. Suppose you are a
>>> franchising outfit. You might want your franchisees to all have websites
>>> that look very similar; so you provide a CMS to them all. So,
>>> frinstance, the CMS might have a popup where you enter your location. It
>>> will then build a frame of the home page for the target website
>>> incorporating some text like "The WIdget Co Outlet in " with
>>> some graphics. You might then have another popup where you can create
>>> sections for your website, with some content in each that you specify.
>>> As you create each, you can from time to time click on (say) "create
>>> website" and go look at what you've built so far. And so on.
>>>
>>> Ebay has a built-in mini-CMS for when you are selling stuff. You input
>>> all the crap like photos of the object and text about it, and it then
>>> lets you preview how your item-for-sale will look when you actually
>>> click "Sell".
>>
>> Right. So given all th data I want to display is in a prexexistent
>> database, (MYsql) it ain't a deal of good to me really?
>
> Doesn't sound like it.
>
>> I wanted something top do screen design fast, grabbing data via PHP
>> commands where necessary for drop down menus etc etc.
>
> I just spent several days writing a bunch of PHP/mysql driven web pages
> (87 files, in fact) letting me create/edit/delete/search for entities
> that sit in 6 mysql tables. Some of the tables have rows that have
> many-to-many relationships with rows in other tables or within the same
> table. So there were some complexities.
>
> It'd be interesting to know if there are tools to make such pages
> quickly.

I may look at the spouses Dreamweaver..to do the 'pretties' - that does
HTML/javascript but you can add PHP into it.Careful grouping of most of
the PHP into a separate included file so that its at its minimum in the
HTML page might be a way to segregate 'form' from 'function', as it
were ;-)

Re: Joomla?

On Nov 30, 4:15 am, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>
> WTF is it?

Out of the box, it's a content management system. But it is a
customizable and extensible content management system (and many third-
party extensions are available for free download), so you can build an
e-commerce site, an electronic publication, a corporate intranet, or a
special-interest information resource based on it.

> where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql)

In the Web root.

> why should I want to use it?

You may want to use it if you want to build a portal-type application,
but don't want to reinvent the basics (entering and rendering content,
registering users, etc.)

> where its broken

Joomla doesn't play well with AOL browsers.

> how to integrate it with an existing website

Bad idea. Joomla is intended to provide the core for a site. Any
functionality not provided by Joomla should be developed either as a
Joomla extension or as a bridge to another application.

Cheers,
NC

Re: Joomla?

It's generally a web content manager.

A PHP and MySQL based program that ruins on a web server or on a web
hosting site.

Benefits:

Where traditional quality web pages you need some experienced people
to help order and layout on the site and keep content up to date the
CMS (which is what Joomla is) provides a lot of the looks as a
template (like a power point, sets the fonts, colors, etc.) and also
give the user a simple interface to add and manage what get in the
site, such as web-based text editors that work like word processors,
an a way to manage what pictures go there.

Joomla and others have easy to add modules that add functions to the
templates like offering a way to do multi-lingual sites or add an
event calendar, etc.

Mainly it gives you something that looks good without having to have a
consultant do everything. They may set it up and do some maintenance
once in a while but you can have your non techie staff maintain the
content.

Drawbacks

Just like all to many power point templates the tend to all look the
same, as the templates still present content generally in the same way
with just different fonts and colors and the boxes rearranged. So it
may look like a "me-too" good looking site.

If you want to do something that is not capable in the template then
you have to do some custom work, depending on what it it it may be
more important to roll your own then use a CMS (if you want to look
cutting edge, a CMS may not be the look you want)

A CMS does what the CMS does, some of the choices in the CMS workings
and design are not always the choices of other people (that's why
there are sooo many CMSs) Some people just don't like the 'feel' of a
CMS.

Related to PHP Development

If you want to develop something using PHP, Perl, Ruby or whatever
language and not do EVERYTHING, than a CMS may be helpful to provide a
web front end, authentication, etc. All you need to learn is how to
write to work within it (usually not too complex) and then you can
make your own modules. But again not every PHP developer may like the
way CMSs handle authentication, user management, or some other
feature.

As a PHP developer I looked at CMSs the ones I looked at didn't meet
my needs (but Joomla and Drupal were pretty close), I did find a Wiki
more useful and am working on integrating that and creating a CMSish
front end for part of it. The main thing with CMSs wikis, etc, is you
really need to first work out what you want to do with your web
service or web site, make a 'shopping list' and then you can go
shopping for what works for you.

Re: Joomla?

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> Jerry Stuckle wrote:
>> The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>>> WTF is it?
>>>
>>> like most of these wonder tools, you find the site, and it tells you
>>> lots of stuff that you don't need, but the main questions:-
>>>
>>> what is it?
>>> where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql) etc.
>>> why should I want to use it?
>>>
>>> go unanswered...;-)
>>>
>>> Its Friday. Free for all discussion. Any input on what its good for,
>>> where its broken, how to integrate it with an existing website etc
>>> welcome.
>>>
>>> I know so little, I don't even know what questions to ask ;-)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Did you try looking at their home page? It says exactly what Joomla is.
>>
> It says its a content management system.
>
> Thats a bit like saying a sherman tank is a road vehicle.
>
> I guess that, as usual, all those who have responded so far know even
> less than I do.
>
>

So then maybe a better question would be "what is a content management
system". It has a very specific meaning:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_management_system

--
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attglobal.net
==================

Re: Joomla?

Hello,

The best way to find what/how it does is to download and install it in your
local host and play around with it.

--
Singapore Web Design
http://www.bootstrike.com/Webdesign/
Singapore Web Hosting
http://www.bootstrike.com/WinXP/faq.html
Windows XP FAQ

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
news:1196424926.55726.0@iris.uk.clara.net...
> WTF is it?
>
> like most of these wonder tools, you find the site, and it tells you lots
> of stuff that you don't need, but the main questions:-
>
> what is it?
> where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql) etc.
> why should I want to use it?
>
> go unanswered...;-)
>
> Its Friday. Free for all discussion. Any input on what its good for, where
> its broken, how to integrate it with an existing website etc welcome.
>
> I know so little, I don't even know what questions to ask ;-)
>
>

Re: Joomla?

Tim Streater wrote:
>
> I just spent several days writing a bunch of PHP/mysql driven web
> pages (87 files, in fact) letting me create/edit/delete/search for
> entities that sit in 6 mysql tables. Some of the tables have rows
> that have many-to-many relationships with rows in other tables or
> within the same table. So there were some complexities.
>
> It'd be interesting to know if there are tools to make such pages
> quickly.
A couple of the available components for Joomla spring to mind:
Facile Forms (does a lot more than just forms)
DBQuery

Re: Joomla?

On Nov 30, 11:29 am, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> Tim Streater wrote:
> > In article <1196439391.2479...@proxy02.news.clara.net>,
> > The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>
> >> Tim Streater wrote:
> >>> In article <1196424926.5572...@iris.uk.clara.net>,
> >>> The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>
> >>>> WTF is it?
>
> >>>> like most of these wonder tools, you find the site, and it tells you
> >>>> lots of stuff that you don't need, but the main questions:-
>
> >>>> what is it?
> >>>> where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql) etc.
> >>>> why should I want to use it?
>
> >>>> go unanswered...;-)
>
> >>>> Its Friday. Free for all discussion. Any input on what its good for,
> >>>> where its broken, how to integrate it with an existing website etc welcome.
>
> >>>> I know so little, I don't even know what questions to ask ;-)
> >>> A Content Management System (CMS) allows you to create a website with a
> >>> certain style/look to it, without you needing to know anything about
> >>> html (or PHP).
>
> >>> Typically, you use the CMS via a browser, in fact. Suppose you are a
> >>> franchising outfit. You might want your franchisees to all have websites
> >>> that look very similar; so you provide a CMS to them all. So,
> >>> frinstance, the CMS might have a popup where you enter your location. It
> >>> will then build a frame of the home page for the target website
> >>> incorporating some text like "The WIdget Co Outlet in " with
> >>> some graphics. You might then have another popup where you can create
> >>> sections for your website, with some content in each that you specify.
> >>> As you create each, you can from time to time click on (say) "create
> >>> website" and go look at what you've built so far. And so on.
>
> >>> Ebay has a built-in mini-CMS for when you are selling stuff. You input
> >>> all the crap like photos of the object and text about it, and it then
> >>> lets you preview how your item-for-sale will look when you actually
> >>> click "Sell".
>
> >> Right. So given all th data I want to display is in a prexexistent
> >> database, (MYsql) it ain't a deal of good to me really?
>
> > Doesn't sound like it.
>
> >> I wanted something top do screen design fast, grabbing data via PHP
> >> commands where necessary for drop down menus etc etc.
>
> > I just spent several days writing a bunch of PHP/mysql driven web pages
> > (87 files, in fact) letting me create/edit/delete/search for entities
> > that sit in 6 mysql tables. Some of the tables have rows that have
> > many-to-many relationships with rows in other tables or within the same
> > table. So there were some complexities.
>
> > It'd be interesting to know if there are tools to make such pages
> > quickly.
>
> I may look at the spouses Dreamweaver..to do the 'pretties' - that does
> HTML/javascript but you can add PHP into it.Careful grouping of most of
> the PHP into a separate included file so that its at its minimum in the
> HTML page might be a way to segregate 'form' from 'function', as it
> were ;-)

Maybe a new perspective will frame this topic in a more understandable
light...

Your original question was "What is Joomla?"

My answer is this:

Joomla, like many other CMS programs (Content Management System) is a
program that allows you to place all of the individual pages or
segments/stories of your web site into a database and retrieve them on
demand, wrapping them in the necessary XHTML to display it in the
visitor's web browser.

It builds all of the navigation, and other tools required to
completely support Blogging, personal web sites, and with extensions
it supports ecommerce, calendar functions and many other things.

The point that it seems that you missed in the earlier discussion is
that the web pages are pulled out of the database and constructed on
the fly using a template for the XHTML and CSS to make it quite easy
to use and maintain.

Hope this helps,

--Russ Wickstrom

Re: Joomla?

rkwickstrom wrote:
> On Nov 30, 11:29 am, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>> Tim Streater wrote:
>>> In article <1196439391.2479...@proxy02.news.clara.net>,
>>> The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>>>> Tim Streater wrote:
>>>>> In article <1196424926.5572...@iris.uk.clara.net>,
>>>>> The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>>>>>> WTF is it?
>>>>>> like most of these wonder tools, you find the site, and it tells you
>>>>>> lots of stuff that you don't need, but the main questions:-
>>>>>> what is it?
>>>>>> where does it fit on my server? (debian/apache2/php5/mysql) etc.
>>>>>> why should I want to use it?
>>>>>> go unanswered...;-)
>>>>>> Its Friday. Free for all discussion. Any input on what its good for,
>>>>>> where its broken, how to integrate it with an existing website etc welcome.
>>>>>> I know so little, I don't even know what questions to ask ;-)
>>>>> A Content Management System (CMS) allows you to create a website with a
>>>>> certain style/look to it, without you needing to know anything about
>>>>> html (or PHP).
>>>>> Typically, you use the CMS via a browser, in fact. Suppose you are a
>>>>> franchising outfit. You might want your franchisees to all have websites
>>>>> that look very similar; so you provide a CMS to them all. So,
>>>>> frinstance, the CMS might have a popup where you enter your location. It
>>>>> will then build a frame of the home page for the target website
>>>>> incorporating some text like "The WIdget Co Outlet in " with
>>>>> some graphics. You might then have another popup where you can create
>>>>> sections for your website, with some content in each that you specify.
>>>>> As you create each, you can from time to time click on (say) "create
>>>>> website" and go look at what you've built so far. And so on.
>>>>> Ebay has a built-in mini-CMS for when you are selling stuff. You input
>>>>> all the crap like photos of the object and text about it, and it then
>>>>> lets you preview how your item-for-sale will look when you actually
>>>>> click "Sell".
>>>> Right. So given all th data I want to display is in a prexexistent
>>>> database, (MYsql) it ain't a deal of good to me really?
>>> Doesn't sound like it.
>>>> I wanted something top do screen design fast, grabbing data via PHP
>>>> commands where necessary for drop down menus etc etc.
>>> I just spent several days writing a bunch of PHP/mysql driven web pages
>>> (87 files, in fact) letting me create/edit/delete/search for entities
>>> that sit in 6 mysql tables. Some of the tables have rows that have
>>> many-to-many relationships with rows in other tables or within the same
>>> table. So there were some complexities.
>>> It'd be interesting to know if there are tools to make such pages
>>> quickly.
>> I may look at the spouses Dreamweaver..to do the 'pretties' - that does
>> HTML/javascript but you can add PHP into it.Careful grouping of most of
>> the PHP into a separate included file so that its at its minimum in the
>> HTML page might be a way to segregate 'form' from 'function', as it
>> were ;-)
>
> Maybe a new perspective will frame this topic in a more understandable
> light...
>
> Your original question was "What is Joomla?"
>
> My answer is this:
>
> Joomla, like many other CMS programs (Content Management System) is a
> program that allows you to place all of the individual pages or
> segments/stories of your web site into a database and retrieve them on
> demand, wrapping them in the necessary XHTML to display it in the
> visitor's web browser.
>
> It builds all of the navigation, and other tools required to
> completely support Blogging, personal web sites, and with extensions
> it supports ecommerce, calendar functions and many other things.
>
> The point that it seems that you missed in the earlier discussion is
> that the web pages are pulled out of the database and constructed on
> the fly using a template for the XHTML and CSS to make it quite easy
> to use and maintain.
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> --Russ Wickstrom
>

In fact, that answer would have saved me a couple of days of searching
to arrive at, and thanks for it.

But the answer ended up being 'well that's not actually what I was
looking for' :-)

I was more after a WYSIWYG tool that understood embedded php and
Javascript to access a pre-existent database and generate stuff from it..

I will probably use something like Dreamweaver..

Re: Joomla?

"Kim André Akerø" wrote in message
news:5rajmbF13bm8qU1@mid.individual.net...

> The words "content management system" really should've said it all.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_management_system
>
> But if you want it explained differently, sure:
> It's a blogging tool (if you even know what a blog is, since you're
> actually asking the question "what is a content management system"),
> it's a file manager (upload/organize/delete image files, audio files,
> documents, presentations, spreadsheets, style sheets, etc), it's a
> layout manager (for changing the design/layout of your website), it can
> be a forum (by installing the right modules/plugins), it allows people
> to search your site, you can set up polls, you can present your content
> as RSS feeds (so other can keep up to date with news from your site)
> and you can assign different permissions (like where to post, what they
> can access/upload/delete) to different people (users).
>
> Additionally, Joomla is open-source, which means that the PHP source
> code is available to anyone, and anyone (with the skills for it, of
> course) can add to it, fix bugs, etc.

Smarmy or not - that was a pretty damned good description of the product.

Re: Joomla?

Sanders Kaufman wrote:
> "Kim Andr� Aker�" wrote in message
> news:5rajmbF13bm8qU1@mid.individual.net...
>
>> The words "content management system" really should've said it all.
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_management_system
>>
>> But if you want it explained differently, sure:
>> It's a blogging tool (if you even know what a blog is, since you're
>> actually asking the question "what is a content management system"),
>> it's a file manager (upload/organize/delete image files, audio files,
>> documents, presentations, spreadsheets, style sheets, etc), it's a
>> layout manager (for changing the design/layout of your website), it can
>> be a forum (by installing the right modules/plugins), it allows people
>> to search your site, you can set up polls, you can present your content
>> as RSS feeds (so other can keep up to date with news from your site)
>> and you can assign different permissions (like where to post, what they
>> can access/upload/delete) to different people (users).
>>
>> Additionally, Joomla is open-source, which means that the PHP source
>> code is available to anyone, and anyone (with the skills for it, of
>> course) can add to it, fix bugs, etc.
>
> Smarmy or not - that was a pretty damned good description of the product.
>
>
Oh, I agree.

It's a shame that isn't posted up at the Joomla site.

I get heartily sick with all these 'let me tell you about our product'
things that never answer in plain English at the top of the first page,
what it can actually do for you and why you might want to actually
buy/download/steal the ruddy thing.

A few years ago I was being blatted by some smart alec who had failed to
do for a couple of million what I managed to do for slightly less than
half a million..and he started burbling about 'push technology'

"whats that?"

"Oh its like pull technology is where the user goes to a site and
downloads what he wants: Push technology is where *you* send it to *him*"

"I can only think of one way you can do that though, spam emails?"

"Er yes, thats basically what it is right *now*, of course later on......."

So don't give me 'content management systems' when you mean 'blogabase' ;-)