Joomla! 1.5: A User's Guide, 2nd Edition 69
Michael J. Ross writes "There are countless content management systems (CMSs) available for building websites, and they offer varying levels of built-in functionality. But once a site developer has successfully installed any given CMS, a critical form of help (or hindrance) is the CMS's documentation, which for some CMSs is quite impressive, and for others absolutely atrocious. Joomla is a powerful and popular choice for Web developers, but can be daunting to newbies confused by its non-intuitive menu structure and restrictive content hierarchy. The documentation for Joomla is frequently criticized, for various reasons, and that may largely account for the popularity of third-party books — such as Barrie M. North's Joomla! 1.5: A User's Guide, now in its second edition." Read on for the rest of Michael and Ethelyn's review.
The book was published by Prentice Hall, on 1 June 2009, under the ISBN 978-0137012312. Just as with its predecessor, this updated edition spans 480 pages, and the material is grouped into 12 chapters: an introduction to CMSs in general and Joomla in particular; downloading and installing Joomla; basic Joomla administration; content management using Joomla; menus and navigation; enhancing Joomla functionality with extensions, components, modules, plug-ins, and templates; creation of content via the back-end and front-end; attracting Web traffic using SEO, referrals, and other techniques; how to create pure CSS templates; and building example websites for a school, a restaurant, and a blog. The book wraps up with four appendices on getting assistance with any Joomla development hurdles; four separate Joomla case studies; an introduction to SEO concepts; and installing WampServer.
| Joomla! 1.5: A User's Guide, 2nd Edition | |
| author | Barrie M. North |
| pages | 480 |
| publisher | Prentice Hall |
| rating | 9/10 |
| reviewer | Michael J. Ross and Ethelyn Holmes |
| ISBN | 978-0137012312 |
| summary | A comprehensive introduction to creating sites using Joomla. |
On the book's Web page, the publisher makes available a description of the book, excerpts from Amazon.com reviews, the table of contents, and a sample chapter — "Creating Pure CSS Templates in Joomla!" — as both an online article and as a downloadable PDF file. There are also links for purchasing the print version, and for reading the Safari Books online version.
In conjunction with the book, Prentice Hall has published a DVD training course, titled Fundamentals of Joomla!, under the ISBN 978-0137017812. It consists of 13 lessons, spanning more than nine hours of video instruction. The DVD includes a bonus chapter explaining how to set up a membership site, not covered in the print book. The DVD disc is accompanied by a 128-page book, which includes all of the PHP and CSS code used in the training, plus additional material. As of this writing, Barnes & Noble is selling Joomla! 1.5: A User's Guide, 2nd Edition and the video training course bundled together. Anyone purchasing the video course should be aware that Lesson #6 on the DVD has a compression problem, which causes a small lag between the audio and video streams. In response to this, Prentice Hall uploaded that particular lesson as a free download to the product's site, under the "Updates" tab. A multimedia training course such as this may be the ideal tool for someone who finds printed technical books to be rather dry, and prefers learning from audiovisual material.
In this review, we will be examining both the book and the DVD training course, as the two complement one another.
Barrie North is well regarded in the Joomla community, and for good reason. He frequently blogs about Joomla on the website of Compass Design, a consulting firm specializing in Joomla Web design and SEO. Joomla developers consider Compass Design's site a source for some of the most up-to-date information on the subject. Barrie also founded Joomlashack, a noted provider of Joomla templates and customization services. He has more than 15 years of Internet experience as a Web designer, plus over a decade of classroom teaching experience and curriculum development expertise. He consults on Web marketing, search engine optimization, usability, and standards compliance for Joomla. He's also a former member of the Joomla Design and Documentation Working Groups.
The title of his book's first chapter, "Content Management Systems and an Introduction to Joomla!," fairly describes what the reader will find. As a CMS, Joomla's primary function is to organize and present all the content stored in a site's database, avoiding the problems in the past of static HTML files. This chapter presents Joomla's out-of-the-box features and delineates its various parts, templates, and modules. The DVD mentioned above shows the differences between constructing an ordinary Web page with Dreamweaver and constructing one with Joomla. People who learn best visually should be pleased with this demonstration, as well as Barrie North's teaching approach. He holds one's attention with a friendly yet informative conversational style. This first chapter provides an in-depth tutorial that explains how Joomla displays its content articles, and how the developer can organize them into a hierarchical structure. It details how to plan and organize the content and user experience for the site. It also explains the hierarchy structure currently used in Joomla — sections and categories — and how to best structure content into them for small and large sites.
The second chapter, "Downloading and Installing Joomla!," gives the reader a very detailed explanation on how to get up and running with Joomla. It explains where one can find the most current Joomla files; how to unpack these files on a home computer or into a remote Web hosting account; how to use the Joomla Installation Wizard; and how one can support the Joomla project. Barrie states that the worst part of the Joomla installation process is setting up the MySQL database, and uploading all the files to a remote server. But for anyone who has performed those tasks with other software technologies, the process should not pose a problem.
Chapter 3, "Joomla! Administration Basics," shows how the power of the Joomla site administration system, despite its simplicity. Compared to such site administration systems as those for WebLogic and Oracle AS, Joomla's system is a piece of cake. Reader should find the DVD especially helpful during the presentation of the back-end, front-end, control panels, and menus — especially the demonstration and explanation of such topics as articles, the front page, sections, categories, and modules. Barrie also gives tips on how to import and export users to Joomla, and about language extensions.
The fourth chapter, "Content Is King: Organizing Your Content," is a substantial and key chapter for those building a site with Joomla. It delves into Joomla's so-called "managers": the Article Manager, Frontpage Manager, Section Manager, Category Manager, and Module Manager. The author explains how to organize content logically, and the role of components and modules. Someone new to Joomla could otherwise find the many components and modules confusing. Of course, one can play around with them, but it is much more efficient to learn what one is doing from an expert. He demonstrates the Custom HTML module very well, and in the DVD walks the viewer through the development of a site using it.
Creating menus and navigation in a CMS is often perplexing to the uninitiated, and that's the topic of Chapter 5. It covers how to work with menu items, and clears up the issue about how to get rid of the dreaded "Welcome to the Frontpage." It also gets into managing modules (as opposed to Chapter 4's managing module content). Barrie North states that menus are perhaps the core of a Joomla site. In a static HTML site, they merely serve as navigation; in a Joomla site, they not only serve that purpose, but also determine the layout of what a dynamic page will look like and what content will appear on that page when the visitor navigates to it. The relationships among menus, menu items, pages, and modules, are perhaps the most confusing aspect of Joomla. Newbies can find daunting why some menu content shows up in articles, and then how to get rid of it. In this chapter, the reader learns how to create a navigation scheme that works for a new site.
Chapter 6, "Extending Joomla!," explains why extensions are essential to any well-functioning Joomla site. Rare is the Joomla-powered website that has no additional functionality, beyond the basics. In the world of Joomla, the term "extension" collectively describes components, modules, plugins, and languages. There are many hundreds available, both free and commercially from third-party providers. This chapter covers the Joomla 1.5 core templates — Khepri, Milkyway, JA Purity, and Beez — as well as how to use third-party templates.
In Chapter 7, "Expanding Your Content: Articles and Editors," the author returns to the critical topic of content management — specifically, WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editing, and how it relates to the backend with what Joomla refers to as Managers, Administrators, and Super Administrators. Barrie North then examines how authors, editors, and publishers can manage content through the front-end, as well as how administrators can set various permissions through the Menu Managers. This is critical for the site developer who wants users to be able to update content in a controlled manner, without breaking other things (inadvertently or otherwise!). Quite useful is Joomla's "global checkout" feature, which allows only one user at a time the ability to lock and then edit articles, and, if necessary, fix problems with checked-out articles.
The most attractive and powerful Joomla site in the world will be useless without visitors. Chapter 8, "Getting Traffic to Your Site," benefits from the author's knowledge and experience in online marketing and search engine optimization. For instance, he explains why the developer should discourage clients who ask for Flash-heavy sites, because pages loaded down with Flash elements can discourage traffic, for various reasons. In the DVD training material, he presents a step-by-step process of bringing traffic to an example site, using Wordtracker and Google tools. He also shows how to use Google advertising tools such as AdWords and AdSense. Interestingly, Barrie North does not put too much stock in keywords and metadata, but rather emphasizes the use of page titles as traffic magnets. He argues in both the DVD and the book that while email blasts may be effective and popular marketing tools, they should be used with caution. He also covers how blogs are another useful method for bringing traffic to one's sites.
The final four chapters in the book are all hands-on application of concepts and lessons covered in the earlier part of the book — specifically, how to create pure CSS templates, and how to create the three sample sites (for a school, a restaurant, and a blog).
Appendix A provides information on getting help with Joomla. If one is interested in seeing how Joomla is used in the real world, then Appendix B should prove valuable, because it offers information on Joomla's usage for commercial and government websites. Appendix C provides a quick overview of search engine optimization. Appendix D goes into detail on WampServer installation, with corresponding illustrations.
The book contains some errata: "Cpanel" (pages 25, 27, and 289), and "add fee" (should read "ad fee"; page 218). Those errata were present in the first edition, and even pointed out to the publisher in an earlier review.
The book's material is organized so that the reader can utilize it as a tutorial, reading from cover to cover, or skim through and take what is needed at the moment. The introductory ideas in the earlier chapters are developed and built upon to help the reader understand more advanced concepts later on. The book can also be used as a reference. For instance, if the reader desires a quick overview of what newsletter extensions are available, Chapter 6 provides that information. Lastly, the appendices contain valuable extra information about various aspects of Joomla. The target audience does not have to understand PHP in order to read this book or work through the many examples. Each example is presented in a clear step-by-step fashion. If a reader were to implement all of the examples in her development environment, then she would gain the skills to be able to build a substantial website. The DVD has an extra chapter on building a membership site. If the reader would like to go into the business of creating Joomla templates, the author even has a chapter showing how to do just that.
Joomla! 1.5: A User's Guide, 2nd Edition is to be recommended, particularly when matched with the DVD training course. Together they form a valuable reference guide and self-teaching tool, for newbies as well as seasoned website developers.
Michael J. Ross is a freelance website developer and writer. Ethelyn Holmes is a software and website developer — primarily using Java / J2EE and Joomla.
You can purchase Joomla! 1.5: A User's Guide, 2nd Edition from amazon.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
Re:Good book, so-so review (Score:1, Interesting)
Slashdot "reviews" haven't really progressed beyond the third-grade book report level. I got bored in just the first sentence. My three-year-old daughter can weave a better book report, even if it'll have some nonsense like macaroni climbing a mountain to look for treasure in the jungle.
Any hardcore PHP/CSS books/sites to recommend? (Score:2, Interesting)
But, the strength of Joomla is its reliance on PHP and CSS to create disciplined and efficient templates for database-driven commercial web sites. Does anyone have recommendations for books/sites that dig deeper into PHP and CSS techniques for producing insanely great Joomla templates and sites? Even most un-free Joomla templates are little more than rectangular puzzle boards with your choice of yucky colors...
Also... how does Joomla scale? Has anyone migrated a site from friends and family visiting to a full-on Slashdot tsunamai of hits? How did you host the site for peak performance?
Re:Drupal (Score:3, Interesting)
Don't blow Drupal's trumpet to very loudly. I have a drupal site that fell into my lap and it has been an abosulte PITA. Their "API" is horrible. Building a modules for that beast is NOT trivial and involves so much that is completely undocumented. Even using other modules that "work" and trying to reverse engineer those to begin to understand their API is just as time consuming and difficult.
My guess is that most of these CMS systems started out as nice little projects that got popular, and now suffer so very badly from legacy from version to version.
Drupal does have a very well thought out module install structure, but trying to build anything form based in it is just atrocious.
The other problem is the theming. Modules can be broken by theme changes. A great example is the WebFileManager. Unless it is run in one of the "classic" themes it just breaks. Sad, because WebFM is a very nice module.
Re:Joomla is so simplistic (Score:2, Interesting)
I taught myself just about every software package that I use, and as a graphic and interactive designer, I've used a lot of them. Learning one made it easier to learn the next, and I've always had little patience for tutorials and manuals. Hell, I've even installed a Microsoft Small Business Server and I primarily use Macs. I usually referred to a manual only when I got stuck. Yes, I'm one of those types of end users.
When I made the decision to steer my shop to using and deploying Joomla, I embarked on a six month slog trying to master its structure and schema. Nothing frustrated me more than hearing remarks like yours that "Joomla is simple to use!" Bullshit. Joomla was built on pretzel logic that's fine once you get the hang of it, but I'm also faced with the problem of training clients on how to use it. I can't tell you how many blank stares and glazed over eyeballs I've seen in trying to describe the Section/Category/Article structure -- and that's the EASY part.
What's REALLY mind bending about Joomla is its menuing system. I emphasize to clients over and over that in Joomla, menus don't just take you to another page, they dictate what that page will look like when you get there. That's a key part of how Joomla works.
It gets worse when you throw in the concept of modules and positions and all the other special tags and codes you absolutely need to know when building a Joomla site.
And here's the biggest frustration for me as a designer: Since I first took to designing for the web, I've waited a long time for the first killer web design app that would free me of having to delve into HTML code. Designing in HTML and CSS for the web is like designing in Postscript for print! When GoLive comes along, I'm thinking "Finally! Just what I needed." Then Adobe trashes GoLive and pushes Dreamweaver. Fine, I spend another two months learning Dreamweaver. Then I learn all about CMS, and it's back to square one.
Joomla IS easy -- after about six months of intense use of it. Intuitive? Not by a million miles.
Types of users! (Score:3, Interesting)
Interesting, have you used Drupal before? I tried using Drupal and found my experience to be the reverse: you have to create the taxonomy by yourself. In Joomla, they make a very basic (two level) hierarchy for you. I do not think there is actually much difference between a section and a category!
Granted, I've only been using Joomla for about three weeks now. I was given good piece of advice by a local web development company the site was inherited from. This is very important in understanding Joomla's design:
When you wrap your head around this, Joomla can be simple although odd. I think the reasoning is that it keeps the site internally consistent.
Personally I like the design because everything is ultimately a module and everything is on the same level, there is no distinction between a blog or a static page.
I am not a graphical web designer but a technical developer so for me Joomla is perfect because I am not using CSS for overall design or playing with my own PHP or XHTML files.
Re:Joomla is so simplistic (Score:3, Interesting)
I have administered (and currently administer) a number of sites for various clients across a wide range of publishing systems - flat html, php, various CMSes running on Linux, UNIX, and Windows servers.
I cannot find the words to convey the depth of the loathing I feel for Joomla. It embodies the worst of Open Source - as if it were written by a million angsty teenagers suffering from ADHD, with duplicated functionality across a hundred different modules, little or no sensible documentation, and the usability issues...! Most CMSes try and at least LOOK like some thought has been given to how people in the real world will use them. Joomla feels and behaves like it was designed to be DELIBERATELY confusing, as if the author of any given module was sneering at his imaginary end user, thinking "it's perfectly obvious to ME what to do here, fuck you if you can't work it out, n00b".
Gah! Just thinking about Joomla makes me want to go and wash my hands.
Joomla fails on all it's goals (Score:2, Interesting)
The goal of a CMS is to make it easy to edit a website. Truth is, it's more easy to learn HTML than to learn Joomla itself. Joomla hides what is behind it and especially HTML which is very hard to edit, makes it very easy to loose track of the hierarchy of the site by spreading the content across 100s of articles. It's totally stupid that you need a book to be able to learn such a crappy software, and even more that you need to read a full chapter to understand how to install. So it fails in it's goal which was to simplify the administration of the content of a site: it makes it worth.
When you see huge holes like spam gateway by techniques as simple as header insertion in the contact form, you can really ask yourself about what the authors are thinking about, and if it's really worth using it. So it fails on security for something that is really trivial to do.
Like so many CMS, it also fails to understand one very important thing. While it's nice to have the content stored in a database, there is no point in generating them each time someone is visiting the Joomla powered site. Why spending time and effort on optimization, caching mechanisms, and stuffs like that, when it's so easy to only generate HTML files once and for all. That would not only make things safer, but also much much faster to serve the content with any kind of web server, that wouldn't even have to make a single SQL query for contents that are, by the way, most of the time completely static. Here, it fails on delivery of the content.
All together, there's absolutely no reasons to use Joomla, stay away from it, and you wont regret it.
Some suggested Drupal. In it's version 6, it's not so bad. Some big sites like www.mediapart.fr which is an alternative general information site in French, is using it with quite some success, and here, it's fast enough. While drupal is far from perfect, at least it does it's job of delivering content and easiness (but not sure about security, maybe some here can tell