Compass Design

Joomlashack University Reopens Tomorrow

barrie@compassdesigns.net (Barrie North) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:35:09 +0000

In October 2009 the new Joomla training course - Joomlashack University opened its door to its first class of 100 students. For the last 4 weeks, these students have been learning how to Joomla with our rich video screencasts and tutorials and asking questions and networking in our forums.

Before launching Shack U, we knew we had a great product to offer. We gave leading Joomla figures a sneak look at the content and, as you can read yourself, they loved it.

As well as teaching insider Joomla tips and tricks to our first students, we have been taking feedback and improving the course. We have streamlined the student path through the learning content and added more courses.

After 4 weeks, we are ready to open our doors again.

Joomla 1.6 drives forward with developer conference

barrie@compassdesigns.net (Barrie North) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:04:35 +0000

The steady march to Joomla 1.6 picked up further steam recently with the release of the project's second alpha release.

Joomla 1.6 Alpha 2 became available last week, and shows the development team is making great strides toward a next generation Joomla.

Front and center in this new release is the long-awaited Access Control Level feature, or ACL. A first release of the "nested categories" and a new backend template made it in the second alpha as well.

With Joomla 1.6 getting closer to a beta release (anticipated sometime in the next few months), the Joomla leadership team is hosting the first-ever Joomla Developer Conference in early December.

JomSocial 1.5 the must have Joomla extension

barrie@compassdesigns.net (Barrie North) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:03:19 +0000

JomSocial is quickly becoming a "have to have" extension for Joomla 1.5.

In a time when "social networks"are becoming what we think of as "websites," JomSocial is a huge opportunity for almost any Joomla website owner.

When we first started experimenting with JomSocial almost a year ago, we were impressed with the potential of building your own social network inside your existing Joomla site. It seemed to us that Azrul and his talented team had developed something very cool, and very useful, that would really blossom over time.

Now, the flower has fruited, and JomSocial has really arrived.

Joomla User Survey early results

barrie@compassdesigns.net (Barrie North) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:01:54 +0000

It's early yet, but the early results from the Joomlashack 2009 Joomla User Survey are already sparking conversation about who uses Joomla, and how.

Launched 10 days ago, the Joomla User Survey has already received more than 1,000 responses, yielding a rich pile of data about many important Joomla-related questions, including:

And many more questions. Read on to hear some early results and to comment on the survey!

Haven't taken the survey yet? Want to be entered to win over $1,000 in prizes! Then take the survey!

Joomlashack to Match your Charitable Donation

barrie@compassdesigns.net (Barrie North) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:00:16 +0000

Joomlashack's annual holiday charitable campaign is back with a new twist: We'll match your donations!

For the fourth year, Joomlashack is rallying our community to support a worthy charity during the holiday season.

This year we're supporting the important humanitarian efforts of Doctors without Borders (aka Médecins Sans Frontières, or MSF.)

For every dollar contributed by our community, Joomlashack will match up to a total of $1,000. Other partners may match even more!

What is Médecins Sans Frontières?

Free 6 Day Mini-Course from Joomlashack University

barrie@compassdesigns.net (Barrie North) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:57:40 +0000

Give us six days, and we'll help you make a plan for a successful, content-rich website.

That's the idea behind our new six day mini-course "Creating a Content-Rich Website."

When you are starting on your path to create a website, you have to understand some key differences between a old-school static/HTML type site and one built with a modern Content Management System (CMS) like Joomla.

This special 6 lesson mini-course will show you how to take a generic and "static" business website and propel it into web 2.0

iJoomla SEO - Video Raw Review

barrie@compassdesigns.net (Barrie North) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:51:54 +0000

Everyone needs to do SEO, its a continual point I make when speaking at Joomla events. Even if you are a local school, parents will first use Google to find information, they won't come directly to your site.

Our second Video Raw Review is on a useful SEO extensions called iJoomla SEO. Its a very useful tool to help you organize and manage you SEO efforts.

I installed iJoomla SEO and put it through it's paces without ever having used it before. Raw look, no reading documentation, just install it and play!

Take the 3rd Annual Joomlashack Joomla Survey

barrie@compassdesigns.net (Barrie North) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:50:17 +0000

Over the last couple of years, we have been conducting a survey about the scope and features of the Joomla community. Over 7,000 people have completed the our survey over the last few years, and this year we want to make it the biggest ever.

Complete our survey and you'll be entered to win prizes!

Grand prize winner: Our new lifetime Developer club - $399 value
First Prize: Three $100 gift certificates to Amazon.com
Second Prize: Three Joomlashack University spots
Third Prize: Five template giveaways
Bonus prize: 3,000 person to take the survey, also a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate

Head to our survey now and tell us about how you use Joomla!

Joomlashack University Full in 12 Hours of Launch

barrie@compassdesigns.net (Barrie North) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:37:48 +0000

The much anticipated launch of our online Joomla training course for Beginner Joomla-ites, Joomlashack University, did not disappoint last week. In less than 24 hours we sold out all 100 seats in the inaugural Shack U class of October 2009- and then some!

Joomlashack University is our attempt to make learning Joomla online a fun, interactive, affordable, and "at your own pace" experience. Instructors Forest Linden and Barrie North are guiding the first class through the very basics of getting a Joomla website installed, set up, and built with compelling content.

We're limiting the number of beginner students in our "Charter Class" to keep "class size" small, so we can lavish attention on our students and get the curriculum right. In November we'll re-open ShackU and let another class of eager online learners in!

Find it hard to explain web standards?

barrie@compassdesigns.net (Barrie North) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:04:40 +0000

This has to be one of the best ways I have seen yet to explain web standards and usability to clients.

Next time you find your self in that situation, show this handy video.