WOX (World of XOOPS) Newsletter # 33 (June 2010) - World of Xoops (WOX) - XOOPS News

World of Xoops (WOX): WOX (World of XOOPS) Newsletter # 33 (June 2010)

Posted by: MambaOn 2010/6/21 21:50:00 14206 reads

WOX - World Of Xoops

Welcome to the June 2010 issue of WOX (World of XOOPS) Newsletter - (see here previous versions)

As always, as the first thing in each newsletter we wanted to express our gratitude to all of you who have donated money to XOOPS Foundation! We truly appreciate your trust and support!

May was definitely the months of themes!!! We've received tons of them, and many of them are very cool and innovative!!! And we also have our first ever XOOPS Radio Commercial

Highlights of the last month:

Demo site for XOOPS Themes goes LIVE
XOOPS 2.4.4 downloaded over 30,000 times since its release 4 months ago
Common Utilities and MyWords alpha 2
XOOPS 2.4.5 RC2 Is Released
XOOPS Innovation Award - for people who create something very unique and innovative for XOOPS. This time the award goes to Michael Albertsen (Culex) from Denmark, for his innovative work on the Comments System and his Radio Commercial This is the first Innovation Award for Michael, but he already received "XOOPSer of the Month Award" in July 2009!
The second Innovation Award goes to Alexander Galochkin (algalochkin) from Russia, for his continuous innovations around his themes
XOOPSer of the Month Award: is given to XOOPS members who show extraordinary dedication to XOOPS, and go the extra mile for XOOPS. This month, it goes to Stephane Gorteau (Tatane) from France for his continues support on XOOPS France.

Summary

Please help us spread the word about XOOPS!! .

If you are a happy XOOPS user, let the world know - please blog about XOOPS, share your experiences with others, rate and review us on SourceForge and other Websites. We need to let the world know about XOOPS!!!

And if you're not happy with something in XOOPS, please let us know so we can fix it and improve! Better yet - help us fix it and improve it!

Remember - XOOPS is powered by YOU!!!!

01. Donations

If you like the XOOPS system, and would like to give something in return, you can make a donation to the XOOPS Foundation! Simply use the XOOPS Donation System and use your PayPal account or your Credit Card to donate .

Your donation will be used to promote and advance the use and development of the XOOPS system. The XOOPS Foundation is a registered not-for-profit organization in the USA, dedicated to promote XOOPS! All donators will get the Friend of XOOPS rank here on this website. Thanks to all the Friends of XOOPS for their donations and continued support!

If you wonder what is happening with XOOPS money, please read the 2009 XOOPS Financial Report

This month we would like to acknowledge following donors:

Ian A. Underwood: $25
Edson Oliveira: $5
ROES: $25

Thank you so much for supporting XOOPS!!!!

02. New XOOPS developments

Current Releases

XOOPS 2.5.0 Alpha 2
XOOPS 2.4.5 RC3
XOOPS 2.4.4 Final
Documentation on the API
Modules working with XOOPS 2.4.x (Babylon by Xoops)
Language Translations of 2.4.x

03. Team Reports

In 2010 we are re-introducing monthly Team Reports from our XOOPS Teams.

Core Development Team

New releases of XOOPS 2.4.5.

Please help with testing of XOOPS 2.4.5RC3 and the XOOPS 2.5.0Alpha

Documentation Team

New team is forming with Wishcraft leading the effort (info here.) Please join the team!

Modules Development Team

Great teamwork on XOOPS Chat integration module

The RMCommon Utilities 2 and MyWords 2 Alpha was released

Theme Design Team

- Current Work :
1) style sheet extras.css for designer and module dev (this is in blanktheme, morphogenesis, css100 and all the latest published themes)
2) Xoops 2.5.0 Beta
3) Cheat sheet for Xoops web design
4) Xoops web design tutorial

and support forums (https://xoops.org and local website), support module dev for templates

Community Coordination/Support Team

standard maintenance of the Website, and keeping it current.

International Support Team

No new additions to XOOPS support site group.

See Support Site Guidelines. Unfortunately some support sites do not anymore offer the quality of support we are looking for so these sites will have to be removed as official support sites and no longer linked to from the International Support page. This will however, open the opportunity for other webmasters in these regions to start and maintain a local XOOPS Support site, which is a lot of fun and you'll help a lot by spreading our great CMS to your area and language. To apply for official status, use this form (login required).

XOOPS on Facebook: join the main XOOPS group on Facebook

Communication/Marketing Team

News published in CMS Wire and CMS Report

04. XOOPSers of the Month

Our "XOOPSer of the Month" Award is given to XOOPS members who show extraordinary dedication to XOOPS, and go the extra mile for XOOPS. Sometimes they do something spectacular, but most of the time they just do something everyday, but by doing it day-in and day-out, they make a BIG DIFFERENCE in life of XOOPS community. And we thank them for that!!!

This month, we would like to recognize Stephane Gorteau (Tatane) from France for his continues support on XOOPS France. Stephane, has always shown his dedication to the community by testing and debugging modules or by providing answers on the forums. With great patience for beginners he did not hesitate to intervene via MSN to help more easily if needed. His kindness, his presence and his dedication to XOOPS has attracted the attention of the Frxoops administrators. He joined the "XOOPS France team" as administrator in late 2009, at a time when the future of frxoops.org was not secured. But his passion, his dedication, his perpetual optimism has been a force to revitalize the French team. Over time, he gained experience, and has always wanted to move the Xoops project forward in a more concretely way. He spends countless hours and energy helping people, not including his various inputs like designing modern themes. He also contributed to the section of video tutorials which he is the author for the most.

He is also the webmaster of a large site of free ads for second-hand equipment for people with disabilities: http://www.handi-occasion.com. Not many people know that Stephane has suffered a very serious accident on his parents' farm at age of 19, that made him completely paralyzed. That's why he is using a special program to help with the dictation when doing his tireless support for his for our favorite CMS. In short, Tatane is a magnificent example of courage, dedication and passion for a virtual community in which he communicates this humanity that is sometimes lacking on our Xoops planet. The XOOPS community salutes Stephane for this!

Where are you from, and where do you live now?

I am from Sarthe region in France (72)

How long have you been programming?

Since 1998

What is your expertise?

XOOPS

What got you to XOOPS?

In 2005, I wanted to create a website with pictures of agricultural materials. Knowing absolutely nothing about PHP language and computer programming, I asked through a computer science web forum, that I actively followed, if there was a system to easily create a dynamic website. I was advised to use Xoops. So I installed the 2.0.16 version at the time with the Myalbum module and it was exactly what I was looking for. I then looked a little deeper in this system and it confirmed that it was what I needed. Going further, I started to look into the templates but couldn’t really do what I wanted precisely. I then decided to sign up for the French support, since I saw that it was very dynamic - when someone was posting a question, he got a very quickly answer. So I decided to sign up

What do you like the most about XOOPS?

For me, XOOPS is the most flexible CMS I tried. It’s so easy to manipulate its themes and templates.

In what area of XOOPS do you contribute and why?

In the newbie forum, because I do not know anything about PHP. I like developing modules but I find the PHP language so complicated for me that I am mentally blocked

If you could add one feature to XOOPS, what would it be?

For me, Xoops contains lot of features. The latest version 2.5 is simply genial , however I think XOOPS is missing the URL rewriting system to improve referencing.

What is your major achievement in programming that you're most proud of?

With no doubt being a part of a great team of Admins on XOOPS France where all people are working hard together, following the same ideas and goals. When we work as a team, trust and exchange of ideas are key. And the best thing is that right now, our team has all these qualities!

What are your hobbies, when you're not coding?

Hmm!! I xoops But I also like fishing

You favorite dish and drink?

I love Chinese foods

What about movies and music?

Braveheart, The Green Line (la ligne verte) and David Guetta

If you would have a chance for a 30 seconds commercial with a message to the world, what would you say?

Share and promote XOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPSSSSSSSSSS, it is very adaptable, and contains lot of modules

If you could choose a place and time to live, what would it be and why?

Middle Ages

Who is the person that you would like to meet and why?

David Guetta, because despite being famous, he remains very simple and approachable.

05. XOOPS Innovation Award

Our XOOPS Innovation Award is given to people who create something very unique and very innovative for XOOPS! We are clear that XOOPS can only succeed, when we push the limits of our creativity, imagination, and innovation to "infinity and beyond" . And therefore we would like to recognize people who create this "WOW!" effect, when we see what they've done. The XOOPS Innovation Award is not a monthly award, i.e. theoretically, there might be a month where we won't give one, but we certainly hope that this will never happen

This month the first Innovation Award goes to Michael Albertsen (Culex) from Denmark, for his innovative work on the Comments System and his Radio Commercial This is the first Innovation Award for Michael, but he already received "XOOPSer of the Month Award" in July 2009! Congratulations!!!!!

Where are you from, and where do you live now?

Living in Denmark, city of Skagen

How long have you been programming?

Hmm good question. I started making small programs on my commodore 64 back in the good old 80's, this lead to amiga in the 90s and then came a long break from learning. Late in the 90's I began learning html and last 4 years I have been looking at php (a little on/of) until now that is.

What is your expertise?

Actually my main computer skills are placed along the sound editing area, which is pretty far from php, but still getting better (I hope) at programming.

What got you to XOOPS?

I was updating the website of "Tiger FM", a local radio station, but people still needed me to post news, pictures, edit streams and post them. From Google I stumbled upon http://www.xoops.org and realized that if I tried this, they could do most of it themselves from the radio.

What do you like the most about XOOPS?

The potential. Dusins of people working together to improve every aspect of the project. There's basically nothing you cannot do with xoops.

In what area of XOOPS do you contribute and why?

Still working on my first module (100% xoops coded) and I feel every time I write 1-2 lines I learn something new. Hopefully with this new knowledge I can help someone having the same obsticals I have/had. I am pretty curious from nature so these problems I havent encountered yet I am sure I will plow into at some time.

What you you major achievement in programming that you're most proud of?

This award obviously. And of course the feeling you get when making onair and you see it working.

What are your hobbies, when you're not coding?

Music. Used to work as a DJ but had to give it up. The weekend is short enough as it is. I still have a few shows at the local radio station and still do some odd jobs mixing music, making ids etc.

You favorite dish and drink?

Food in general is my favourite. Havent tryed anything I didn't like yet. Coffey is a must have! But I would never turn down a cold beer. (I recommend Zagorka or Red Carlsberg)

What about movies and music?

Definitely horror / mystery movies. As for music basically anything goes.

As for music I like almost anything. From Händel - Lascia ch'io pianga to Illdisposed - Dark.

If you would have a chance for a 30 seconds commercial with a message to the world, what would you say?

Don't be afraid to take chances or to make changes but take your time to use logic in the time between (30 seconds is a lot of speaking for a commercial )

If you could choose a place and time to live, what would it be and why?

"Right now" and "right here" feel pretty good for now, but ask me again Monday and I'll give another answer probably.

Who is the person that you would like to meet and why?

Hmm don't know, there are so many but there is no one I would just die to meet. Plato maybe ..but I don't speak Greek.

05. XOOPS Innovation Award 2

The second Innovation Award goes to Alexander Galochkin (algalochkin) from Russia

Where are you from, and where do you live now?

I am from Russia, and live in Ekaterinburg. It's the third most important city in Russia (after Moscow and St.-Petersburg), and is is located near to border of Europe and Asia.

How long have you been programming?

If I consider coding in general, then for a long time, as I started programming in C in 1985. But if we are talking about Web-programming, then more recently - approximately in 1996. Although now I am involved more in the design of sites.

What is your expertise?

Mainly HTML, CSS, a little PHP and Javascript

What got you to XOOPS?

When I worked once on a site for one of my clients, it was required to provide high degree of dynamic interaction, thus the big capacity of a site, support of various languages and still possibility of connection of the modules. In the end, only XOOPS was able to fulfill these requirements!

What do you like the most about XOOPS?

I love in XOOPS its amazing flexibility when I develop sites of various complexity and direction. And, of course, its modular structure.

What made you to decide to work on XOOPS Themes?

I wanted to help XOOPS community to have in addition to program flexibility (i.e. modular structure), to have also visual flexibility (i.e. design and templates)

What is your major achievement in programming that you're most proud of?

I think, the main achievements still ahead and, probably, not in the field of programming.

What are your hobbies, when you're not coding?

My hobbies are quite usual, I take a great interest in sports. In the winter - mountain skiing. And in the summer, in the spring and in the autumn - the rollerskating.

You favorite dish and drink?

I am indifferent to alcohol. But if it is necessary to name, I will name good cognac

What about movies and music?

Music-wise I like to listen to old Rock: Freddi Mercury, Pink Floyd. Movies: I love watching French comedies and films with Al Pacino, or Robert DeNiro.

If you would have a chance for a 30 seconds commercial with a message to the world, what would you say?

Stop wars and stop disagreements. Let's think together of how to save OUR PLANET.

If you could choose a place and time to live, what would it be and why?

We live during interesting time, therefore - here and now.

Who is the person that you would like to meet and why?

There is a good statement for such occasion: "do not create to itself an idol"