WOX (World of XOOPS) Newsletter # 30 (March 2010)

Date 2010/3/10 16:30:00 | Topic: World of Xoops (WOX)

WOX - World Of Xoops
Welcome to the March 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! 

Is February we continued with our "Fast & Furious" pace in development. We've released XOOPS 2.4.5 Beta and XOOPS 2.5.0 Alpha2

In order to honor our community member - Marcello Brandao, who lost his battle with cancer, we have established an Annual "Marcello Brandao XOOPS Innovation Award". This way, he will always be remembered within the XOOPS Community.

Highlights of the last month:

Summary


February continued with "fast and furious" development of XOOPS. The XOOPS 2.4.5 Beta and XOOPS 2.5.0 Alpha 2 have been released. While the 2.4.5 is just a bug-fixing release, the three developers behind XOOPS 2.5: Nicolas Andricq  (ForMusS), Cointin Maxime (kraven_30), both from France, and Grégory Mage (Mage), from Switzerland, are pushing the XOOPS envelope further and further. Check out the videos posted in the Alpha 2 announcement to get a better idea about the new features coming up...

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

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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 2008 XOOPS Financial Report

This month we would like to acknowledge following donors:

  • Ian A. Underwood: $25
  • Anonymous from Malaysia: $5
  • Anonymous from Sweden: $25
  • Frédéric Tillac: $25
  • Gabriel Karegwa: $10

Thank you so much for supporting XOOPS!!!!

03. Team Reports

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

Core Development Team

Work continues on XOOPS 2.4.5, 2.5.0, and 3.0

Documentation Team

New team is forming with Wishcraft leading the effort (info here)

Modules Development Team

couple of Blue Move module updates

Theme Design Team

- release and work :
1) Suico Theme,
2) Blank Theme,
3) Xoops-Styles Module, initial work by Burning, and after Xoops Design Team
 
- Current Work :
1) style sheet extras.css for designer and module dev
2) Xoops 2.4.5 and 2.5.0 Alpha
3) Onepage theme, Mondial AF 2010
4) cheat sheet for Xoops web design
5) Xoops web design tutorial
 
and support forums (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

This month we have added XOOPS Japan to our hopefully growing support site group. Read the story here.

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

Submitted press releases to several blogs/websites/newspapers. See:

CMS Critic
CMS Report

04. XOOPSers of the Month

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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 Christophe Capitaine (Burning) from France for his continues support in the maintaining Theme Gallery, and Module Compatibility list, and currently updating the Module Repository.  

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

I'm from Brittany, the most beautiful region of France. But now I live near Versailles, a place where there is nothing interesting to see.

How long have you been programming?

Well, I do not know any programming language, I have learn History and Political science at school.

What is your expertise?

Desktop publishing, that I discovered in 2001, before web. I'm learning HTML and CSS, thanks to XOOPS and theme templates created by Kris. And after one year updating Xoops repositories, I can say : Open Office spreadsheet :)))

What got you into XOOPS?

I was learning Dreamweaver when I discovered CMS technology in a magazine called PHPSolutions. Perfect tool for noob like me ! I chose "XOOPS" because its name was very funny. I never really try other CMS, except to copy some templates.

What do you like the most about XOOPS?

Easy to use, easy to custom, and the patience of Mamba

In what area of XOOPS do you contribute and why?

I have made themes (long time ago) but last year I have spend my time to look for modules and themes and to try to maintain repositories up to date. I have updated some old modules and - with the help of Kris - created a module to test themes (xoops-styles).

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

Coffee, with sugar. And maybe a stronger captcha system.

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

I try to draw, comic book style (I love Uderzo and Crisse styles...). 

You favorite dish and drink?

Pancakes (you should try this recipe) and rum.

What about movies and music?

I have just seen Oceans. Fantastic

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

Turn off your TV !

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

A time when salespeople did not exist...

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

M. Bean to do the same !

05. XOOPS Innovation Award

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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

    Xoops Innovation Award Xoops Innovation Award

This month the first Innovation Award goes to Mohd Hilmi bin Ngah  (NovaSmart),  from Malaysia, for his innovative work on the AMS (Article Management System) 

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

I'm from beautiful and peaceful country, Malaysia. If you not familiar, Malaysia is sandwiched between Thailand (North) and Singapore (South). My hometown is Terengganu, place of natural beauty and famous with its Batik & Silk and Keropok Lekor (looks like fish hotdog). However, currently I leave in Pulau Pinang, center of heavy industrial, technology and R&D in Malaysia.

How long have you been programming?

Even our family didn't own computer till my age 14 years old, my exposure to computer start from 6-7 years old (Apple II) but limited to playing games on my uncle computer. My first programming "Selamat Sejahtera Dunia" ("Hello World" in Malay Language) is on IBM 286 PC, using GWBasic when I was 12 years old on my cousin (11 years old) computer based on example that we read in BASIC programming book (Malay Language). I still remember how I feel that day.. and that is my turning point to involve in programming world. I involve in server side programming when I accepted to the university, started with WinCGI, PERL and then PHP. I really serious in PERL and PHP programming in 2002, when me and another 3 of my friends work together to develop MMO games called WarOnNet.

What is your expertise?

I'm degree holder in Computer Engineering and x-member of special research group at my university (Universiti Teknologi Malaysia) and my expertise cover almost all electronic and programming discipline. To stated a few, PCB design, microcontroller/processor firmware, robotic, wireless, reverse engineer, security, industrial automation, compiler design, artificial intelligent, and almost all popular programming language (eg: C, C++, JAVA, PERL, PHP, .NET).

What got you to XOOPS?

Its about object oriented. I used to hate OOP  during my study since I'm too familiar with structured programming, and I think OOP just adding complexity while the same task could be done faster and easier in structured programming. Everything changed when I was assigned to develop 2 real time simulation that really complicated, Missile Guidance System and Car Auto Cruise, since multiple parameter like aerodynamic, tyre size, road condition,  wind speed + direction will affect the parameter, its too complicated to implement in structured programming. That's the starting point I'm fall in love with OOP. When my friend ask me to create CMS for his organization, I try to look which CMS that use OO since we need to change or develop our own module, and thats where I found XOOPS and fall in love with XOOPS.

What do you like the most about XOOPS?

When I start with XOOPS, I like it because it is OO, so it is easier to maintain and I trust it will evolve faster than other CMS. However, after years using and develop modules on XOOPS, I have another strong reason to stick with XOOPS... because it is secure. In order to better protect and give the good security consultation, I also partially involve underground in hacking website and cracking software (white hat). In Malaysia, security awareness still infancy but they like to create their own solution without much focus on security. For example, just recently, I exposed serious security flaw in government website where I could take over as admin and have full access to the system and I give the feedback to them. That's not the first and will not be the last. In my opinion, XOOPS with Protector is the best security I ever seen in open source CMS, and all of this flaw could be easily solved if they develop their solution based on XOOPS.

Why did you decide to work on AMS?

I have multiple website that using AMS, that by the time maintained by Dominic from it-hq. I choose AMS due the the fact the are full with features and fast enough for heavy loading web site. When it was abandoned, I have no choice except to maintained it myself. It also the same case for other module like XM-Memberstats, XPRESS. However, for AMS I choose to officially maintain and support under my consultation company (NovaSmart Technology) and also become based for new comers in my company to learn and develop module for XOOPS.

You just released the version 3.0. What are the future plans for AMS?

There is tons of features that I want to incorporate in AMS to make complete solution for article, news and blog publishing and still maintaining the compatibility, speed and ease to use. In my hand now, there is more than 50 todo list that waiting to be implemented in future AMS, but I can only share what I plan to do until AMS 4.0. AMS 3.10 - AMS 3.40 will focus on important News features that missing in AMS. The intention is to give easy migration for News user to migrate to AMS without losing important features. AMS 3.50 is another major release, where we will focus on cloneability. Same as most of XOOPS module, currently AMS still require the module to be installed in fix location (/modules/AMS). That's will restrict only one AMS installation in one XOOPS. While SEF that implemented in AMS 3.00 could virtually relocate AMS to any URL, it's not enough for some user. Thats what AMS 3.50 will solve. AMS 3.60- AMS 3.90 will focus on putting additional features that not available in both News and AMS such as Collaborative article (multi writer), implementation of AJAX, better Newsletter and RSS import. AMS 4.00 will focus on performance enhancement and SQL query reduction and we will do profiling on AMS  and solve any bottleneck. With other word, AMS 3.xx will fully pack with new features and AMS 4.xx will trim back the weight so AMS will maintained fast and agile like what it supposed to.

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

It is full site built-in search engine friendly (SEF). All major CMS already have it and XOOPS still lagging behind on this.

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

The one that I proud most is our solution on Virtual Messaging Board ( some people call it highway electronic messaging) for Perbadanan PutraJaya, Malaysia administrative capital. This is RM8,000,000 project (~USD2,500,000) that suffered due to excessive lighting strikes that are very common at PutraJaya area. This problem cause VMS board unreliable and need to repair or replaced almost every month. The solution originally provided by overseas company and that company stop giving support due to excessive warranty claim. Without any documentation, I need to make use all my knowledge to reverse engineer, electronic forensic, develop new hardware, firmware, software to solve the root problem and we succeed to deliver the solution and it stand reliable until now. PHP, Mysql and AJAX also part of the solution, where they can program VMS (message, picture) through web based.

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

Playing chess, and play with my family

You favorite dish and drink?

I like fried mee and nasi lemak (traditional rice. Translated as fatty rice). For drink I like ice lemon tea

What about movies and music?

I like science fiction & fantasy movie like Harry Potter and Back To The Future. For music, I like instrumental especially piano and flute.

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

Stop discriminating against Islam... Islam is not terrorist religion. Terrorists happen to be in all religions and among all free thinking people because it depends on that person to choose what they want to be.

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

Melaka (Malacca) at 1500AD. That's the our last empire and I want to be there to write a true and precise history how it administrated and how it fell down for next generation. The only Malacca history book written by Malay is written by Tun Sri Lanang (my ancestor) but its full of legend and fantasy.

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

Tun Sri Lanang. I want him to discard all legends and fantasy from his book and focus on facts. Too many thing that he missed to write about

06. New/Updated Modules

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07. New Hacks

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08. Security Issues/Alerts

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Xoops Security

09. YAXS, Sites using XOOPS

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10. Tutorials/Add-ons/Documentation

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11. New/Updated Themes

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12. New Translations

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Translations

We are still looking for more translations!!! Can you help? See the list here

13. News from around the World

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News from around the World
  •    Japanese Support
                Japanese support opens it Website
     
  •    Italian Support

            XOOPS Italy reopens

  •    Spanish Support

              New 2.5.0 Alpha Videos

     

  • 14. Local support sites

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    15. How to contribute

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    This article comes from XOOPS Web Application System
    https://xoops.org

    The URL for this story is:
    https://xoops.org/modules/news/article.php?storyid=5266