WOX (World of XOOPS) Newsletter # 32 (May 2010)

In April we had quite few new cool Websites created using XOOPS. It is nice to see that more and more new users find XOOPS useful for creating their Websites.

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 2008 XOOPS Financial Report

This month we would like to acknowledge following donors:

Ian A. Underwood: $25
Ricardo Costa: $25

Thank you so much for supporting XOOPS!!!!

02. New XOOPS developments

Current Releases

XOOPS 2.5.0 Alpha 2
XOOPS 2.4.5 RC
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

Work continues on XOOPS 2.4.5, XOOPS 2.5.0, and 3.0.

Please help with testing!!!

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

This month we have added Bosnia & Herzegovina 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

Released the 2009 XOOPS Annual 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 Aitor Uskola (Aitor) from Spain for his continues support on XOOPS Spain and his series of XOOPS Videos in Spanish.

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

I am from Getxo (Basque Country, Spain).

How long have you been programming?

I started learning programming by myself 20 years ago and I got my first programmer job 8 years ago for a small internet company.

What is your expertise?

I like software and create things myself.

What got you to XOOPS?

When I just started learning PHP, I saw a post in PHPNuke community by w4z004 speaking about the new project XOOPS. And after looking code I decided that XOOPS was better for learning.

What do you like the most about XOOPS?

How easy is to implement XOOPS Security for modules.

In what area of XOOPS do you contribute and why?

Module development and support

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

Only one? I think that most important that XOOPS needs is SEO, I see that some modules now have it but it would be better to have a standard way.

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

I like Galeria, I learn with it PHP and XOOPS. A lot of people collaborated on it, and while some of them left, I hope that they will come back.

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

I like scuba and cycling when there is a nice weather.

You favorite dish and drink?

I favorite dish is my mother's Meatballs, and as drink I like Coke.

What about movies and music?

I like a lot movies, if I need to select one, all the Stargate film and series.

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

Don't Worry, Be Happy

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

I like a lot where I live and hope that now is good moment.

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

Larry Page and Sergey Brin, creators of Google. What would be internet without Google?.

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 Eduardo Cortés (BitC3R0), from Mexico, for his innovative work on the RMCommon Utilities 2 and MyWords 2 This is a second "XOOPS Innovation Award " for Eduardo!! Congratulations!!!!

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

I'm from Veracruz, México. Currently I'm living in Mérida City, at the Yucatan State.

How long have you been programming?

Maybe 10 or 11 years

What is your expertise?

I think that web design and creation is the best that I can do...

What got you to XOOPS?

Well, ideas and improvements in modules and themes...

What do you like the most about XOOPS?

Simplicity and modules, I think that XOOPS is a platform very easy to use for beginners as well as for advanced users. XOOPS has a lot of potential!

Why did you decide to work on RMCommons?

Because I was feeling that XOOPS needs something more in graphical aspect and in the functionality. So I decided continue with my old Common Utilities project but with a lot of new features and functionality. I'm working on RMCommon improvements and a better integration with XOOPS in all aspects.

You just released the Alpha version. What are the future plans for RMCommons? How do you envision the Final version?

Well, thins are going very fast, In next days I will release a new version of Common Utilities and, maybe, in this month final version will be available.

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

Maybe (this is a quick idea), an integrated module search engine and module installer. I think that, by doing it, users can find new modules quickly and the XOOPS users base will increase exponentially.

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

I'm working on that...

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

Well, compose new songs, play guitar, photography...

You favorite dish and drink?

I'm a simple man... beer and pizza, or a good fillet and wine.

What about movies and music?

I prefer action and comedy in movies, in music I like almost all good music.

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

It's time to make changes in all.

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

A place far away from city and stress to be with my family.