Joomla! Extension Directory Editor Blog

A month ago, we announced that sh404SEF had been selected as the first new JED Editors' Pick in quite a while.

I also outlined some of the criteria we use when choosing an extension: its remarkably useful, free to download, well-supported and works on both 1.0 and 1.5. Editors' Picks don't have to check all those boxes, but it helps and our new choice certainly does ... JoomlaPack.

Why does JoomlaPack do?

1. It allows Joomla users to regularly backup the database and all the files on their site.
2. It allows you to easily move a site, by creating a full backup with an custom installer. This means you can install your site on a new server in the same way you'd install a fresh version of Joomla.

Why was JoomlaPack chosen?

1. It meets a vital security need for Joomla site owners ... backing up their sites on a regular basis.
2. It has great documentation
3. There's very active support on their forums
4. New versions are regularly released and the component is under active development

Click here to see all the Editors' Picks.

The JED has been slow to publish extensions lately.  Those of us not on vacation seem to have had a surge in professional or family commitments, and the backlog of extensions to be approved was far more than we expect of ourselves.

I know we are kind of programmed for instant gratification... but if your extension took you months to build I would think that we could all be patient enough to wait more than a few days for it to be released into the directory. The directory has thousands of extensions now which must be managed. Unfortunately in the course of approving and managing we also find wrongdoers that take a tremendous amount of time away from what we want to be doing (approving).

We've had lots of offers to join the JED to help with the backlog, but adding staff really isn't the answer. Due to the technical constraints of the system this would only result in more headache, not less.

The best way to make the extension process run faster is to make your listing as easy as possible to approve.  Rejecting extensions takes much longer than approving, because we must inform each individual why their extension wasn't approved.  Minimizing rejections saves us all a bunch of time and frees up time to manage other parts of the directory.
 

Speeding up the process of getting extensions published.

•       Please, make sure your download link goes directly to a page where we can download the file. Not the homepage. We waste a bunch of time trying to find downloads... then emailing the developer to inform them that their extension won't be published until we get it, you get the idea.
   
•       If your extension isn't published and you have changes to make to the description or other details, do NOT resubmit. Please email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to make the changes for you, or make them immediately after the extension is published. Duplicates in the queue bog down the entire process.
   
•       Please review the logo use guidelines. Many extensions are held up by a violation of the logo or trademark. And remember, for every extension we reject, we have to also obtain the owner's email address from the system and take the time to write an email. That doesn't seem like a lot, but believe me, following up on each of those emails, discussing them with the editors... it takes a lot of time.
   
•       Please download your own package from the front end of your website, as a user would, and attempt to install it. Often a developer will get so caught up in the development process that they don't check the final package. Anything that won't install is rejected, and we add additional time emailing the owner to let them know why it's rejected.
   
•       If your extension was not published and you'd like to know why, again don't resubmit, just email  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and someone will look you up and find out where you stand in the queue or read our notes as to what is preventing approval.

Extensions are published in order, so before we can move on to the next, we must resolve the problems with the current submission first (at least to the point of emailing the owner).

The most important thing anyone can do to speed up the approval process is not bog the system down with reviews and extensions that cannot be approved.  By taking extra care before submitting, you'll make the directory better for everyone.

If you've been visiting the Joomla Extensions Directory for a while, you may have noticed that the eight Editors' Picks haven't been updated often. The only recent addition has been Joomla Tools Suite by Russ Winter.

Today we're happy to say that a ninth extension has been added: sh404SEF by Yannick Gaultier.

What does sh404SEF do?

1. Rewrites Joomla's URLs so that site administrators have complete control. This is important for search engines but also for people moving to Joomla who don't want to break their old URLs.
2. Solves several accessibility problems to help users with disabilties read a Joomla site.
3. Provides a valid 404 page for people who access your site using a broken URL.
4. Adds a security layer to prevent certain hacking attempts.
5. Can control a site's metadata, allowing people to add page titles, language tags, indexing instructions and more.

Why was sh404SEF chosen?

1. It meets all the basic criteria we look for when recommending extensions to JED users ... its free to download, well-supported, works on both 1.0 and 1.5 and almost all types of server, including IIS.
2. Since its launch in May 2007, the developer has consistently worked to improve the code and add new features.
3. Its compatible with a very wide range of other extensions, including VirtueMart, Joomfish, Fireboard, Community Builder, mosetsTree, HotProperty, Sobi2, Docman, myBlog, Remository and more.

Do you have any suggestions for the next Editor's Pick?

If so, we'd love to hear from you in the comments:

Due to the continued increase in traffic and resources that JED is consuming, we're going to be moving the entire site to a newer, faster server.

This should take place at this time, and should be completed in under 30mins. However, things happen, and we will do our best to minimize the downtime and impact to the community.

Thanks for your patience and continued support of the project.

July 14, 2008 marks the beginning of year three of Packt's friendly competition between world class free software communities for who earns bragging rights to the much coveted 2008 Best Overall Open Source CMS. Not only is this recognition a great way to encourage, support, and reward the incredible efforts of free software communities, but, there is also a nice cash award shared with those projects fortunate enough to win.

 

That's a quote from our esteemed project manager Louis Landry, in a forum announcement found here.

I may be biased, but I have long thought our Joomla Extensions Directory was one of the things that makes Joomla! the best CMS on the planet.  Joomla has the biggest repository of add-ons that I know of, and I have yet to see a repository that is as well-maintained and complete as the JED.

And so, for that reason alone, I suggest anyone with the inclination to support the Joomla! project goes over to Packt and puts in a nomination for Joomla!, and maybe even nominate a team member you feel is a CMS MVP.

The Joomla.org news announcement can be found here: http://www.joomla.org/content/view/5187/1/  .