What is Joomla!?

Joomla! is the most popular Open Source Content Management System in the world at this moment.

Joomla! is on version 1.5 right now (at the time of this writing, it actually is on version 1.5.15), and efforts are being made to get version 1.6 out in the near future. I will concentrate on version 1.5 for now and get to 1.6 when it actually comes out.

I give you the definition of a content management system as it is given on the Joomla! website:

A content management system is software that keeps track of every piece of content on your Web site, much like your local public library keeps track of books and stores them. Content can be simple text, photos, music, video, documents, or just about anything you can think of. A major advantage of using a CMS is that it requires almost no technical skill or knowledge to manage. Since the CMS manages all your content, you don’t have to.

Joomla! can be used for all kinds of websites, including corporate websites, online newspapers, portals and personal websites.

If you want to know more about Joomla!, check out this link.

What is Open Source?

The definition of Open Source is (from SearchEnterpriseLinux.com):

1) In general, open source refers to any program whose source code is made available for use or modification as users or other developers see fit. Open source software is usually developed as a public collaboration and made freely available.

2) Open Source is a certification mark owned by the Open Source Initiative (OSI). Developers of software that is intended to be freely shared and possibly improved and redistributed by others can use the Open Source trademark if their distribution terms conform to the OSI’s Open Source Definition. To summarize, the Definition model of distribution terms require that:

The software being distributed must be redistributed to anyone else without any restriction.

The source code must be made available (so that the receiving party will be able to improve or modify it).

The license can require improved versions of the software to carry a different name or version from the original software.

My take on Joomla! is, that it is a great system to build beautiful, comprehensive websites, which gives you an easily manageable interface to set up the site the way you want it to look and work. The unbelievable amount of free and paid extensions makes Joomla! the most versatile CMS platform around!

Robin Roelofsen

"I think complexity is mostly sort of crummy stuff that is there because it's too expensive to change the interface."
Jaron Lanier