Joomla Adoption factors

What we can learn with the recent release of Joomla 1.6 could unfold the both sides of advantages and disadvantages of using this Content Management System (CMS). There are still issues and sceptisms on the release of new Joomla version 1.6 based on our past experiences when Joomla 1.5 was first introduced. Fast adoption and migration to current versioning by users will based on 4 basic supporting conditions.

Before we move further to discuss the supporting condition for the success of Joomla 1.6 as a preferred CMS, let’s take a look on brief chronicle of Joomla development

Tracking back Joomla development

Joomla 1.0, a fork project from Mambo Project was initially released on September 16, 2005. It took 3 years for Joomla to matured into new version of 1.5 in January 22, 2008. A considerable time frame of 1 year was given to Joomla 1.0 series users to upgrade into newer version while still enjoyinh updates, fixes and bugs at that time. In July 22, 2009, Joomla 1.0 has finally reached it's end of lIfe. Read detailed chronicles of Joomla here.

As for now, Joomla team had already announced the end of life for Joomla 1.5 on April 11, 2012 and release of 1.6 version. Webmasters using Joomla CMS already waiting for the righ moment for migration to reap new features and functions not available in previous release. Brief explaination below are the major points which influenced webmaster decision on either to adapt as soon as possible or just keep waiting for another next few months.

Web Hosting Supports

Non-technical or web owner who are not so competent on in–depth technical stuff will usually wait for their web hosting provider signalling them on the availability of new or updated version of Joomla CMS. Let’s talk about cPanel for example, cPanel enable web admin to automate istallation, uninstallation and upgrade Joomla even with minimal technical knowledge and some joomla guides on how to do it. In business perspective, this convenience is very much welcome compared to manual method. Until there is ‘Joomla 1.6’ link available inside their cPanel, current Joomla 1.5 users will stick and happy playing with their toy.

Migration Tools Availability

Migration tools are the most important elements when new Joomla version with different structures exist. Having a migration tools is like having a traffic officer in congested road, easy  traffic flow and provide peace of mind that realising that our database and existing web configuration are safely transferred/transported to new environment – Joomla 1.6.

Extensions Support

Novice Joomla users will surely very excited about the abundance and long list of extension available in Joomla.org extension directory. There are some justification on limiting the use of only certain amount of extension in your website. Once you’ll need to migrate from J 1.5 to 1.6 or previously from J1.0-1.5, most of extensioin developers will take time to upgrade their scripts. Therefore at the meantime, the extension will rendered unuseable in new Joomla environment. In the end, webmaster still need to  wait until most of the extensions they are currently use are upgraded to support the new version.

In it obvious that an experienced Joomla CMS users already become very fond on this community supported project and I do believed everyone would be very keen to upgrade to latest version. Before you could do so in upgrading to latest version, please re-read the above joomla adoption factors.