Schedule

Commercial Templates

by Dawn Russell

Over the last two years, commercial designers of rock solid Joomla! templates have returned to the drawing board and developed frameworks to serve as the blueprint for all of their templates.  These framework-based templates give the web designer an opportunity to offer their clients more powerful, break-proof websites that can handle an assortment of devices, extensions, and customization with the simplicity of a click while appearing visually integrated.

So what's the difference between theses frameworks and how do you determine which template will provide you with all of the features you'll need?

This presentation will cover the top 3 commercial providers for Joomla! Templates.  You'll see the front and backend of one template from each commercial provider and I'll discuss the strengths of each particular framework through hands on demoing.  I will demo one template from each framework, and you'll get coupon codes for all of these providers.

• JoomlaShack – Wright Framework
• JoomlaArt - T3 Framework
• RocketTheme – Gantry Framework

Comparing Joomla CCK's

 by Justin Herrin

At its core Joomla is fantastic software that can meet basic needs in terms of content types and will suffice as-is for many. But for those of us who need advanced control over content types, Joomla’s core just won’t cut it. Thankfully, by introducing a Content Construction Kit (CCK) extension to your site, you can create robust content displays that suite your individual needs.

In this session we’ll discuss the advantages to utilizing a CCK in conjunction with your Joomla installation. We’ll also take a comparison look at some of the biggest CCK’s available for Joomla today including K2, Zoo, Seblod and FlexiContent.

Critical Extensions

by Anne Campbell

With thousands of extensions available for Joomla, how do you find the best ones for your website? We'll take a critical eye and a fine-toothed comb to the Joomla Extensions Directory in general, and also zoom in for a quick look at some specific extensions that solve common problems. Participants are welcome to share the names of their favorite extensions, or bring questions so we can brainstorm a solution.

Drupal, Joomla and the Future of the Internet

by Forest Mars

Drupal and Joomla sometimes seem like they're playing out the roles of Pyramus and Thisbe, kept apart and each trying to learn about the other through a tiny crack in the wall. In this session we'll break down this wall and explore what these frameworks have in common, where they significantly differ, and how each is positioned for the coming changes in the Internet and mobile technologies.

This whirlwind prolegomenon will cover everything you've always wanted to know about Drupal (but were too afraid to ask.) We'll cover the APIs, architecture & implementation underlying them and look at how each can be used to build enterprise class and easily maintained websites and applications for businesses of every stripe, along the way covering best practices and indispensable techniques for development and design.

Topics covered include request handling, development environments, version control, coding standards, testing, deployment and of course, not killing kittens. Participants in the session will learn how to to build a custom Drupal website or application from start to finish, using configuration and custom code as well as how web sites, web applications and the tools used to build them are evolving into the future web.

This session is aimed at all levels, from beginner to advanced.

Getting Started with Joomla

by Laura Gordon

Getting Started with Joomla will review the basics of Joomla!  Designed for newbies, we will discuss an important question of what version should be used, then we will jump into the different areas of Joomla!  Explaining the differences between content, menu items, components, modules and plugins, I will show you how each of these pieces work in the Joomla! 2.5 environment.  We will pack in as much as possible into our 1 hour, so you will be armed with the knowledge to get more out of this Joomla Day!

Governance challenges in the Joomla project, and why you should care

by Paul Orwig

With no current paid developers or staff, and with no commercial entity playing a dominant supporting role, Joomla has become one of the most popular free open source  CMS projects in the world. In this talk, Open Source Matters board member Paul Orwig will share his thoughts about what has driven the Joomla project's growth and success, and point out what he feels are some current challenges faced by the project. He will then add some observations about how the project's leadership structure can be improved to hopefully set the project on a clearer path to continued growth and success.

Hands-On CCK's

by Ken Crowder

In one hour, watch a professional website be built using K2, Joomla's leading CCK extension. This hands-on demonstration will walk you through how to build a site containing features such as nested categories, tags, comments, images, videos, and a whole lot more.

This session will be particularly helpful after attending Justin Herrin's presentation on Comparing Joomla CCK's.

Due to the pace of the session, attendees will not be hands-on. After the session, attendees will receive the walkthrough and any assets used to go hands-on at a later time.

It's not about Joomla! (or Wordpress or Drupal)

by Mike Hoefer

The sites we build need to solve communication challenges for our clients. We'll discuss emerging marketing & communication trends that will effect the organizations you work with over the next 12- 18 months. We'll also conduct and informal "Hot or Not" survey of the various shiny objects (think QR codes, Google+, Pinterest) currently distracting your clients.

Joomla in the Mobile World

by Hagen Graf

I will give an overview with many examples about existing possibilities for websites made with Joomla! to embrace the mobile world. It will consist of the following topics:

• Joomla Mobile Templates
• Joomla Responsive Templates
• HTML5 and Joomla! CMS
• HTML5 and the Joomla! Platform
• Joomla! as datasource for native Apps

My aim is to pave the way for Joomla! sitebuilders to get in closer contact with the mobile world.

Migrating From Joomla 1.5 to 2.5

by Jeremy Wilken

Are you ready to bring your site on par with the latest Joomla? If you are running Joomla 1.5 on your site, you will soon be faced with the decision to migrate to the most recent version of Joomla, or risk running software that is no longer maintained. That means no more bug fixes, security checks, or any updates. This is a risk you don't want to take!

In this session you will learn the best way to migrate to the latest copy of Joomla. We will walk through a real migration together (of my own site!), and discuss some of the 'gotchas' and common issues that might occur. Regardless if you are technically inclined, you can learn how to migrate your own site(s)!

Mobile Strategy

by Jason Mark

Over 6% of all web users are "mobile" (up from just over 1% just 2 years ago).  What do these users expect?  How are tablets different than phones?  Do you need different page templates for mobile?  What do you do with images?  When is it appropriate to have a different navigation for mobile?  Jason Mark will share mobile "best practices" as well as examples of successful and unsuccessful mobile implementation.

Notes from Jason's talk (PDF)

RFP's, Proposals, and Contracts

by Mike Carson

In this session Mike will discuss the 3 differences in the types requests you receive and how to qualify them to increase your chances of converting your leads into clients. Next Mike will discuss the proper steps of the proposal process and help you to respond properly to an RFP, look professional, available tools and resources, and how to upsell the client. Mike will show you how you can increase your revenue with the little things and show you where your lost opportunities lie so you can land those “Bigger Fish”. Finally Mike will wrap up the session with the importance of contracts, how to write a proper contract, and all the elements that you should include as well as some little known “forgettable” items  you will need to cover yourself in case things go wrong.

The Need to Belong: Individual vs Group Needs and Where Do I Fit In?

by Christine Graf

By using the methods of Transactional Analysis, Christine Graf coaches companies and individuals to develop problem solution scenarios and strategies for their further development. Christine guides them in tracing their own behavior pattern and way of thinking. This teaches organizations to reflect and learn to develop alternatives which lead to a change of their everyday working life.

Christine will give a short theoretical introduction into the dynamics of groups, their visible and hidden structures, authorities and development potential and explore with the audience the situation in the Joomla! community.