2011 was the year in which Toralko was "rebooted". Unfortunately, that didn't affect the productivity level much. Most of the personal projects I have started ended up sizzling out. However, somewhere in 2011 I got picked up for one hell of a ride.

I was asked to help with the JoomlaGov site. Nothing big - I've done mostly administrative work by helping to add sites during the "first wave". I also wrote a post on the subject for the Joomla! Magazine. Back in the day, there were 1,800 government sites listed on the website. Now, according to Marcos Peebles' last tweet, there are over 3,000 sites listed. What a succes story for Joomla!, and it's written by it's community.

Most of the "innovation" seems to come from the Community. Which lead to the second succesfull project I was a part of. A big part of the Joomlagov team rolled into the OpenTranslators project, which helps developers get in touch with translators for their extensions and vice versa. I was asked to help with documenting the project, which I gladly did.  Since then, I've stuck around to hold various discussions with other Core team members. I even attended a few Skype meetings - I certainly did not expect to join voice chats in 2011!  Our latest work is the chapter on OpenTranslators of the free Joomla! developer book.

I am not sure what 2012 will bring. I have no plans what so ever, other than "trying to be as productive in 2012 as I can." Which, of course, was also my goal for 2011. And that didn't end well, with the exception of the two huge community projects. So, who knows! Maybe I'll get involved with some more interesting projects in 2012!

Toralko is quite a few years old now. The site was launched when I bought a domain name which I had no use for. After all, it was referring to three people who were going to build a website. Of which two of them bailed almost instantly.

Because of this, I've said a few times that Toralko is a celebration of failed projects. When I look at the list of projects that failed the past year I realize that it is exactly what Toralko stands for. All projects under the Toralko label fail at some point. Or they are never completed / launched.

Is there a solution to get out of this slump? I don't know. We have been struggling with increating the productivity all year, and the result is that we spent 890 euros on various projects that never lead to anything.

How are we going to solve this for 2012? We should start by putting ourself under pressure to perform. Do we really need a new site to achieve this? I do not know the answer to that one. But I do know that there is no point in struggling with this day in day out; that's just an epic waste of time.

We must start changing our habits, today. Or 2012 will pass just like 2011, and the list of uncompleted projects will only grow longer.

Something I will never completely understand is why there are so few distributions available inside the Joomla! universe. There's maybe two or three I can think off, right now.  Of course, if you're going to include all "distros" which bundle Joomla! with a sspecific template, then there's more out there - but those are just Joomla! with a template preinstalled. You know what else comes with templates pre-installed? JOOMLA ITSELF!

Drupal is doing way better in this area. There are many distributions out there, with a specific goal. You can download them, and they'll immediately serve specific goal. A Social network. A learning environment. Who knows what else!

Distro's aren't something we should frown upon. We should embrace them, to make Joomla! stronger. I've been thinking about this for a long time, and if nothing gets in the way, 2012 will be the year I (try to) launch two distributions: Wordla and FOTA. 

My idea of a "distribution" is a bit different from that of developers. I think you can get a long way if you start by selecting those extensions that suite a specific goal, documenting them and bundling them. Since I am not a developer, I won't be modifying any files (that wouldn't end well...). Here's what I have in mind for both "Distributions".

FOTA

FOTA stands for "Friends of The Admin'; and the goal of this distro is to bundle Joomla! with the "must have" extensions to run your website. By offering people the right extensions, and proper documentation I hope to make it "easier" for people to make a good start with Joomla!. What better start can you make, than having the best extensions installed already!

Wordla

Wordla? Sounds familiar, and yet it doesn't!

As you might be painfully aware of, Wordpress is the most popular CMS out there. It's install base outnumbers both Drupal and Joomla! (possibly the both combined). I love Wordpress. It's the perfect blogging tool.

But what if you need more power? Then Joomla! is a great choice, but some people might have no clue what "Extensions", "Modules", or "Articles" are. Maybe they just want to start blogging and take things from there.

Wordla will be a Wordpressified version of Joomla! We are going to start by changing (menu) names where appropriate, so (former) Wordpress users will better understand what they'll want to click. We will also implement JCE and create a "basic" profile, similar to the Wordpress editor. And while we're at it, we'll add the right extensions (K2, anyone) so they can start blogging like they're used to.

When?

Before you get excited: I have NO IDEA when I will release either of these distributions. I might get distracted with other stuff, and it might turn into "Joomla! Distro Forever": launched in 2021, still based on Joomla! 1.7 and so outdated old people will say "Back in my days, when the internet was still a haven of freedom, sites looked like that!"

So, no promises. But once we get things moving I'll set up a site somewhere, where you can stay up to date on all the latest happenings!

Starting in December, we'll be trying something new here at Toralko.net. In addition to the written Joomla manuals we've been publishing until now, we'll also be uploading video's when possible or appropriate. The goal of these video's is to complement our tutorials - not to replace them.

We hope this new feature will turn out to be usefull by our readers; and look forward to uploading our first video in the near future!

Testing upload of a video to add in a K2 article. Because I can, obviously. This will allow me to publish private videos, muhahaha!

After two nights of trying to find the perfect template, and the right mix of content and modules I've given up the struggle. While I've built quite a few websites (it's my job after all) it's difficult when you don't have a clear vision on what your site should look like.

I have no idea what my site should look like. It's just a place where I store things that I and other people might find usefull.  So I've decided to give up the search for perfection once again.  I'll be using the template you're looking at right now and publish one single module to the left. Assuming the people who reach my site already know who I am / what to find on my website / where to find me online. Or simply don't care because they already found what they're interested in.

See?  This is why I used to stick to free Wordpress.com sites. No options to screw around with, just blog posts.  I'm a terrible client to have!

Scope

This guide helps you to install and use the Joomla! Extension Nonumber What? Nothing!  We’re going to assume the following:

• You already downloaded the file
• You still remember where it’s located…
• You can install components using the “Upload” method.
• You make a back-up before installing this potentially dangerous extensions.
• You’ll stick closely to the manual.  Using this extension wrongly could lead to grave danger!

Note: This manual offers no screenshots, because the results are strongly different depending on your browser, Operating System, age, financial position and politic stance.

Versions supported by this extension

• Jomla! 1.5
• Joomla! 1.6
• Joomla! 1.7
• Nooku Server

About this extension

Nonumer Extensions Manager is a mysterious component, that is known by all. But no-one knows how to really use it. Until now.

Installing the extension - permissions

Before you can start to use NoNumber Extension Manager you will need to install it.  To install  a component, you’ll need to be either:

• a Super Administrator (Joomla 1.5)
• a Super User (Joomla 1.6 or higher)

Installing the extension – Process

To install the extension, you’ll need to log in at the back-end of your site. You can usually reach the administrator panel by going to www.exampledomainname.com/ administrator

Joomla 1.5

1. 1.Log in using your username and password.
2. 2.Click ‘Extensions --> Install / Uninstall’
3. 3.Select the extension you want to install:

• Click “Select file”
• Select the file
• Click ‘Upload file & Install’

When the installation is successfully installed, you’ll get a message that confirms this.  You can now start using the extension!

Joomla 1.7

1. 1.Log in using your username and password.
2. 2.Click ‘Extensions --> Extension Manager’
3. 3.Select the extension you want to install:

• Click “Select file”
• Select the file
• Click ‘Upload file & Install’

When the installation is successfully installed, you’ll get a message that confirms this.  You can now start using the extension!

Installation with NoNumber Extension Manager

Open the Nonumber Extension Manager, and install the What? Nothing! Extension.  Not sure how to do this? Then check our manual about using the NoNumber Extension Manager.

Using the extension.

1. Take a look around. You won’t find the extension in the “Components” section.
2. Tried the Modules yet? You’re out of luck, you won’t find it there either.
3. By this point, you’re thinking “This is pointless” and want to uninstall the extension, because it does exactly what it’s advertised to do: Nothing, nada, niente, rien, niks.

• Go to “Install / Uninstall” and try uninstalling the extension.  If at first you don’t see it, look again. Fooled you! It’s not there! Now that you realize that you’ve been fooled,  it’s time to save your dignity, or what's left of it. Use all Social Media at your disposal to tell people “How awesome is NoNumber What? Nothing? It’s the best!”.  Act mysterious about what it does – you don’t want people to find out that you installed an extension which doesn't do anything at all, would you?  
  
  
• Now what? You now have to try to talk someone else into installing this extension, so the joke is on them.  Maybe point them to this manual, so they might think they can actually do something.     

On friday, a new section was added to the website.  This section, titled "Online manuals" offers manuals on various topics.

Although my manuals are usually writting in a text editor like Microsoft Word, I found it to be unpractical to publish manuals as a PDF ilke I used to.  I am much more comfortable with creating an article in Joomla than making a PDF manual "look good", so there.  Plus, it has always been the goal of this site to post manuals as articles...

So there you have it: a brand new "Online Manuals" section. The first manual published there covers the Nonumber Extension Manager.

Scope

This guide helps you to install and use the Joomla! Extension Nonumber Extension Manager. We’re going to assume the following:

• You already downloaded the file

•  You still remember where it’s located…

Versions supported by this extension

• Joomla! 1.5
• Joomla! 1.6
• Joomla! 1.7
• Nooku Server

About this extension

Nonumer Extensions Manager is a component, that makes it easy to install the various extensions by NoNumber.  A usefull component indeed, as Nonumber currently offers more than twenty extensions to the public. The component also offers one-click updates, making it very simple to always stay up to date.

Installing the extension - permissions

Before you can start to use NoNumber Extension Manager you will need to install it.  To install  a component, you’ll need to be either:

• a Super Administrator (Joomla! 1.5 or Nooku Server)
• A Super User (Joomla! 1.6 or Joomla! 1.7)

Installing the extension – Process

To install the extension, you’ll need to log in at the back-end of your site. You can usually reach the administrator panel by going to www.exampledomainname.com/ administrator

Joomla 1.5

1. Log in using your username and password.
2. Click 'Extensions --> Install / Uninstall'
3. Select the extension you want to install:

• • Click "Select file"
  • Select the file
  • Click 'Upload file & Install'

When the installation is successfully installed, you’ll get a message that confirms this.  You can now start using the extension!

Joomla 1.7

1. Log in using your username and password.
2. Click 'Extensions --> Extension Manager'
3. Select the extension you want to install:

• Click "Select file"

• Select the file

• Click 'Upload file & Install'

When the installation is successfully installed, you’ll get a message that confirms this.  You can now start using the extension!

Using your component – The first step

To start using Nonumber Extension Manager, go to the administrator panel.   Log in using your username and password, if needed to.

In the Components Menu , click the name of the extension.  You’ll now see the following screen:

Basic functions

Installing an extension

The NN Extension Manager allows you to install extensions with a single click.  If you’ve found the extension you want to install, click the “Install” button.  After you’ve confirmed you want to install the extension, you’ll see a screen saying “Installing…”

Once the installation is done, you’ll be notified.  The screen will look like below:

Upgrading an extension

Not only does the Nonumber Extension Manager offer one-click installs, it also allows you to update these extensions with one single click.  When a new version for one of the extensions is available, you’ll be warned of this as seen below:

Fun fact: Yes, you can update the Extension Manager using the Extension Manager…

Update or install multiple extensions

The Nonumber Extension Manager also allows you to update or install multiple extensions at once.  To do so, you need to use the buttons above the list.

• Install all: When you click this button, all Nonumber extensions will be installed.  Keep in mind that it might take a while to install all the extensions.  Also, ask yourself this question: Do you really need to install all those extensions?
   
• Update all: Clicking this button will upgrade all extensions that can be upgraded.  This too can take a while if you’ve got many extensions that need to be upgraded.
   
• Install / Update Selected: Allows you to check the extensions you want to upgrade or install.  By clicking this button they’ll all be installed or updated at the same time.  We double-checked:  It’s possible to update extensions AND install new ones at once.

Installing license codes

The NoNumber Extension Manager also allows you to install the Nonumber license codes.  Installing these license codes is simple, depending on the type of license key you purchased.

•  Single extension code:  Enter the license code in the appropriate field, and click the “Save” button.
   
• All licenses key: To install a license key for all extensions, you need to enter it at the license key field at the top, and then click the “Save” button.

And that's all there is to it! If you're ever planning to use a Nonumber extension, this is the first one you'll want to install.  I hope this manual helped you to understand this component better.

We've made a few changes to the Ninjaboard manual we published a few days ago.  

After re-reading the manual, I realized that something was "wrong" in the section about creating forums.  When creating the "Secret" forum, we suggested setting specific instructions for the "Administrator" and "Moderator" group.

This step isn't neccesary, as both groups will have the proper rights (seing the forum, posting in the forum and moderating them) by default.  All that is really needed to turn the forum into a secret forum, is denying access to all other User Groups.

To reflect this, we've updated the manual.  The link hasn't been changed.  

Download the updated manual here.