Joomla, http://www.joomla.org, is an Open Source Content Management System which can provide extensive management of the content of a website. As many companies shift from brochure, or sites displaying just text and images, to highly interactive sites with forms, blogs, video, and ecommerce, Joomla eases the migration.
Commercial and free Joomla extensions number in the thousands. If you are working on your own, and trying to add extensions, it could be a challenge in time management to research each extsension, and the database tables associated with it. Many extenisons will add datbase tables to the core, and understanding the table relationships, can ease the development or addition of new functionality.
Some web sites like http://www.joomlapackages.com, offer Joomla with several useful extensions, and monetize by providing additional services. These extension-rich packages can greatly reduce the completion time of the site.
If you are looking to expand the content of your site frequently, and desire more control, consider using a CMS.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Testing Phases
In this entry, testing phases of a project will be presented.
During development, the technical developers on a team, while possibly co-located with business users, still need to have environments set up for their coding. Programming and debugging tools, computers with fast processors, revision, and document management applications, facilitate the delivery of the products in an efficient manner.
The phases of delivery, while rapid in processes such as Agile, http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/scrum, may require separate environments for testing phases. A developer has completed coding, and tests the application on their workstation, without affecting the systems of other team members. This can be called Unit Testing.
Placing Unit tested code in an environment which contains the base configuration of the target application, but is not in a combined testing environment, is termed Systems Test.
Sometimes a forgotten area of testing is the Systems test environment. For larger integrated systems, combining servers, multiple layers server applications, and the introduction of new technologies, each sub-team may need their own systems test area. Many projects will place code directly into the Integration Test environment.
Integration Testing is where all the development code, technologies and components are combined to test all functionality.
Finally, an area for the user’s running their use cases/business process is usually called UAT (User Acceptance Testing). This environment most closely resembles production.
Again, in a rapid development environment, the developer’s code can jump quickly from unit, system to integration, and with co-located users, the UAT can proceed quickly.
Introducing the whole team to the concept of phased testing, can assist in the efficiency of delivering the project on time, and in budget.
During development, the technical developers on a team, while possibly co-located with business users, still need to have environments set up for their coding. Programming and debugging tools, computers with fast processors, revision, and document management applications, facilitate the delivery of the products in an efficient manner.
The phases of delivery, while rapid in processes such as Agile, http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/scrum, may require separate environments for testing phases. A developer has completed coding, and tests the application on their workstation, without affecting the systems of other team members. This can be called Unit Testing.
Placing Unit tested code in an environment which contains the base configuration of the target application, but is not in a combined testing environment, is termed Systems Test.
Sometimes a forgotten area of testing is the Systems test environment. For larger integrated systems, combining servers, multiple layers server applications, and the introduction of new technologies, each sub-team may need their own systems test area. Many projects will place code directly into the Integration Test environment.
Integration Testing is where all the development code, technologies and components are combined to test all functionality.
Finally, an area for the user’s running their use cases/business process is usually called UAT (User Acceptance Testing). This environment most closely resembles production.
Again, in a rapid development environment, the developer’s code can jump quickly from unit, system to integration, and with co-located users, the UAT can proceed quickly.
Introducing the whole team to the concept of phased testing, can assist in the efficiency of delivering the project on time, and in budget.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Blogs and Content Management Systems
The evolution for the creation and implementation of a website begins with a desire to establish a presence on the internet. Many people begin by creating web pages with basic information such as a home page, about us, products or services, possible links, and finally a contact us page.
The selection of graphics and images may take a back seat when a template is used just so the site can be up as quick as possible. In this case many are electing to start with blogs, containing established templates of colors and styling, so the client can concentrate on the content. Indeed blog systems such as Blogger itself, http://www.blogger.com/, has many features, enabling one to begin communicating on the internet very quickly.
Types of sites:
The selection of graphics and images may take a back seat when a template is used just so the site can be up as quick as possible. In this case many are electing to start with blogs, containing established templates of colors and styling, so the client can concentrate on the content. Indeed blog systems such as Blogger itself, http://www.blogger.com/, has many features, enabling one to begin communicating on the internet very quickly.
Types of sites:
- Brochure sites, or business card sites provide information about the company/person/non-profit with images and text.
- The next level is a Slightly Interactive site where someone can send a request via a form for more information, or add comments which are then emailed to the webmaster or designated reviewer.
- Highly Interactive sites allow for specialized logins for customers, purchase capabilities (ecommerce), and can include instant messaging with agents on standby, as well as other features.
Blogs and Content Management systems provide for highly interactive site capability, and with the plethora of additional plug-ins, become a certain selection for many. Joomla, an Open Source CMS, http://www.joomla.org/, has much support, and continuously evolves in ease of use.
Between CMS packages, and blog systems, creating an internet presence, is becoming easier.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Fast Internet Acces and Wi-Fi Hotspots
Technical people love to hear about different technologies and the stages of development. There are many good sites, two of which are used here.
Finland stated it would mandate fast internet usage as a right to its 5.2 million citizens. see http://ping.fm/Te7Z6
On a side note "USA leads the public Wi-Fi hotspots race by a huge margin. The country has 67,420 hotspots, more than double of the country that is second, China (28,678 hotspots). Here are the top ranking cities in USA:
1. New York : 887
2. San Francisco : 872
3. Chicago : 792
4. Houston : 616
5. Seattle : 615
6. Los Angeles : 503
7. Atlanta : 451
8. San Diego : 439
9. San Antonio : 430
10. Austin : 417" source: http://ping.fm/fWorZ
Finland stated it would mandate fast internet usage as a right to its 5.2 million citizens. see http://ping.fm/Te7Z6
On a side note "USA leads the public Wi-Fi hotspots race by a huge margin. The country has 67,420 hotspots, more than double of the country that is second, China (28,678 hotspots). Here are the top ranking cities in USA:
1. New York : 887
2. San Francisco : 872
3. Chicago : 792
4. Houston : 616
5. Seattle : 615
6. Los Angeles : 503
7. Atlanta : 451
8. San Diego : 439
9. San Antonio : 430
10. Austin : 417" source: http://ping.fm/fWorZ
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