Development Tools and their Functions of Adobe Flex

Adobe Flex development environment typically provides Flex developers similar tools and asset types that the Flex developers work with to create Flex applications. 

Files for Configuration

Flex developers should be familiar with the type of configuration they need for developing the environment they are planning to develop. Adobe Flex Software Development Kit (SDK) provides the files for the settings so that the Flex developer can use in XML format.

The default compiler options for the compiler are defined by the lex-config.xml file and this need not be separately done by the Flexprogrammer developing the environment.

The messaging and data management settings, Adobe Flash player settings, the heap size of JVM, and logging and cache settings too can be altered by the Flex programmers in addition to the alterable configurations of server and compiler.

Functionalities of Compilers 

A Flex programmer developing an environment is provided with both application compilers and component compilers by Adobe Flex. The application compiler can be used by Flex developers to compile SWF files from MXML and other source files. From the component files the Flex programmers can compile the SWC files using the component compiler. According to each Flex developer’s needs the SWC files can be used either as dynamic or static libraries with the Flex applications used by the Flex programmer.

Forms of Application Compiler

The application compiler is present in the below forms which the Flex developers can use:

•   Adobe Flex builder project compiler. The Flex Builder Project compiler is opened for Flex programmers by Flex Builder for library projects in Flex.
•   mxmlc command-line compiler. Flex developers can open the mxmlc command-line compiler from the command to create a SWF file that can be deployed to a website by the Flex programmers. 
•   Web-Tier Compiler. The Flex module for Apache and IIS compiler provides web-tier compilation of MXML files on Apache and IIS web servers for the Flex developers. This enables the Flex programmers to effortlessly and quickly compile, deploy and test your applications. Flex developers can simply refresh the MXML files in their browsers instead of compiling the MXML file into a SWF file and then deploying it and its wrapper files directly to the web servers.

Forms of Component Compilers

The component complier is also present in different forms from which the Flex programmers can choose and use:

•  Flex Builder library project compiler. The Flex Builder component compiler is opened by Flex Builder for Flex library projects.

•  compc command-line compiler. You open the compc compiler from the command line to create SWC files. You can use these SWC files as static component libraries, themes, or runtime shared libraries (RSLs).

Types of Debugger

Flex developers run the application SWF files in a web browser or the stand-alone Flash Player to test the application for bugs and/or errors. If a Flex developer finds errors in the application debugging tools can be used to set and manage breakpoints in the code written for the application.

Flex developers can avail the following debugging tools from Flex:

•   Flex Builder Debugger – This aspect of debugging from Flex provide the Flex programmers all the efficient tools expected from a robust and a competent development tool.

•   The fdb command-line debugger – The fdb uses the technique of command-line debugging where the Flex developers and Flex programmers can step into the code, and analyze and debug the application.

•  AIR Debug Launcher (ADL) - ADL is a command line debugger for Adobe® AIR™ applications that you can use outside of Flex Builder.

These are tools should be analyzed and understood by all Flex programmers before they start developing any kind of environment using Flex.

About DCKAP

DCKAP (www.dckap.com) is a Fremont, CA based global technology Services Company delivering technology driven business solutions that meet the strategic objectives of the clients. Founded in 2005, with offices in California & Colorado, USA, the UK, Australia and a development center in India, DCKAP has earned appreciation from well respected Fortune 100 companies for its competent services.

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Significances of Finding an Apt Joomla! Web Design Agency

Many Joomla!developers and programmers keep pondering if opting for a Joomla! Web Design Agency is a profitable idea or not. But before choosing an agency to develop a website using Joomla! there are certain basic factors which have to checked to analyze the efficiency of the agency to which the website is handed over to.

There are few key characteristics which are to be highlighted and looked at while choosing the agency so that the website turns out to be highly productive and yields the expected profits.

Factors Involved in Finding the Right Joomla! Design Agency

Preference to Joomla! Specialists

Many agencies are working with Joomla! these days but finding the one which specializes only on Joomla! will yield far better and optimized results. This is because of the basic reason that the agencies which work with a little of everything from different CMS design to photography to marketing might not be experts in all the fields they are handling whereas agencies which specialize only on Joomla! are bound to be experts in it.

In the case under discussion it is important to find a Joomla! developer having expertise in Joomla CMS and has the uncanny ability to do any kind of task given at any moment. This will make sure that the agency is capable of developing a website with all the requirements and have effective workflows. Such an agency will also be able to tackle problems efficiently.

Agency’s Customization Capabilities

At almost all times the factor which enables a website to be developed in the most efficient way is to have customization done to help optimize the site. The work of identifying an agency does not end with finding one which specializes in Joomla! but the agency has to be able to create custom extensions or custom modify existing extensions so that the requirements given to them for the website is satisfied in a method adapted exclusively which will amplify the potential of the website.

It is also important to find a Joomla! web design agency that can custom create a Joomla! template from scratch for your company. This will enhance the extensibility of the project and ensure that the website is both UX/UI optimized but also effectively displays company branding and image.

Analyzing the Agency’s Portfolio

The promises that a Joomla! agency give would be various but to be certain about them, analyzing their portfolio will give the exact idea of the agency’s capacity. It is just reasonable to expect their own website to be sophisticated to expect them to build a superior website. It will be comforting if their Joomla! developers have already developed a website using Joomla! which has similar style and functionality to the website that is expected from them.

Extensibility of Joomla! Services 

The latest technologies offered by Joomla! are growing day by day and the number of Joomla! programmers and developers updating themselves is also by and large proportional so finding an agency with such extensible characteristics is also crucial.

With Joomla! plunging itself into the mobile market it becomes imperative that the website designed in these times have to compatible with such advancements. Some of the state of the art features with regards to the mobile platform that are provided by some agencies are:

• Custom mobile template creation
• Joomla mobile website conversions
• Mobile website optimization
• Custom native phone app development

These are some of the basic features that have to be looked upon before choosing a Joomla! Web Design Agency. Without taking some precautionary measures and scaling the abilities of an agency, handing over a website is not advisable. But to be ultra-sure about an agency’s capacities more intense steps of analyzing could be done according to each other’s needs.

To hire joomla programmers, joomla programmer, joomla developer and joomla developers

Visit: www.dckap.com 

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Joomla’s Latest Features’ Advantages

DCKAP has come up with the latest technologies of Joomla and has enhanced its provisions to clients. Joomla developers from DCKAP have been using Joomla for developing simple blog sites to building complex business websites.

 

The latest release of Joomla and its updates has been reviewed by various Joomla developers and Joomla programmers as one of the best website development applications. Many Joomla developers from all around the world using various platforms such as Windows Vista 64-bit, Windows 7, Windows 7 64-bit, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Linux and Mac OS X, have been using this open source content management framework for publishing and developing content on the world wide web and independently.

 

Joomla has attained the position of being one of the best content management systems for various reasons but the reason for the increase in the number of Joomla developer and Joomla programmers is Joomla’s search engine friendly aspect.

 

There are various techniques used by a Joomla developer during the development of a website using Joomla which boosts its chances of being optimally placed in a Search Engine such as Google, Yahoo!, Bing etc. But for using these techniques the Joomla programmer has to have some basic understanding of Search Engine Optimization.

 

As Joomla is an open source content management system the Joomla programmers get a chance to study the system intricately and understand its working efficiently. The core installation package of Joomla is instantly installable and can be used immediately after it is installed. Once the package is installed and loaded in the Joomla developer’s platform it can be used to develop and manage content without adding any independent extensions.

 

These new added features of Joomla are integrated in DCKAP by its team of Joomla programmers in an efficient way to provide customers with applications and content with world-class quality.

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The First JoomlaDay in China

Joomla in China has a long tradition. Derek Joe is the head of the Chinese Translation team since Mambo days and runs joomla.cn. The Chinese Joomla forum attracts 12,000 members. Most of them are spread all over the country. As you know, China is a quite big country and many Joomla users cannot afford to spend a few days for traveling to and attending a JoomlaDay. At this first event 110 delegates registered and 80+ attended.

The event was held in the German Centre. A kind of conference and office space where eBay has its offices too.

Open source software in China is seen as free software in the sense of free, as in free beer. There seems to be also a lack of understanding of the GPL and the ideas of an open source community. People first have to think of earning money and they have simply not the time to investigate and/or collaborate in software projects. Another reason is that the language barrier is quite high. Younger people learn English at school and they understand it very well. Speaking is not that easy. In both ways. English speakers are mostly not able to speak Mandarin and vice versa. An additional little problem is that the Shanghai dialect is very different from Mandarin. 

If you want to run a website in China, you have to ask for a license. If it is an easy case it takes a month, if not it can be very complicated. I met a few people like Derek Joe who consult clients on Joomla websites, ecommerce and other services based on Joomla. Joomla is not well known in China and clients often cannot imagine what's possible with it. It's good to have eBay as a strong voice talking about the platform. It is very necessary to tell people more about the CMS and available extensions! Maybe the translated Joomla! 2.5 Beginner's Guide is a start.

China is blocking websites like Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, YouTube and more (Google+ is available). Many people use proxies to connect to these sites. Luckily, I had an old URL of the Joomla promo video (Joomla 

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For Free consultation on regarding Jomsocial Expert, Jom Social Experts Hire your Joomla Programmers, Joomla Developers log on to http://www.dckap.com/

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Looking for Help with Joomla's Social Networks

Over the last few years, a lot of work has gone into Joomla's social media resources, particularly Twitter and Facebook.
We now have over 75,000 Facebook fans and 33,000 Twitter followers.
As these social channels get busier, we're looking for additional help in managing these five Joomla accounts:

• Twitter: http://twitter.com/joomla
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/joomla
• Google+: https://plus.google.com/112939345266070287086/posts
• LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Official-Joomla-Users-Group-52867
• YouTube: http://youtube.com/joomla

With Twitter we simply need help posting.
With the other four networks we need help posting but also moderating.

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Extensive Analysis of Joomla! Working Procedure

Joomla! the content management system is a very well known and well spread system used by various developers for their websites as well as intranet. With Joomla! developing and updating itself in frequent intervals the number of Joomla! developers developing sites has gone rocketing.

 

Joomla! is used in creating versatile website and manage content like static pages, blogs, polls, news feeds, and search features. The features that attract developers to adopt Joomla! are the rich looks that it gives the websites and the level of ease in developing sites for the developers.

 

Installing Joomla!

Once, while installing, it is made sure that the requirements are met by the webhosts then the task of installing is very simple and straightforward. These include an Apache Web Server, a MySQL database, and PHP. The webhost company can be contacted to gain information on the availability of PHP, MySQL and Apache in the server. If these are not available in the server then they have to be installed individually and if that is not possible a new host has to obtained. Joomla is designed for and tested on many LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) configurations, but it might work on some Windows or MacOS systems, too. The installation process consists of two stages and they are:

• FTP the files to server 
• Run the obtained installer file which will setup the necessary files on the platform 

 Joomla! will automatically manage the permissions for every file and directory on the site via FTP, so separately doing this task will not be necessary.

 

Plugins – Joomla! Extensions

Like every other Content Management System, Joomla! too needs extensions in the form of plugins to work as a complete unit. There are latest plugins which are developed in massive quantities by Joomla developers every day. The Joomla! SEO Patch is a very vital plugin which is provided as a free commercial version by its developer. For backup and site maintenance there is another plugin called the Joomla! Pack which is a suite of enhanced tools which optimizes the usage of Joomla! by Joomla! developers to enhance the site. VirtueMart is another plugin which enables the conversion of a Joomla! site into a complete e-store.

The Joomla extension directory offers a lot of additional functionality for Joomla sites. To find if a specific extension is active and being updated the reviews on that extension could be referred. 

 

Templates

Numerous Joomla! templates are available on the internet as per requirements Joomla Programmers can opt for the ones provided for free or the ones that are tagged premium which could be bought. Apart from the major entities of a template which are the images, HTML and CSS code, Joomla developer can also use new functionalities called “Modules”. Different components and entities could be added by Joomla! developers to their sites using these Modules in a very simple and effortless way. By adding a unique code the Joomla! developers can add Modules to their website and pages easily. 

 

Components, Forms and other website "stuff"

The latest components that are being developed by developers from all over the world are acting as the backbone for all Joomla! sites and pages. The latest components that are being built will not be installed with the Joomla! pack, so users have to install these components separately to be updates with state of the art developments. Forms can be instantaneously created in Joomla! and can be added to the page or site immediately. One of the simplest form creators is the component performs.

 

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Flex Developers in Distress as Adobe Scraps Flash Catalyst

Companies like DCKAP developing services for its clients using the Software Development Kit, Apache Flex are in state of anxiety after the Adobe Flash Catalyst tool has not been provisioned with the new CS6 version. Adobe has decided to discontinue the production of Flash Catalyst in order to streamline the product line. With Flash Catalyst, user interface architects from DCKAP were creating the user interface for Adobe Flex (now Adobe Flash Builder 4) applications using Adobe graphic software. Then Flex developers used the result to build the rest of the application in Flex.

It is much expected that the Adobe Flash Catalyst has to remain intact until the Flex community comes up with an alternative which has all the potentials of replacing the Flash Catalyst efficiently and which can be used by Flex developers for rapid Flex app prototyping and Flex skinning techniques.
Now the Flex developers and flex programmers are blaming Adobe which was forever delaying the release of a fully featured Designer/Developer workflow which was finally introduced with Flash Catalyst CS5.5 and Flash Builder 4.5 this year.

Flash Catalyst works based on the idea of Visual learning. Visual learning is a teaching and learning style in which ideas, concepts, data and other information are associated with images and techniques. It is one of the three basic types of learning styles used by Flex developers in the widely used Fleming VAK/VARK model that also includes kinesthetic learning and auditory learning.

Discontinuing Flash Catalyst and removing it from the Creative Suite of Adobe means:

* This is distressing news for all people who prefer to design and think visually.
* It evokes worry for all Flex developers which have to navigate and code large-scale Flex apps.
* Flex designers that need to interact with Flex developers will have hassles.
* This is bad news for all Flex beginners because it adds another barrier while learning Flex development … and this is bad again because we need more highly skilled Flex developers around.

Following this, the website change.org has posted a petition demanding Adobe to sustain Flash Catalyst until a suitable alternative is found. It has also posted a set of questions which could be signed and it requests its users to buy the application to showcase the support.

About DCKAP
DCKAP (www.dckap.com) is a Fremont, CA based global technology Services Company delivering technology driven business solutions that meet the strategic objectives of the clients. Founded in 2005, with offices in California & Colorado, USA, the UK, Australia and a development center in India, DCKAP has earned appreciation from well respected Fortune 100 companies for its competent services.

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Truthout.org Finds Refuge in Joomla!

Truthout.org was one among those sites by Drupal which was outdated and scavenged by malicious attacks, and effortlessly hacked every week. Tired of being a pushover Truthout.org turned towards Joomla! Developers to transform the site’s platform to a more flexible and stable premise. 

 

Obstacles Wiped Out

From the initial stages the site had numerous problems and each problem was a hurdle to the Joomla! developers. The basic problem was the outdated and ill-maintained condition of the site which was making the site an easy target to bots and other aggressive functions to hack it in a regular basis. And securing the site from attacks from all directions was a task which looked like mountain to the Joomla developers. Once this was tackled the next hurdle rose, which was migrating such a huge database of large scale Drupal to Joomla! and this was the first of its kind. With combined content of 200,000+ articles alone, each with 15-20 unique fields in Drupal, and tens of thousands of users, this was definitely a unique challenge.

The process of migration was also done efficiently by the talented Joomla developer and the next task was to clone the site already exiting template from Drupal to a Joomla! template. And finally the high-profile site was secured from external threats. 

 

Procedural Structure of Joomla! Developer’s Job

Security

Delaying even minutes proved to be a security hazard for the site as it was getting hacked on a regular basis. Thus the preference for holding the old site was given priority even while the new site was being developed. Once the old site was kept in a secure place, the new site had to be secured accordingly and for this the Joomla! developers sought the help of the most reliable security providers SecureLive. 

 

Content Construction

The content which was already present in the Drupal site had to be cloned to the new Joomla! site. The content which was present in the old site had to be mapped in a order so that it could be imported and presented in Joomla!. To tackle this barrier of the need for content extension Joomla! developers adopted the K2 CCK. K2 was built as a complete replacement of the default article system in Joomla!.  K2 CCK can be installed like any Joomla! extension which will import articles from the default Joomla! article system and instantly get a host of new features for the existing content. There were many options which were considered by the Joomla! developers to manage the content but finally K2 was opted for as it was technically compatible with the specific format with which Drupal stores data. The work did not end with the process of importing the content, Joomla! developers had to go further and according to the client’s specification building of many custom K2 features to assist in both content editing, and presentation were done. 

 

User Management

While importing content Joomla! developers experience this difficulty of maintaining consistency in the association of user and content. In Joomla! (and K2) a single user can be assigned to a single article. With a news agency like Truthout.org it became necessary for the Joomla! developers to collaborate a single article with multiple users as there were numerous articles and series associated with a number of authors. As this problem was tackled recently by the Joomla team while working in a project for the United Nations, it was simple for them to handle it this time around. 

 

Overall Site Design

The final design of the site was the final frontier for this project as the new site had to be adopted entirely from the already existed Drupal template. To facilitate the requirements of the site layout, and the unique positioning of different modules and new module positions, Joomla! developers started with the T3 framework from Joomlart to build a flexible template that can easily be expanded as needed.

 

DCKAP can build robust and reliable applications on the Joomla framework with experienced Joomla developers, Joomla programmer, Joomla programmers, Joomla developer, Joomla development services, Joomla integration, Joomla programmers, migration, maintenance and support.

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Registered JUG changes

The Registered Joomla User Group team are pleased to announce that we are making some changes to enhance the relationship between the team and JUG coordinators.

* We have made a gallery page for the people in the team know who we are and what their special skills are.
* We are tweaking the JUG directory to ensure it stays up to date and is easier to handle that includes removing the deadwood and locating JUGs who have lost their way a bit.

* The rules are being translated to native languages similar to the German and Spanish ones already made. If you can assist in any way, please let us know.

* We will organise a regular JUG news spots and ask groups to have a general round up in the Registered JUG Google group. We suggest all sign up with the group,
Other behind the scenes improvements are :

* Have an ideal  7 day response limit from application to approval. (But this is not possible in all cases).

* Update and rebuild the JUG welcome pack

Thanks for reading and commenting in the people.joomla.org group

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Tips to Enhance Joomla Site’s Security

Joomla has established itself as one of the best Content Management Services in the industry. When sites around the globe start using a specific technology, naturally the security threats pivoting that technology also arises.

 

To tackle the increasing security hassles Joomla developers keep tweaking the site and the service in different ways to ensure the optimal configuration is obtained which can withstand any level of threats to the security. The following are some tips to the users and other Joomla developers for ensuring that the site they are developing or using is secure.

 

Proper Hosting Environment

For all site the platform in which the site is built is the basic foundation and it is always important to check if it is properly configured. There are numerous kinds of attacks that happen to sites hosted in a platform which has no tweaked its security and the arrangements are not done efficiently. Host your site on a server that runs PHP in CGI mode with su_php. This means that PHP runs under your own account user instead of the global Apache user and you don’t need to set insecure global permissions like CHMOD of 777.

a. Set register_globals OFF

b. Disable allow_url_fopen

c. Adjust the magic_quotes_gpc directive as needed for your site. The recommended setting for Joomla! 1.0.x is ON to protect against poorly-written extensions. Joomla! 1.5 ignores this setting and works fine either way.

d. Don’t use PHP safe_mode

 

Change the Default Database Prefix (jos_)

Every database is named in a default way and the names and extensions they are given are rather common. Due to this bots and other automated entities find it simple to attack the database by random ruling. To avoid this the during installation the default database prefix could be altered to something random rather than using the same default name of jos_users table which will prevent most of the SQL injection attacks as hackers try to retrieve superadmin details. 

 

Disable FTP Layer

FTP details are stored in the form of plain text under a Joomla configuration file. This becomes a potential security hole. To avoid this glitch it is recommended to all users, Joomla developers and Joomla programmers to disable the FTP layer.

 

Change Superadministrator Username

Bots and other hazards which try to attack a site are programmed in such a way that if the superadministrator’s username assigned by the Joomla developers has not been changed and remains to be “Admin”, it will easily get access to the site. To avoid this it is always wise to change the username and password of the superadministrator to something inconspicuous like “ted_123” etc. 

 

Setup a backup and recovery process
Joomla developers are notified to rely on a strong backup and recovery protocol for your live website. It’s not just hacking that may compromise your website but other factors like a faulty upgrade or extension install, hardware failure, hosting provider issues. You can use JoomlaPack, a non-commercial component native for both Joomla 1.0 and 1.5 for backup.

 

Use Strong Password

For administrator accounts it is advisable to use a strong password which cannot be deciphered by automated bots. Characteristics of a strong password that Joomla developer have to keep in mind are as follows:

·         has at least 15 characters;

·         has uppercase letters;

·         has lowercase letters;

·         has numbers;

·         has symbols, such as ` ! " ? $ ? % ^ & * ( ) _ - + = { [ } ] : ; @ ' ~ # | \ < , > . ? /

·         is not like your previous passwords;

·         is not your name;

·         is not your login;

·         is not your friend’s name;

·         is not your family member’s name;

·         is not a dictionary word;

·         is not a common name.

 

A good addition is to password protect the administrator folder. In apache web server, you can do this htaccess file or in cpanel, you can use Password Protected Directory option to setup a password. This will add another layer of username/password before someone reaches your Joomla admin details. Needless to say, have this password different from Joomla admin password.

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Flex Developers Rejoice in the Hands of New Apache Flex

DCKAP, capitalizing on the remarkable updates made by Flex, announced today the services which it will provide and about the elevations on the services it is going to offer. DCKAP and its Flex developers are excited that the new developments provided by Apache Flex, formerly known as Adobe Flex, have made Software Development Kit more accommodating and prompt.

Flex has been a very consistent and adaptable open source framework so now that it has gone into the hands of Flex programmers in the Apache Software Foundation it is expected to be more versatile and elegant, as instead of a single team there are going to be teams of Flex developers from both Apache Software Foundation and Adobe working on it. Programmers in Apache Software Foundation who had a glimpse around the already existing structure say that Flex is going to be developed in such a way that its cross-platform deploying abilities are going to spread out avidly.

The major concern in Flex Programmer’s heads is the speculation of factions migrating towards HTML5 from Flex, to flag such conjectures the Adobe team of Flex Developers pointed out some major advantages that Flex holds over HTML5. Factors such as feature-level consistency across multiple platforms, browsers, and devices; Flex programmers find it very simple to build complex user interfaces using the Flex component set and programming model; For developing large applications ActionScript 3 is an ideal object-oriented programming language; Supporting tools offer a productive development environment with respect to code editing, debugging, profiling, and testing.

As Flex too has been set in hands of expert Flex developers in Apache Software Foundation, DCKAP and its team of Flex developers are looking forward to developing innovative and competent applications.

About DCKAP
DCKAP (www.dckap.com) is a Fremont, CA based global technology Services Company delivering technology driven business solutions that meet the strategic objectives of the clients. Founded in 2005, with offices in California & Colorado, USA, the UK, Australia and a development center in India, DCKAP has earned appreciation from well respected Fortune 100 companies for its competent services.

2201 Walnut Ave, Suite 240
Fremont, CA 94538
Call US: 1 510.796.2525
Email: infoca@dckap.com

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A First Look at the Mobile-Ready Joomla 3.0

Joomla 3.0 is due in September and the team have been hard at work bringing the next era of Joomla to life.
One of the most important changes will be an overhaul of Joomla's design. Both the visitor and administrator areas are being redesigned from top-to-bottom.

The next web revolution will be the mobile revolution. As hundreds of millions more people come online, many of them will only be using mobile devices. Our aim is make Joomla 3.0 completely mobile-friendly, while still remaining recognizably Joomla.

Kyle Ledbetter and his Joomla Usability team ( http://ux.joomla.org ) are redesigning Joomla using Twitter Bootstrap. Twitter describes Bootstrap as being: "an extensive front-end toolkit for developing web sites and applications." Using Boostrap allows Joomla to create a mobile-ready experience based on a hugely popular framework that many other developers and designers already know and love. You can find the offical Bootstrap project homepage at http://twitter.github.com/bootstrap.

The release of Joomla 3.0 is still over five months away and much work is still to be done, but here are some teaser shots of where things are today. Look for more information as work progresses and head over to http://ux.joomla.org if you want to get involved.

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For Free consultation on regarding Jomsocial Expert, Jom Social Experts Hire your Joomla Programmers, Joomla Developers log on to http://www.dckap.com/

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