Copy from Team Lab

[DrSKooT]

OK here we go right?  Lets rock and roll

I'll publish some tools that I've started using that could be useful to other chapters or whatever....

Zeitgeist Global Chapters Map
http://maps.drskoot.com/

This started as one map but has been split into five. Google Maps only allows 200 place-marks per page and hence the interface is sloppy if you were to plot all points on one map with several pages. blah blah  The cool things is that is is open to public collaboration. Anyone can edit these, or share these. If you go to "View in larger Map" you will be taken to a Google page that will provide you with embed links and that be customized to fit your site.

Canada put it on their main page: http://www.zeitgeist-canada.com/
If anyone has any ideas on how to improve this idea please feel free to blast ideas.


I also have many suggestions on Joomla extensions that are mega awesome...

I like this template..  it's free, I'm just throwing that out there
http://joomla15.siteground.com/?template=123wd-j15-12
You could still add drop down menus and change the graphics a little.


So Menus?
http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/structure-a-navigation/menu-systems/menu-editors/168?qh=YTo4OntpOjA7czo1OiJtZW51cyI7aToxO3M6NDoibWVudSI7aToyO3M6NjoibWVudWVzIjtpOjM7czo2OiJtZW51J3MiO2k6NDtzOjY6IidtZW51JyI7aTo1O3M6NToibWVudSciO2k6NjtzOjc6IidtZW51JywiO2k6NztzOjU6Im1lbnVlIjt9
swMenuFree 6.1  is a fully customizable drop down menu module that totally kicks ass.

Community Builder
http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/clients-a-communities/communities/210?qh=YTozOntpOjA7czoyOiJjYiI7aToxO3M6NDoiY2IncyI7aToyO3M6MzoiY2InIjt9
A super awesome user management system. Allows for more customized grouping, enhanced registration process, give users profile pages with tabs for different features, avatars, integrates with messaging systems..  all totally customizable and it rocks.

Messaging system
http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/communication/pms/3206?qh=YToxOntpOjA7czo2OiJ1ZGRlaW0iO30%3D
Uddeim. Awesome simple small working messaging system that integrates into community builder.



I have implemented these and more on the FL chapter site. Granted many people don't like the gray, and you will need to register to see all the features. You should also know this is now a dead project cause I no long have admin access.
http://chapters.thezeitgeistmovement.com/fl/

Using the above template this is what I wanted the FL chapter to look like.
http://chapters.thezeitgeistmovement.com/fl/jsmallfib_top/Florida%20Chapter%20Site%20Proposal.png
There is no top menu on that picture, sorry. But I would want a top drop down menu. 
Sorry i haven't been able to move forward on this...   breaks my heart.


How did I host that file? With an awesome file cabinet extension.
http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/core-enhancements/file-management/11909?qh=YTo4OntpOjA7czo0OiJmaWxlIjtpOjE7czo1OiJmaWxlcyI7aToyO3M6NToiZmlsZSciO2k6MztzOjU6ImZpbGVkIjtpOjQ7czo2OiJmaWxlZHMiO2k6NTtzOjY6ImZpbGUncyI7aTo2O3M6NjoiZmlsaW5nIjtpOjc7czo2OiJmaWxlcyciO30%3D
Can be set for various levels of access for public, user, and group levels. integrates with Community Builder, which I will now be calling CB. Simple and easy.

Looks like this
http://files.drskoot.com/
Register for the FL site yet? You can view that file cabinet here.
http://chapters.thezeitgeistmovement.com/fl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=94&Itemid=142


And now that you've so happily registered check out this page
Members Search/List
http://chapters.thezeitgeistmovement.com/fl/index.php?option=com_comprofiler&task=userslist&listid=2&Itemid=143
List can be organized anyway, I chose by latest log in, to highlight most active users for trying to connect with others. You'll notice on that page there is a drop down menu that will allow you to select smaller groups of members. This can be configured with any string so that once a user joins a particular group or selects a customized selection during registration or in there profile they will automatically be assigned to that list making them easier to find for other members.. run on sentence....  basically it's awesome, This is built into CB and I really like it. Have different templates and blah blah lbah



Extension called Lyften Bloggie
http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/news-production/blog/9883?qh=YToyOntpOjA7czoxMzoibHlmdGVuYmxvZ2dpZSI7aToxO3M6MTU6Imx5ZnRlbmJsb2dnaWUncyI7fQ%3D%3D
Lets user publish articles like what I'm doing right now without needing upgraded joomla access. Basically it's easier than "Adding an article"    know what I mean?  Integrates with CB to make a blog tab on user page,  I have that CB plugin somewhere, it's not on the Joomla site yet. Just ask me for it if you've made it this far.

Blog Front Page looks like this
http://drskoot.com/index.php?option=com_lyftenbloggie&view=lyftenbloggie&category=0&Itemid=95
User Tabs look like this..
http://chapters.thezeitgeistmovement.com/fl/index.php?option=com_comprofiler&Itemid=58  <--HOTNESS
I haven't created a public profile page for the drskoot site yet...


Yo I can even see your tweets on the page bro!
http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/extension-specific/community-builder-extensions/community-builder-social-web/7672
Twitter for CB..  yup


CB actually has a fuck-ton of extensions for it... Many are Non-Commercial
http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/extension-specific/community-builder-extensions

So I could go way on about joomla extensions..   But I'll let you get started with that and we can get more specific as questions arise..


What other cool shit can you show me?
Well you registered for the FL site...  RIGHT?
Handouts.
http://chapters.thezeitgeistmovement.com/fl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82&Itemid=90
Obviously there could be more..  I need you to make them. I still have more puzzle pieces to work on
Lectures:
http://chapters.thezeitgeistmovement.com/fl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=104&Itemid=166
All in one place..  yea, we could add more. =)
Google FL members map
http://chapters.thezeitgeistmovement.com/fl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=104&Itemid=166
Lots of groups have done this..   just like the map above but with users instead of chapters.

You may also notice I consolidated the top menu.. It actually has double drop downs..  thanks swMenuFree. Actually now that I look at it. I'm realizing I'm not seeing everything cause I'm no longer an admin..  but there was a movies section and I had some other shit on there..   hmmm   some of it's gone. I dunno   again dead project. sorry



OK  there..   yea?   anyone else.   lets do this..  Don't stop here. Make an article about what you do

[Nick Polimeni]

Hi, Doc, there were a lot of links to study, so I didn't get to this as soon as I had wanted.  Comments, between your lines:

On Monday, May 2, 2011 4:07:09 PM UTC+8, Doc wrote:

OK here we go right?  Lets rock and roll

I'll publish some tools that I've started using that could be useful to other chapters or whatever....

Zeitgeist Global Chapters Map
http://maps.drskoot.com/

The link causes to pop up the download dialog box, which tells me I'm going to download a file called Index.php. I didn't think you meant for this to happen, so I manually typed the link, but still got the same. I went ahead and opened the index.php, and I found nothing inside... Please, explain

This started as one map but has been split into five. Google Maps only allows 200 place-marks per page and hence the interface is sloppy if you were to plot all points on one map with several pages. blah blah  The cool things is that is is open to public collaboration. Anyone can edit these, or share these. If you go to "View in larger Map" you will be taken to a Google page that will provide you with embed links and that be customized to fit your site.

Canada put it on their main page: http://www.zeitgeist-canada.com/
If anyone has any ideas on how to improve this idea please feel free to blast ideas.

I went to the Canada site above. It's very pretty, and one can spend time looking at pictures, and waiting for the squares to fill up with their corresponding pictures.  This is not my favorite type of presentation, which is graphics loaded, as not only takes too much time to load, but also, makes it necessary to examine each graphic to find out what it is about.

I'm old school, and prefer the nitty gritty of information, I would prefer to find a list of type of things from which to choose... But, be that as it may, I could endure it if someone gave me links to specific information of my interest. hehe

 

I also have many suggestions on Joomla extensions that are mega awesome...

I like this template..  it's free, I'm just throwing that out there
http://joomla15.siteground.com/?template=123wd-j15-12
You could still add drop down menus and change the graphics a little.

This is more my kind of page; more information about places to go. Easier to browse, and read for what I'm looking for. One thing that I would like (although it's not to say you don't have it, because it's a short blog,) is to be able to have a choice to see a very long list down the middle of the page, if such list existed.  The least paging around to read stuff, the better... Pages that breakdown into several web pages, are a nuisance. May sites are using a feature saying, "read as a single page," and it reloads an entire article without breaking down into page 1, 2, etc.

So Menus?
http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/structure-a-navigation/menu-systems/menu-editors/168?qh=YTo4OntpOjA7czo1OiJtZW51cyI7aToxO3M6NDoibWVudSI7aToyO3M6NjoibWVudWVzIjtpOjM7czo2OiJtZW51J3MiO2k6NDtzOjY6IidtZW51JyI7aTo1O3M6NToibWVudSciO2k6NjtzOjc6IidtZW51JywiO2k6NztzOjU6Im1lbnVlIjt9
swMenuFree 6.1  is a fully customizable drop down menu module that totally kicks ass.

Really good system; I like it. One thing I would like to see is mouse-over menu to see submenus, and choose therefrom. I think this feature is available as a widget from somebody or other.

Another problem is that what I assume were language flags, overlapped with text. That's probably because the browser I'm using, i.e.: Sea Monkey. Seamonkey is now better than Firefox used to be; why do not developers make adjustments for it?

The functionality of that Menu system (I guess that's how you call it?) is excellent. Gives a lot in the front page. There is one point I would prefer to be different: The front page, in my opinion, should have a lot less stuff, and just enough to segment the site into five or six major areas.  The long left margin menu can remain, as it will help those who had been here before, and are familiar with where they want to go... but for new comers, a short list of where to go and what to do would be more conducive for the new user to stay a while.

 

Community Builder
http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/clients-a-communities/communities/210?qh=YTozOntpOjA7czoyOiJjYiI7aToxO3M6NDoiY2IncyI7aToyO3M6MzoiY2InIjt9
A super awesome user management system. Allows for more customized grouping, enhanced registration process, give users profile pages with tabs for different features, avatars, integrates with messaging systems..  all totally customizable and it rocks.

This looks like an ad for Community Builder, a Joomla add-on. Do you have an actual sample of such builder working anywhere? I am biased towards liking something just because you present it... but I'm sure folks here would like to see more. 

Messaging system
http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/communication/pms/3206?qh=YToxOntpOjA7czo2OiJ1ZGRlaW0iO30%3D
Uddeim. Awesome simple small working messaging system that integrates into community builder.

Again, would be nice to see it working.

I have implemented these and more on the FL chapter site. Granted many people don't like the gray, and you will need to register to see all the features. You should also know this is now a dead project cause I no long have admin access.
http://chapters.thezeitgeistmovement.com/fl/

I don't mind gray... in fact, I don't mind plain charcol on soft green, as probably one of the best color combinations for the visually challenged folks, like myself... I don't like stark white background, with stark black. Soft grey is not bad, if the type contract is easy to the eye.

Well your point is that you're a Joomla guru of the highest magnitude, which I have no doubts about.

Using the above template this is what I wanted the FL chapter to look like.
http://chapters.thezeitgeistmovement.com/fl/jsmallfib_top/Florida%20Chapter%20Site%20Proposal.png
There is no top menu on that picture, sorry. But I would want a top drop down menu. 
Sorry i haven't been able to move forward on this...   breaks my heart.

Nice magic work ... maps are always dear to me, because they cary useful information, and I presume, links would be available from various points on the map.

 

How did I host that file? With an awesome file cabinet extension.
http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/core-enhancements/file-management/11909?qh=YTo4OntpOjA7czo0OiJmaWxlIjtpOjE7czo1OiJmaWxlcyI7aToyO3M6NToiZmlsZSciO2k6MztzOjU6ImZpbGVkIjtpOjQ7czo2OiJmaWxlZHMiO2k6NTtzOjY6ImZpbGUncyI7aTo2O3M6NjoiZmlsaW5nIjtpOjc7czo2OiJmaWxlcyciO30%3D
Can be set for various levels of access for public, user, and group levels. integrates with Community Builder, which I will now be calling CB. Simple and easy.

I'm not a backend type these days anymore... so I'll take your word for it.

Looks like this
http://files.drskoot.com/  Again, this link, gives me an empty php file... or at least, it's empty to me. . . .

Register for the FL site yet? You can view that file cabinet here.
http://chapters.thezeitgeistmovement.com/fl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=94&Itemid=142

Well, Doc, I'm going to have to stop here... I've spent about an hour this time; and I'll come back and continue another time... But before I send this off, I like to ask a couple of questions, perhaps with preambles:

I've seen and been with developers for nearly the last 20 years, when I was in the field myself, and I've always found it quite difficult to get consensus on what system to use; especially because of constant improvements and advances of existing systems, and so on... Now we have here a group of developers, and there are lots of difference preferences; and it's hard to tell why one over another, since nobody has clearly explained which is better for what. Can you explain why you have a preference for, and have done most of your work with Joomla? Many folks here (can't tell from what's been posted, but private conversations with a number of people, and not necessarily the group that has been more active here), have been steering away from Joomla, towards Drupal, and there seem to be a tendency towards Open Atrium as a collaborative, community building infrastructure.

What's your ideas on this?

I've examined Open Atrium, and the applications I've seen with the Australian Chapter had a weakness in the wiki portion of the application that isn't as versatile as wikimedia (mediawiki). 

Another area I've not seen or heard discussed is any long term views on what the movement might need; one matter of security and volume of   people concerns me, and I've been thinking that some more "server side" conversation has to take place. Such things as peer-to-peer database may be useful; or what they call cloud (definitions of which have been quite vague to me, but suggests multiple locations servers, etc.). I've also ran into another concept which is the one I understand is used by Wikileaks, and it's so fragmented, that it has preserved the sites, wherever its components maybe. Yet another, which says uses a model similar to Wikileaks system is a group called Bitcoin. It's parallel currency to whatever international currency. Their system is anonymous, and fragmented to a high degree; users download a piece of software, and they become part of the system, and their information is only stored in their computer, but accessible when other are looking for a user which meets given requirements.  What takes place is nearly untreaceable, and nearly impenetrable. The network can't ever be taken out, althout single computer can be physically sequestered and obviously inspected, and there can be enough of a string to make it possible to find other sources of information and more strings. However, this kind of one by one search and seizure takes for ever, and still preserves the network.  What are your thoughts on these items?

My own sense as an administrator, organizer, coordinator is to start with what I have, and use whatever comes into view as a project advances. That means, that in order to best utilize and allow participation of the many folks and skills available, we simply allow a relatively accessible system, so folks can do their thing in their programming languages, regardless the feature they are building.  For example, PHP is touted as the best internet language because it is very similar to C++, and has the ability of parsing to run other script languages, be it java, pearl, SQL, and so on... so people with different root skills can still create their applications or modules that will work in the same basic platform.

Another problem that this community, GG, has been trying to resolve is a collaborative development software. As you may know, we now have the wiki here: http://wiki.zmlingteam.org/w/Global_Developers_Team. Yet I'm sort of puzzled that in a group of Developers there aren't enough who have a good sense of how to take advantage of existing tools; I imagine, as I hinted at earlier, people who have a hammer, see all problems as nails... Also, the wiki (wikimedia/mediawiki) has not been really customize for our needs, which it could be, and provide a good tool, and perhaps stay as the tool of preference, since it's already there, and can be used. but there are a lot of customization that would improve it tremendously... Anyway, I also like to hear your views on this... and I might even suggest that you make use of the wiki and post your ideas.

The most useful part of a wiki is that the information stays there with greater permanence than it would in a Google group, or blog, or even a forum (which this GG is...).

I'm particularly interested in information on the server side, and the underlying systems, upon which all other applications can live and work from.

OK... that's all for now, and I'll review the rest of your work in a few days! Cheers, Nick