I've been using Fabrik for sometime now, and am now exclusively using the beta version for Joomla 1.5 (off the latest SVN's of course) - Things I really like about Fabrik

1. It is very easy to setup connections to databases other than the main Joomla one (even if its on another server altogether)
2. Creating table views, forms, sorting columns, displaying thumbnail images / google maps in tables and editing data is as easy as a few settings in the backend (ever tried doing this manually in php or ASP.NET?...takes at least 10 times longer!)
3. Contact forms that email and save to a database are a breeze (but if this is all you are looking to achieve and you're not keen to learn a new framework, maybe a basic form component is better)
4. The support is the best I have come across out of any free / commercial component I have used

I'm sure I haven't even scratched the surface in terms of functionality of this component, but am confident that all my custom Joomla programming in the future will be using Fabrik (guess it can't even be called programming when its as easy as point and click!)

Documentation is a bit thin for Fabrik 2, but this is completely understandable as all functionality hasn't been finalized yet and I would way rather the developers focused on new features and squashing bugs until the stable release is out (its all fairly self explanatory & the forums are excellent anyway)

One thing that would be nice in the distant future would be the ability to connect to other database engines (SQLServer especially) though I'm sure this is easier said than done

Although we are still in the early days of Fabrik 2, it is clear the framework is extremely powerful and extensible and will be a vital component for all serious Joomla users in the future. Definitely worthwhile investing a bit of time into learning how it all fits together.

As Joomla has no version control / audit trail, this component is essential for any serious CMS site with multiple users.

I had some problems after installing the 1.5 beta version (unable to add new articles / uninstall component) - after quite a few emails to the developer we got the issues fixed (and then the next version 1.1.7 beta was released with fixes included)

Options I would like
1. Ability for super-administrator to delete versions. This is essential especially when developing sites - you don't want to sit with 50 versions of a document you can't get rid of. I realise this is for corporate audit-trail use but super-admins really should be able to delete versions.
2. Option to auto-publish latest version. Currently you need to manually specify which version is published which adds an unnecessary step to the workflow if the latest version is always going to be published.

Both of these options should be in a "General component settings" - If I had these options it would be a 5 / 5 component

I realise the 1.5 version is still in beta - the roadmap looks promising. Support is decent, although a forum would be a bonus. All in all, highly recommended - looking forward to the future of this component

First of all, let me say installing the component is easy and problem-free. Getting the necessary software in place to do the conversions is another thing - of course this has nothing to do with the developer of this component though. If you are wanting people to upload in all the supported formats - avi, mpeg, rm, divx, etc. either make sure the host you are using has ffmpeg, ffmpeg-php, and the other requirements in place (not supported by most shared hosts). If your host does not have these preinstalled and you don't have shell access...don't bother.

If you do have shell access and want to install all the software yourself and you're not a command-line wiz, be prepared for a rather steep learning curve. Most shared hosts with ssh access won't let you install software server-wide but only in your own account, this means that all of the tutorials out there for installing FFMPeg etc will need to be modified depending on your specific server environment. If you are only doing it once and don't have time to learn, pay the guys at Highwood to do it for you and save a lot of blood & sweat. Since I'm the DIY type and keen to learn I did it myself...400 megs of software & 1 month later its all working, I know a whole lot more about video encoding and Linux command-line.

Very nice perl uploader progress bar, social networking plugins, group creation & management, slick interface.

In summary - highly recommended component, support and price. Looking forward to the future of this component and others these guys kick out. Cheers

Sometimes the best things in life (and on the web) take a little effort. As is very clear, CiviCRM is not a "upload & install" 1 click. I have many successful installations of CiviCRM on Windoze & Linux being used daily by NGO's & commercial users. Don't bother trying to install if you dont know what a custom php.ini or htaccess file is, get a pro to do it...or learn. I don't normally review extensions but CiviCRM is excellent and I need to balance the 1 stars...The CiviCRM forums & documentation are excellent and obviously a whole lot of work has gone into it over the years. Can't even imagine what a commercial system of this power would cost! c'mon people, Joomla is not just for the point and click beginners!