The Joomla! Extensions Directory ™

This is a very useful addon for any Joomla site. It gives your users a reason to be a member or affiliate. I can think of a number of useful reasons to install this. Cheers to the developer.

This is a must-have extension for a community site. Your members earn points for their participation, they can award another member some of their points, they can get promotional codes for more points through contests and activities. Your members will be ecstatic at being able to earn points! The component provides a fantastic way to build participation.

However, there is a single huge drawback; there are limited means for your website mmembers to spend or redeem the points they earn.

Automatic points 'spending' through additional components, is what this component is designed to do. There are no premade spending rules, so 'Spending' must be accomplished by your site admin through some coding. For your members to 'spend' their points, you must code new spending rules into your API and Virtuemart, first by coding into your API component then creating a new .xml rule for the AlphaUserPoints extension.

------------------------------------------------
This is from the developer instructions to develop a 'spending' rule.

"Just insert the following API in the component code where needed. The best is to make it follow
a user action that could give the users some points or take some. For exemple in a comment system component
or in a forum, just add the API after the comment or topic INSERT query in the database.

a) Use - Basic API

///////////////////////////////////////////
$api_AUP = JPATH_SITE.DS.'components'.DS.'com_alphauserpoints'.DS.'helper.php';
if ( file_exists($api_AUP))
{
require_once ($api_AUP);
AlphaUserPointsHelper::newpoints( 'function_name' );
}
///////////////////////////////////
-------------------------------------------------

Be prepared to understand the above, for volunteer developer support in writing a spending rule refers you to the above instruction.

Manual subtraction or addition of points is not immediately possible. There is one back-end work around. An existing bonus points rule can be edited to carry a single positive or negative value. This 'bonus' rule is an additional means of adding points to a single user, but is the only means of subtracting a single value of points from any user. It can only be done with one value for a single user at one time. For a different value of negative points, you must edit the rule.

Wish list: Capability to setup spending points that is as easy as setting up earning them. Perhaps to create a link to 'buy this item with your user points' function into your FB or CB components or a Joomla system article, some pre-coded spending rules, or even additional 'bonus' rules that can be set to different values or mass-applied.

Rating: A good component that is 'out-of-the-box' easy to use for one objective (earning points) earns an excellent for its ease in set up, ability to increase member participation, and excitement brewed among your membership as they earn points. But, as it is difficult to use for its complimentary objective (redeeming the points earned) earns only a 'fair' for that important aspect. Hopefully, we'll see this promising extension become more uniform in its userability and become 'Excellent' all around.

This is a good component that some of my clients were expecting!

All rules inside the component are very usefull.. now my visitors are maniacs getting a lot of points.

it is super , only thing i don't lik is there are people earning on his back. Also thermus be more public rules , like if you hit any page also language files are not yet to find. So maybe we can help him to get it bigger

For a long time I though AUP is a component for rating other users like in Ebay. But actually it is for evaluating the individual user's contribution to a community site. It is good for motivating the user.

I wish its modules could display CB avatar.

This component is equipped with all important features as a point system. Easy to use. Great work! Look forward to seeing more useful addons from alphaplug. Well done!!

This is a pretty simple and well designed component. Really want to see other components doing integrations *hint hint*

Being new to Joomla and all, I came across this component and it immediately sparked multiple ideas about what could be done with this add-on. The value that this has added to my site can not be measured. My site is basically built around this. Not to mention it is free although I do recommend that you support the developer. The support forum is great as well, not common being that it's free.

This program is great for tracking affiliate referrals or rewarding your customers for interacting with your website. It sets up quick & easy, but can be customized however you want with its unique rule system. There are also several third party plugins to extend it's functionality such as my favorite: turning user's points into a coupon in VirtueMart.

This is the sort of extension that you think would be really cool, but doubt anyone will ever develop. And yet, here it is. AlphaUserPoints has sprung as a reasonably mature, richly functional, and very flexible add-on from the heads of its development team. AND it can be integrated with Community Builder. Great little motivational extension for community-based sites.

This to me has the makings of "Must Have" if you have any sort of e-commerce/directory site with a forum, polls etc. The possibilities for gaining, retaining and getting users/customers to actually contribute to your site and earn discounts or price reductions are endless. Great Work so far for a brilliant extension

This, without a doubt, is the missing link to turning Joomla into a rich, thriving community site. Plus, the developer Rocks!!!

This isn't a product you want for your site then have to settle with what's there (usually why to simple or looks like a bad haircut)...this is a product that is there and then some - with a skilled developer that gives 110%!!!

SO simple to use, seconds to install, and really boosts some vitality in to your site.

Highly Recommended.
5 out of 5.

For anybody running a community site, AlphaUserPoints is the piece of the puzzle that we've been missing. Very easy to install and works well for a first release.

The developer is quite active, responding to bugs and other issues very quickly.

The API is extremely easy to use and creating custom rules is a snap.

This component is great as it is with tons of potential.

Highly recommended!

Some weeks ago I'd asked my friend to write something like this. He said it's too much work and he hasn't time for that. Just few days later the first version of AlphaUserPoints has been released.

The component author really listens the users requests and every updates the AUP few days and these updates are not any typical "bug fixes", but real improvements of the component.

AlphaUserPoints is exactly what Joomla! community had missed till today. I hope that authors of other components will see its potential and will think about the AUP integration with their own components...

Well I have to agree with everyone here, a CB plugin is a must for this component other wise it is not worth it much.
Maybe few sites can use it without the CB but it is a must for this component to be rated as HOT.
Also more rewards and options would be nice.
Overall solid work but not mature yet

Coming along nicely and works as it should, shows great potential for expansion however unlike SoulReaver i do not use CB and dont want to see another component filled with CB options ;)

overall it has a little way to go yet but its very complete at the moment.

I was waiting for a similar component from months! ...
Now it has arrived! Very good work, but ... It needs of some modification ... A lot of users (me too), uses Community Builder... So, is essential that this component works with Community Builder too. For example when some user invite someone else to register on the site... The new user should be redirect from the e-mail to the CB registration page! And not only to the core sistem joomla registration page...
Users should be able to see thier points in their personal profile of CB! ...

With this modification, this component should be really wonderful.... However, well done! Good job for now!

This is a pretty sweet plugin, although it could do with a few more features, like integration with Community Builder, more rewards... thats all I can think of right now. Its very straight forward, installs easily, and easy to setup. I like the invitations system, and the rules is very useful too. Nice job, and I look forward to seeing this develop.

Thanks.