The Joomla! Extensions Directory ™

This is an easy module to implement with formidable features. This combined, it is the best of the many I have test. The configurable text within fields makes it standout among the others.

The module's greatest drawback is the lack of spam protection. I have a relatively small site that receives approximately 15 spam emails per day and a larger site that receives over 40.

I have used many of the Joomla download extensions throughout the years and have found this download component to be the easiest to install, configure and manage. This remains true for download systems that contain hundreds and even thousands of files with extensive category structures. While each of the other top download components (DocMan & JDownloads) have their features and benefits, switching from such download components as DocMan has saved a lot time performing administration tasks. Perhaps best of all, though, is the feature that allows for an embedded audio and video player in the file page, which also saves the hassle of having to integrate an audio and/or video component or plugin to enable website visitors to easily play the media. Thanks!

I have long bridged Gallery 2, as it was the only professional-grade photo gallery for Joomla. But Gallery 2 is difficult to modify, configure, move from one server to another and extremely resource intensive. And all other gallery alternatives either possessed too many bugs, required too many hacks and just didn't have the right features to make it world class and adequate for many common applications.

Now, there is JoomGallery. While I passed it over for months, mistaking it for one of those inadequate and extremely buggy alternatives I took pride in avoiding, I was mistaken to have not noticed it earlier.

It works. Configuration can be quick but can likewise be extensive for those looking to fine tune. The application is fast and feature rich. It's user and administrator interface is intuitive and actually works. I'd say, it is one of the best Joomla photo gallery components to date and one of the best all-around galleries I know of.

I was surprised at many of its features and particularly surprised that such functions as the Java upload interface as well as the zip upload actually works by default and without any hacking. And the PNG watermark also works and is applied dynamically to all images so that you can update the look of your site to reflect a change in your site's template as well as for evolving marketing needs.

To add to the beauty of its many features and functions, this Joomla photo gallery component possesses a beautiful array of options for image display, including New Window, JavaScript Window, DHTML Container, Lightbox, Thickbox3 and Slimbox. Each of these actually work and arrive as an option in the admin panel. There's no need to hack core files or install templates.

For a community and/or social networking application, it works well with Community Builder, providing CB plugin integration that works out of the box and without error.

This is indeed the best Joomla photo gallery component. Thanks!

I was debating as to whether I was going to create my personal website using Joomla 1.0 or Joomla 1.5. While I new all the tricks to Joomla 1.0, integrating Simple Machines Forum is increasingly problematic with the death of the various bridge components and increased issues with the latest Joomla 1.0 versions. After some thought and after some testing last year in the early beta versions, I opted to load my first Joomla 1.5 stable install and immediately followed up with JFusion, connecting it to an existing SMF 2.0 Beta 3 Public forum I use primarily as a personal and business notepad as well as a client discussion and support forum. The complete operation took little more than 15 minutes.

While it was once easy to mass produce Joomla 1.0 clones loaded with content, it was always a great pain to integrate and hack the code to forum a bridge between Joomla 1.0 and SMF. With Joomla 1.5 and JFusion, the operation is very easy, requires no hacking of code and includes ample configuration options that were easy to navigate through with the integrated help notes.

Now, I'm that much closer to being hooked on Joomla 1.5. THANKS!

I have migrated from JCE, which is bulky, often cumbersome and sometimes buggy. Nevertheless, JCE was still the best editor of its time, but with the FCKeditor making its debut, the title goes to FCKeditor.

This is in spite of FCKeditor not yet having a file manager, but it does boast an image manager upload utility, which is easier and more intuitive then JCE's offering, which is essentially a plugin. FCKeditor is simple to use and install and has a nice template system. Downloading, installing and putting it to use only took approximately three minutes tops. It is simply the best. Thanks.

Installed the component and module quickly and easily. The module must remain published upon all pages in order for comprehensive tracking to take place. I'm not a fan of the 16px X 16px icon the module produces, since it is intrusive, but I'm sure that can be dealt with in a number of ways, including by replacement of a blank. For now, I opted to publish in the debug module location so that it is out of the way. Immediately upon publishing the module, the stats began rolling in. The use of AJAX indeed allows for the page to populate in real-time before your very eyes. The site I'm testing it on generates approximately 35,000-40,000 unique visitors per month for over 500,000 page views. Joomlastats has been used several times because of its ease of use - minus a few bugs. But Joomlastats quickly generates a massive database and cannot be used because of this. While I'm sure Joomlawatch will also produce a large database, I'm anxious to see just how large that database will become when compared to Joomlastats. Either way, Joomlawatch appears far better because it installs easily and it uses AJAX. Some more time will tell whether its layout will work better than that of other options, including Joomlastats. It's unfortunate Joomla Extensions does not allow for multiple reviews from the same member.

This is an excellent module that allows you to place a mini front page onto any page and every page, which is excellent for those who use other components such as Virtuemart as their front page.

This module actually looks cleaner, more compact and offer parameters that are essential to keeping the site looking clean and performing well amid the search engines. Text length parameters allow control of the look and feel, including the text length of the intro, which works well for content items that are too long or vary too much from others. This is not available in the Joomla Front Page Component, unfortunately, but it is here. It also has an easy-to-use and consistent-looking content thumbnail display capability, which is also configurable and can be set to maintain consistent size parameters regardless of the image size. The look and feel is handled through a simple CSS file.

About the only thing missing is a parameter to limit the length of the title. Otherwise, this is a great module that is working to replacing the need for my iJoomla News Portal installation.

It is unbelievable how extensive and easy this component is to install and configure. It took only a handful of minutes to figure out how to use it. I was impressed with the extensive configuration parameters and the ease by which this is done through a component that allows you to preview changes prior to implementing them. It is amazing to fathom that this component is free and eliminates requirement of knowledge and time it takes to first configure CSS files and then create extensive menu IDs when manually creating menu links through Joomla for such components as Virtuemart, which could have hundreds or thousands of categories. This module could save hours or even days. About the only con I have seen in the 45 minutes I have used this free menu system is option for an expandable menu, which is referrenced below. Otherwise, I am quite surprised at how long this component has been around and the few views and reviews it has. I am curious how this menu performs under the eyes of search engines and load speed. The pro version has many more menu options and is priced reasonably for developers.

Outstanding work. This type of capability ought to be in the core Joomla. Though, where is the support forum? My MP3 file is playing super sonic speed, and I can't figure out how to slow it down to normal speed.

Amid the many web stores I have developed, populated and managed, this is by far the best and the easiest to use. It is laid out lagically and highly functional in its approach. The way is is constructed is very search engine friendly, particularly with the write hands tapping away at the keyboard. And although not totally neccesary, the store produces completely search engine friendly URLs with the use of OpenSEF, even when products are loaded into multiple categories. And best of all, it works with Joomla. Just take a look upon this site to see but a few of the possibilities that the Joomla network of components provides. As for complaints, when considering all the other software I have unfortunately used to develop online stores, I am quickly reminded that the only complaints I have is that I wasted my time using such stores as Miva Merchant, OScommerce, ZENcart and a handful of others before realizing the impact that the Joomla / Virtuemart / OpenSEF / Gallery2 / Joomboard / Other component packages have upon you, your retail efforts and those retail efforts of your clients.