where is Joomla SMF bridge ?

[Kindred]

english please?

[RampantAndroid]

I'm yet to read a link provided above, however my comment here would be to express my disappointment.

Two years ago I had a choice between brand new Joomla and Mambo.  I chose Joomla, as I thought that theirs was a genuine concern and commitment to both Open Source AND concept of 'communities'...  Linking Joomla to SMF was essential to me as I had already a running SMF forum.

Even though software was free it took lots of my time and energy (which is worth something) to learn Joomla...  now two years later because Joomla chose to change their interpretation of the license I'm put in a position to start from scratch again.  I find it sad and not very professional and certainly shows me that Joomla's commitment to 'communities' is not worth much...

Anna

I'm rather disappointed myself - Mambo does not really have any modules being made for it alone (and I have to ask - as Joomla moves away from Mambo, what will happen as the new modules made for Joomla no longer work in Mambo as well?) Out of the box, Mambo feels a little better, but if you take the time to customize Joomla, I find its better...all except for the lack of a forum integration now. PHPBB3 has nothing yet (but it shouldn't be hard with the integration functions PHPBB3 has added to it - if I had the time and knowledge, I'd write a PHPBB3/Joomla bridge, but I lack the time...though I may look into making some time in August to look into such a bridge...even though I see PHPBB3 as inferior.)

IMO, Fireboard is...crappy. I don't jump to brand new software that has a questionable support (and user) base. Anyway, anna, do you really need a bridge? Do you use user-specific modules in Joomla that would require users to be logged into Joomla, or are you merely looking for blocks showing the latest posts and a wrapped forum site? If you don't need everyone to log into Joomla (just the admins) then simply look into using some SSI Functions to have a login form from within Joomla, locate the SMF install at forums.yoursite.tld (yoursite.tld\forums) and make the SMF and Joomla sites look similar....that way when users go from the Joomla site to the forums, they won't really notice any large differences...despite the two sites not being linked...this is how the Joomla website (joomla.org) does it...and I think its almost better. An install of this nature allows you to switch your forums around independent of Joomla (and vise versa) and probably has better performance, if not better security.

[anna.young]

I just looked into Mambo as well and I don't see myself going there at this point.

I have several mods now for 'members only' including 'users menu'... that was the whole point of using CMS, Forum and Photo Album.

I simply don't know what to do now... I just want to sit and cry...

Perhaps Orstio can provide an upgrade to a Bridge I have now 'MOS_SMF_BRIDGEv3-3.19a_SMF1.1b3' or perhaps someone can help me with modifying this bridge to use with an upgraded SMF 1.1.3 and Joomla 1.0.12 (I have 1.0.3 now)

I still cannot get over the politics and pettiness involved where end user does not seem to matter at all

Anna

[Chipfryer]

Well as with all things if something isn't any longer available you turn to other things. I'm not so much annoyed because these people pour their soul out on these programs which are free after all. In actual fact I've become very lazy of late having everything done for me by these good people both Joomla, SMF and people like Orstio too.

At the end of the day it could be many things not just the small print. I've started testing Joomla with Fireboard and although I don't really like Fireboard, after testing for a few weeks there are limited problems which mainly surround CSS.

What I find really odd is the silence from Orstio who's bridge, no link, no life saver for those of us using SMF has no response since this problem arose. Unless as I see it someone was selling an add-on for profit through SMF which has not been stated then there should be no problem. Joomla has GNU and Commercial add-ons so I am not so quick as before to start shooting glances, something else is the problem.

[anna.young]

What I find really odd is the silence from Orstio who's bridge, no link, no life saver for those of us using SMF has no response since this problem arose. Unless as I see it someone was selling an add-on for profit through SMF which has not been stated then there should be no problem. Joomla has GNU and Commercial add-ons so I am not so quick as before to start shooting glances, something else is the problem.

Orstio position is very clear and expressed HERE

I'm not going to keep changing from platform to platform, I just need to find the way to bridge the latest versions of SMF/Joomla...  I have no doubt that Orstio will find the way to help with this as he always did in the past

Anna

[Chipfryer]

I think the best solution from a standpoint of someone like yourself perhaps? Is that SMF develops it's own front page system or combines what 3rd parties have offered it into the core.

I'm pretty certain it has been on developer's minds since Bridging is a major issue. Too old for wars, waiting much less. I've found doing and not relying is the better part of valor since and as the text to the video states, communicating is better.

Best regards.

What I find really odd is the silence from Orstio who's bridge, no link, no life saver for those of us using SMF has no response since this problem arose. Unless as I see it someone was selling an add-on for profit through SMF which has not been stated then there should be no problem. Joomla has GNU and Commercial add-ons so I am not so quick as before to start shooting glances, something else is the problem.

Orstio position is very clear and expressed HERE

I'm not going to keep changing from platform to platform, I just need to find the way to bridge the latest versions of SMF/Joomla...  I have no doubt that Orstio will find the way to help with this as he always did in the past

Anna

[anna.young]

Front Page is a totally different concept than CMS...

Also, not everyone is in a position to learn to code complex programs, majority of people, myself included,  have to rely on experienced programmers... It's a simple fact of life for me anyway, the same way that I'm not prepared to learn how to build my own car  or even a toaster oven... 

Anna

[Chipfryer]

Nothing complex about it. It's all there for you.
Best

It's a simple fact of life for me anyway, the same way that I'm not prepared to learn how to build my own car  or even a toaster oven... 
Anna

.

[antracit]

..........no link, no life saver for those of us using SMF has no response since this problem arose. Unless as I see it someone was selling an add-on for profit through SMF which has not been stated then there should be no problem. Joomla has GNU and Commercial add-ons so I am not so quick as before to start shooting glances, something else is the problem...............

Right

So I just have too make a decision. Stay with SMF and maybe leave Joomla (due to Bridge being used in Joomla GPL issues) ore Stay with Joomla and convert SMF data to Fireboard ore some other board software not taking quick stand in the endless and infected debate. In my opinion this does affect SMF negatively too.

Just now I will sitt still and wait and see where to go. Only SMF, Joomla and the Bridge can tell.

Thanks

[cferd]

SMF, because of it's Calendar events and the SMFArcade mod, is an integral part of my site. It's not going anywhere. The other indispensable part is Gallery2, which is bridge to Joomla.

Joomla on it's own, I can live without, but rather not, since everyone is so accustomed to it. But I'm not upgrading to J!1.5 anytime soon. And going back to Mambo scares me at this point. There still seems to be so much confusion there. Until recently, I though that Mamboserver and Mamboexchange were official sites. So for now and for the forseeable future, I'll be stuck with the current versions of Joomla and SMF.

[Chipfryer]

I've gone ahead and used Fireboard but keeping the old forum intact until I ice it in a couple of weeks. I understand that problems arise of course they will, nothing is perfect it is the total silence on the topic that is not appreciated.

Frankly none of this is doing open source very much good at all. People are more likely to move to paid options if factions cannot meet on common ground.

Fireboard/CB/Joomla and all third party mods work just fine for the record. It's my forum tools of course that I miss but CB/Joomla handles that backend.

What about the other bridge? Joomlafish or what ever it is called? I'd heard that this was no longer supporter either is this true?

Best.

[Orstio]

I've certainly not been silent on the matter, Chipfryer.  I've made some very detailed posts on the matter here:

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=177335.0

And I really can't improve upon the post made by Kindred here:

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=147626.msg1147841#msg1147841

[Omega X]

I've gone ahead and used Fireboard but keeping the old forum intact until I ice it in a couple of weeks. I understand that problems arise of course they will, nothing is perfect it is the total silence on the topic that is not appreciated.

Frankly none of this is doing open source very much good at all. People are more likely to move to paid options if factions cannot meet on common ground.

Fireboard/CB/Joomla and all third party mods work just fine for the record. It's my forum tools of course that I miss but CB/Joomla handles that backend.

What about the other bridge? Joomlafish or what ever it is called? I'd heard that this was no longer supporter either is this true?

Best.

I think that you are talking about the JoomlaHack's version which should also be on hold because of this.

Of course, its your option whether or not to move your setup to different softwares.

The only reason why there is such a problem is because of Joomla's interpretation of the GPL. Their view is that if its not directly compatible with the GPL, then it can't be involved with Joomla. Effectively shutting down any proprietary involvement. Since Mambo allows proprietary involvement, its the only bridge available for SMF.

Though I also hear that the Joomla camp might be pulling back on their crazy stance and making conditions for plugins. I still don't quite understand it all since they keep punting around the "Poison People" video for an explanation. I just hope that they can make a compromise and let everyone move forward from this as quickly as possible.

But if push comes to shove, then Joomla gets the axe on my sites. I'm very satisfied with SMF and have no intentions of removing it.

[anna.young]

All Joomla needs to do is make an exception in their licence, the same way that Coppermine did, it's that simple.  SMF IS Open Source AND is free, though with string attached (copyright issue), that is all that matters IMHO.

I just found previously downloaded copy of the latest bridge so this time I will hopefully be able to upgrade both SMF and Joomla and bridge it, but if this nonsense continues when it's time for a new upgrade, I'll be certainly looking into different CMS... I don't have time for silly games... 

Anna

[antracit]

.....Since Mambo allows proprietary involvement, its the only bridge available for SMF......

Hi

I'm just to confused here       

Joomla GPL not allowing proprietary involvement like SMF, right? Then I'm wondering in what way it's proprietary involvement into Joomla to release the SMF Joomla Bridge here and keep it downloadable to the SMF community?

The involvement would maybe occur when someone use that bridge with Joomla, not when it's released and downloadable? Then Joomla would be the part to sue that user, not Simplemachines I think?

To keep the Bridge downloadable or not is a Simplemachines-SMF-Bridge decision, not Joomla??

Did I get this all wrong?

I like SMF a lot (the best!) and don't want to leave it if I'm not forced to. And if I'm not allowed by SMF to (download) use the best and secure Bridge then I feel forced to look for future alternatives, both new CMS and Board software. (I've left Mambo some year ago and it's not an option to turn back yet! Still that Bridge is downloadable).

....I still cannot get over the politics and pettiness involved where end user does not seem to matter at all....

There are probably a lot of SMF/Joomla users getting very frustrated these days doing the same reflections and getting confused?? Most likely both systems getting "bad karma".


Regards

Johan

[Chipfryer]

Hi Orstio. Sorry yes I did see these.

I agree with every sentiment made, love SMF, admire yours and others work truly but will miss it (SMF) however.  There are two types of problem in this wonderful world of ours.

1. People don't talk enough.
2. When they do its usually with a lawyer.

I don't understand the technicalities surrounding all of this but suing is being mentioned I take a walk to a fence and sit on it for a while or build again.

I refuse to take sides it is not in my interest as an end user to do so. But I truly hope something happens soon since my SMF in one location gets put on ice this coming Friday. Thats a shame! :-(

I've certainly not been silent on the matter, Chipfryer.  I've made some very detailed posts on the matter here:

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=177335.0

And I really can't improve upon the post made by Kindred here:

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=147626.msg1147841#msg1147841

[Orstio]

I don't understand the technicalities surrounding all of this but suing is being mentioned I take a walk to a fence and sit on it for a while or build again.

That sums up my sentiments as well, which is why I have been working on bridging with other CMSs for the time being.

I refuse to take sides it is not in my interest as an end user to do so. But I truly hope something happens soon since my SMF in one location gets put on ice this coming Friday. Thats a shame! :-(

Unfortunately, I seriously doubt there will be any resolution within the next month.  I'd be surprised if anything worthwhile comes before Xmas.

[Chipfryer]

Hmmmm Xmas.

Thanks Orstio. I did in fact find my copy but am erring on caution in using it. Just let's say I did? Are you able to support it still or will this go around the houses with problems too please?

I thought I had lost mine when I had a hard drive failure last week. Many thanks for talking about it. Best wishes.

I don't understand the technicalities surrounding all of this but suing is being mentioned I take a walk to a fence and sit on it for a while or build again.

That sums up my sentiments as well, which is why I have been working on bridging with other CMSs for the time being.

I refuse to take sides it is not in my interest as an end user to do so. But I truly hope something happens soon since my SMF in one location gets put on ice this coming Friday. Thats a shame! :-(

Unfortunately, I seriously doubt there will be any resolution within the next month.  I'd be surprised if anything worthwhile comes before Xmas.

[antracit]

....Unfortunately, I seriously doubt there will be any resolution within the next month.  I'd be surprised if anything worthwhile comes before Xmas....

Hello Orstio

Thanks for all work and effort you put into SMF and this was a clarification.

Sorry to read this since this will make my setup undeveloped for the rest of this year. No new futures, no new modules and modifications and so on, just a stand still and slowly dying portal. This probably will result in less members and users moving away from my site. Even security issues will be unresolved maybe. 5 months waiting for "Santa" and just hoping and not knowing is too bad for my small site.

It seems I'm locking for a non bridging solution in the future and that "Santa" will deliver maybe.

Regards
Johan

Still very confused about why the new (and old) bridge is not published?

[cferd]

Did I get this all wrong?

Yes, you did.

The license applies to distribution, not use.
In layman's terms, all you have to do as a user is give proper credit where credit is due.

In other words, keep the copyright intact. The rest of the software you can modify to your heart's content. If you can and want to combine SMF and Joomla into your very own single program, go ahead and do it. Just don't remove their respective copyrights AND don't distribute the program.