Full-stack developer Emerson Rocha .::. CMS Joomla!, PHP, JavaScript/NodeJS, Infraestrutura

Differences between A Real JOOMLEIRO and a 'Joomla! site maker' - Outburst

Some people simply don't understand the not so subtle differences between a JOOMLEIRO and someone who is a Joomla! sites maker. The number of Joomla users, not only in Brazil but worldwide, has grown absurdly, and today Joomla is the most used CMS in the world. It's become 'a trend' to know how to use Joomla and, most probably, unless someone only wants to build a blog, he/she is going to think about using Joomla on a new project. But, and the community, has it grown? I would say: not so much.

Just as some good people came to the Joomla side of the 'force', many, many people without any commitment or even wicked people also started using Joomla. Let me elaborate on that.

JOOMLEIRO

JOOMLEIRO is a person that uses Joomla and contributes, either for passion or for believing that has to give back ideas that made him improve, or both. JOOMLEIRO is that person that came accross the Joomla CMS, is visiting a forum and, even if knowing little about Joomla, will at least try to help someone else who needs some kind of help with it. JOOMLEIRO is that person that believes that collaborating with a local usergroup is a nice idea, and would really support that. A person that, unless it's the end of the world and there's no way to get there, will not miss Joomla events. A JOOMLEIRO, is someone who knows how to develop extensions and does that professionally, opens up parte of his/her code or even codes free extensions for the rest of the community to use, because he/she believes it to be important. JOOMLEIRO is someone who notices that if something is buggy in Joomla, tries to find out the reason why, looks for the source and even reports bugs, instead of screaming to the 4 corners of the earth 'how the CMS sucks (to me)'. A JOOMLEIRO may not be a programer, but that won't keep him at least from releasing the translations of the extensions he has done.

How to Identify a Joomleiro

  • Uses Joomla because likes it.
  • Has a blog or a non-commercial space to talk positively about Joomla. His blog is in Joomla.
  • Doesn't like using commercial templates from template clubs, and feels unconfortable when doing so.
  • Is against piracy in the Joomla world (templates and extensions) and really doesn't stand users who spread such practices.
  • Contributes actively with some Joomla sites that are reference in Brazil, such as joomla.com.br, joomlaclube.com.br, and other regional Joomla sites: joomlamazonia.com.br, joomlabahia.org, joomlaminas.org, joomlabrasilia.com.br e joomlarj.com.br.
  • Takes part in forums/email lists (to collaborate).
  • Thinks thoroughly before making any commitments. Doesn't promise what cannot do. Has a broader vision. Deals responsibly and relates to clients as his/her 'peers', filling them in what is planning for their projects.
  • Even though Joomla is free, invests time on the CMS or its support, the free propagation of the CMS, and considers this on estimates to present to his/her clients, 'cause experience and social responsibility also has a price.

'Joomla! Sites Maker'

Now, the 'Joomla! sites maker' has as a main characteristic to ALWAYS see other Joomla users as competitors, therefore, in a capitalist world, he shouldn't ever help a competitor. He is the kind of person that is so close minded that he really believes that is he learned Joomla quickly with the help of JOOMLEIROS, it is a risk if new people learn they will take the jobs he is struggling to get. Some of these users go to the extreme of going to forums and DEMAND that a JOOMLEIRO helps him, otherwise the 'Joomla! sites maker' will think the community is shit and worthless, because JOOMLEIROS are there to provide immediate and free support to anybody because they are simply supposed to. A 'Joomla! sites maker' isn't necessarily a new or unexperienced user, but someone that could collaborate and just doesn't on purpose, or that ALWAYS excuses himself because of lack of time or oportunity, making it look as if JOOMLEIROS were a bunch of bums compared to the professional 'Joomla! sites makers'. People like these don't spread Joomla for pleasure, but because they need to. If possible, they would all references to Joomla from the source code and would replace them with the NameOfMyCompany. That's not all. On his site, the only Joomla! tutorials would be there to optimize it for Google search, and, with some luck, get more clients. User Group? No, a 'Joomla! sites maker' wouldn't go to one and would NEVER help in the creation of one or in the complex maintenance of one of theses events, and would only attend one if discovered that good contacts, the chances of getting more jobs and money were there.

How to identify a 'Joomla! sites maker'

  • Uses Joomla because it is useful.
  • He has a 'professional' site (commercial) in Joomla! using a 'top' commercial and paid for template (if it was really paid for) made by another developer, and shows off a page about 'how easy Joomla! is to use' style do it yourself, and all content has the single commercial objective.
  • Doesn't mind using Joomla templates from commercial template clubs, and wouldn't 'waste' time learning how to make his own (due the lack of capacity to make something good) or establishing partnerships to create unique templates. Those who have no shame will even have an article on their commercial sites estimulating you to accept those kinds of templates.
  • He doesn't see a problem with the piracy of Joomla! templates and extensions; he might even exchange link in communities that tolerate that practice.
  • Instead of collaborating on sites give support to users since the beggining, he creates communities of a single man without talking to anyone previously, and floods his own 'proffesional' site with links and banners that sell services, because community sites always have many visitors and that would be good because of Google.
  • Participates in forums/email lists (to ask for help or market his commercial services).
  • Commits himself to any job and then goes looking for an already made extension for it. If he doesn't find one that doesn't do part of job he mentions when delivering the job that 'there were changes on the originally promised'.
  • Doesn't mind selling himself cheap charge below the average, because he cares about for other users and doesn't need to take into account the time he hasn't dedicated helping people or to improve the CMS (a real zero cost CMS).

Companies that are JOOMLEIRAS and the ones that are only 'Joomla! sites makers'

A company that is really JOOMLEIRA is made by JOOMLEIROS, and not by 'Joomla! site makers'. It collaborates and motivates its employees to collaborate with the project, whether be it offering support in forums for new users, developing free extensions and helping the community with knowledge or even collaborating with ideas and patches for the Joomla Core on the Developers List. It's a company that pays for or allows its JOOMLEIROS so they can attend UserGroups meetings or praise it since it is a company really JOOMLEIRA. It's a company that sponsors Joomla! events because it's a way to give back. Summarizing it, it is a company that deserves a future, because, as far as the internet is concerned, a company that uses Joomla on its sites has a 'social' responsibility to contribute with the Joomla Project. Companies that are JOOMLEIRAS are those that sees a very strong value, when hiring someone, on what he has done for the community, and not only the X years experience on a previous company, and know that a good wiling professional that helps people without expecting a pay has a much better chance to be a good team member, and certainly has many more people behind him that will offer support because of his known past, helping to quickly solve any problem that may come up in the company.

How to identify a company that is JOOMLEIRA

  • It say: yes, I use Joomla, and am proud of that.
  • It sponsors Joomla events, Internationally, Nationally or Regionally.
  • It actively sponsors or supports regional or national user communities, and their respective websites.
  • It allows its employees to physically attend Joomla events, without asking for compensation of the time invested.
  • It pays for its employees registration and transportation to Joomla events
  • If possible for the company, it tries to dedicate hours of its JOOMLEIROS employees to the JOOMLA Project.
  • It not only tolerates but motivates that its employees open parte of their knowledge to the community, whether in talks or production of free extensions.
  • It selects new employees on the basis that they are JOOMLEIROS, and lets go of the one that are there only for the money, 'with no love for the shirt'.

Finally

If you've come to this page through a link because someone considers you a JOOMLEIRO, feel motivated to continue because you are important for the community, and it is responsible people like you that Joomla! needs. If on the other hand you've come here because somebody considers you a 'Joomla sites maker', try to understand the reason why, or even take it as a constructive critique and start helping improve our Joomla! Community. You are what you do, and it is never too late to change.

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Translated by @iikozen from the original in Portuguese joomleiro vs fazedor de sites joomla
Emerson Rocha Luiz © 2024
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