Joomla! CMS project FAQs

How do I report a bug?

If you think you have found a bug, please report it.

Please start by posting a description in the Quality and Testing Forum for the release. This will allow others to see if the problem can be reproduced.

1.5: http://forum.joomla.org/index.php/board,199.0.html 1.0: http://forum.joomla.org/index.php/board,198.0.html

Before reporting a bug to the issue tracker, we strongly recommend reading "How to Report a Bug Effectively" http://dev.joomla.org/content/view/1450/89/1/1/ by Simon Tatham

To report a bug using the tracker you need to register at joomlacode.org.

For bugs in the 1.0.x series, please read these instructions:

http://dev.joomla.org/content/view/1450/89/

For bugs in the 1.5 series, please file the report here: http://joomlacode.org/gf/project/joomla/tracker/?action=TrackerItemBrowse&tracker_id=32

How do I request a feature?

You can request a feature here:

http://forum.joomla.org/index.php/board,38.0.html

or here:

http://joomlacode.org/gf/project/joomla/tracker/?action=TrackerItemBrowse&tracker_id=20

You will need to register at joomlacode.org to submit a feature request.

How does someone become a Core Team member?

A current Core Team member makes a nomination. A vote is started. A vote requires 2/3 of the team to cast a vote to form a quorum. Once a quorum has been established, you need 2/3 of the votes cast to be in favor. If we do not have a quorum or we have less than 2/3 votes in favor, the motion fails. The voting process lasts up to one week. If every Core Team member votes before one week expires, the voting process ends at the point the last team member voted. You can only vote once and you vote by sending an e-mail to the mailing list with either a +1 or -1. There is technically no limit to the number of times a person can be nominated or voted on although we have never had more than one vote for a single addition. If a Core Team member does not vote, their vote does not count against the motion, it is just neutral, +0 if you will

Do you work for Open Source Matters?

No. Open Source Matters consists exclusively of the board of directors. It has no employees or members. Board members are volunteers.

Do the Core Team or Work Group members get paid for working on Joomla!?

Nobody is paid by the Joomla! project or OSM to work specifically on Joomla!. All the work we do for the project is done voluntarily without reimbursement. Many members of the Core Team and the Working Groups make money around the Joomla! project by providing services, products, education, consulting, etc.

What is the Joomla! community?

Within the context of Free and Open Source Software projects, a community is another way of describing the collective body of individuals that contribute to a project in a positive way. Membership within the community is conditional and is earned through contribution and commitment. The Joomla! community is an amazing group of dedicated, knowledgeable, and highly skilled individuals that give their time and expertise to the project freely, without strings, and without the expectation of reward or reimbursement. Joomla! is a great project because of the contributions that these people make and it would not be the same without these people. They have each earned their place, their voice, and the respect of their peers within the community through their contributions and dedication. The community consists of the Joomla! Core Team, OSM, all the Joomla! Working Group members, as well as many, many other people that have each given a piece of themselves to the project in hope of helping the greater good, of preserving freedoms, of leveling the playing field, and even just to do something fun. We are eternally grateful to all of these people and the things they have contributed to the Joomla! project.

Why would someone be removed from the Core Team/Working Groups/OSM/Community/Project/etc?

Sometimes, the Joomla! project has to deal with people that are detrimental to the overall health or success of the project. On rare occasions, people need to be removed in part or completely in order to protect the health of the community, the project, or the sanity of its members. There are a few reasons why someone could be removed including: intentionally harming the project, being continuously disruptive, repeatedly violating of the Code of Conduct, etc. We do not take these decisions lightly and we always give several warnings and opportunities to turn around before taking a drastic step such as removal from one of the teams or banning.

What is a “Working Group” anyway?

A Working Group is a group of people that are working toward one particular set of goals. Joomla! currently has 7 Working Groups: Translation, Quality & Testing, Development, Documentation, Sites & Infrastructure, Design & Web Standards, and Foundation. Each working group has a specific set of goals, tasks, and responsibilities. Each Working Group has at least one Coordinator that is a member of the Joomla! Core Team. The management and administration of each Working Group is the primary responsibility of the Working Group’s Coordinator and because of that, the Coordinator is free to setup and run the Working Group in any way they see fit and that agrees with our Code of Conduct. This allows for highly agile teams that can each decide which protocols, processes, communication methods, etc. are best for them. You can find out more information about the Joomla! Working Groups by visiting this page: http://dev.joomla.org/content/view/13/53/ (Note: it is a bit out of date).

How are Working Group members added/removed?

The process for adding and removing Working Group members is defined by the Working Group coordinator and because of that it varies from group to group.

Is the Joomla! community a democracy?

Generally speaking, the Joomla! community is not a democratic organization and it has never presented itself as such. Occasionally, the Core Team asks the community to vote on things as a whole but this tends to be a pretty rare event. However, the community’s input and feedback are welcome and carefully listened to.

Is GNU and Open Source software worth the costs and risks

It's difficult, if not impossible, to argue against the value proposition of GNU and Open Source software, although some have tried. Due to zero licensing fees, lower administrative overhead, high-quality code, security releases that are distributed in minutes or hours rather than months or marketing cycles, and free online support from thousands of like-minded developers and users, GNU and Open Source offerings are often the best solution. The math is really quite compelling:

Applications	Industry Leader	Cost
GNU/Linux	Yes	0
Apache Web Server	Yes	0
MySQL Relational Database	Yes	0
PHP Scripting Language	Yes	0
Joomla! Content Management System	Yes	0
Thousands of Joomla Extensions	Varies	0
Support	Relative Quality	Cost
Joomla! Project Leadership Team	High	0
Joomla! Forge	High	0
Joomla! Online Forums	High	0
Joomla! Documentation	Medium	0
Thousands of Online Volunteers	High	0
Paid Professional Support	Widely Available	0
Total		0

What license is Joomla! released under?

Joomla! is released under the GPL (Gnu General Public License 2). Details of the GPL can be found here: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html.