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[cgc0202 Friend cgc0202Join date: August 2007Posts: 2244Downloads:0Uploads:3 Thanks: 206 Thanked: 262 times in 1 posts]

#143769

Please Publish Full script of Hung’s “JA Template Framework” and JA Teline III

Hung’s presentation about the “JA Template Framework” and its potential application in the JA Teline III sounds very exciting and in the correct direction. It provided a good summary of the limitations and inherent flaws of Joomla that many members here (including myself) complained about in the forums. Some of these issues are specifically true of the features of Joomla 1.5.x that contributed to its much slower presentation, relative to a comparable Joomla 1.0.x. A contributing factor to the problem is the enhanced modularization of Joomla 1.5.x***, that for one reason or another may have been carried sometimes to the extreme in some Joomlart templating.

Hung’s Presentation

The pdf version of Hung’s presentation however was based solely on the powerpoint sildes, and unfortunately powerpoint sometimes does not translate properly in the pdf format. Some of the contents of a powerpoint slide were covered in the pdf format. [Edit: Arvind provided a Google Doc format to address the issue of pdf created from powerpoint. This format will not address the issue raised in the next paragraph.]

More important, the slides are visual aids and do not tell the complete story. I hope Hung will include in this forum, the full text of his presentation — either as rich text (and image) true pdf format or an html format (like a Joomla article) — for us to have a better glimpse of the direction of future Joomlart templates.

Information rich websites (e.g., Teline II)

The application of the “JA Template Framework” as presented by Hung is specially critical in an information and image rich template, like Teline II, because magazine templates (or any “unlimited nested categories” site) lead to increased number of modules, and other features that could drastically slow the presentation of a website.

Speed. In many parts of the world, usually with slower internet connections, it may take too long before a page is fully constituted, so that it will “time out”. However, even in the US, there are times of the day when I notice this and I have a high speed connection, but it is cable, so total traffic affects the actual speed. This is the same problem that AT&T is having right now with all those millions of iPhone users disproportionately hogging their pipes.

During a day and age when Google search and Yahoo pages show up in milliseconds or less, speed presentations beyond 10 seconds is considered forever. Repeat visits are unlikely to happen, or a visitor may not even wait the first time (s)he previews your site. Not very good for any site.

The significant sluggish presentation (speed) was noticed immediately by a number of users of Teline II, when it was released, especially in comparison to the original Teline. The sluggish presentation was even more evident with the Joomla 1.5.x-Teline II vs Joomla 1.0.x-Teline II.

JA Teline III. It would be good if this is indeed one issue that is addressed in Teline III, applying the ideas presented by Hung in his Bangkok presentation. Basically, it willl require a significant overhaul ot the template scripts and modular features. However, as Hung succinctly presented in one slide, a right balance is a needed compromise to address conflicting impact of rich content site, modularization and features addition, as well as resulting scripting to create a site that is optimized for speed and will remain appealing to the visitors, sufficient enough to entice them for return visits.

Mobile Internet Devices

I am also very interested with the potential of using this “JA Template Framework” as it applies to creation of new types of templates that would be compatible with mobile internet devices, like the iPhone, iPod touch, and the much rumored Apple “iTablet”, and similar devices by other companies. This was briefly cited in one the later slides of Hung’s presentation in Bangkok.

I was about the suggest these new types of templates, as one of the directions that Joomlart may consider, both for the usual types of simpler webpages, or the equivalent version of Teline III optimized for viewing in mobile internet devices. Many of the most important webpages, be it online papers (BBC, New York Times). social-interaction sites (Facebooks), blogs, sports sites, mass media and broadcast, and more, have now created such sites optimized for mobile internet devices.

Joomlart will be doing us (website creators) a great service if they can help us create sites that will be compatible with “Mobile Internet Devices”. I would be interested to see for example how Joomlart webdesigners would present the standard Teline III that is coming out soon, in alternative format that would be compatible with “Mobile Internet Devices”. This is an area where the modularization that Hung is talking about in “JA Template Framework” can prove very useful. This is an area also where the aesthetic taste of a good webdesigner can make a great difference. The aforementioned is one advantage that Joomlart can be quite proud of.

Websites that are optimized for “Mobile Internet Devices” are the wave of the future.

Cornelio
____________
N.B.
*** If I understood correctly the rationale given by Joomla, modularization provided more ease and flexibility in the integration of third party extensions. Modularization when used properly (as outlined in Hung’s Bangkok presentation) may also be used as a tool for more flexible template layouts.

However,modularization can be misused. If you examine the scripts of the”footer” for example, a simple script in the index.php (template) was sufficient to write a two-line footer in Joomla 1.0.x-Teline II but follow the trail how complex it has become in Joomla 1.5.x-Teline II.

1 user says Thank You to cgc0202 for this useful post

1. Aratype

[Hung Dinh Friend Hung DinhJoin date: September 2014Posts: 4408Downloads:11Uploads:189 Thanks: 309 Thanked: 3310 times in 3 posts]

#315577

Thank you Cornelio,

You can find the latest presentation HERE.

After finishing the releases of JA Teline III, the scripts of presentation won’t be so necessary; JA will try to build a demo of the new template framework as well as package them into a downloadable files so that everyone can use them to develop their own template. The framework will be free under GPL

BTW, some of suggestion for JA News 2 has been introduced with Teline III

5 users say Thank You to Hung Dinh for this useful post

1. cgc0202
2. Phill
3. mihirc
4. sunrise
5. Rob Hawthorn

[cgc0202 Friend cgc0202Join date: August 2007Posts: 2244Downloads:0Uploads:3 Thanks: 206 Thanked: 262 times in 1 posts]

#315584

<em>@Hung Dinh 142350 wrote:</em><blockquote>Thank you Cornelio,

You can find the latest presentation HERE.

After finishing the releases of JA Teline III, the scripts of presentation won’t be so necessary; JA will try to build a demo of the new template framework as well as package them into a downloadable files so that everyone can use them to develop their own template. The framework will be free under GPL

BTW, some of suggestion for JA News 2 has been introduced with Teline III</blockquote>

Thanks Hung,

I just saw your post of the preview. You did address quite a number of issues I raised. And, you are very correct, unless people have followed the development of the Teline series, they willl not appreciate fully its inherent beauty.

Many members also do not fully appreciate how unique Teline II is from the other Joomlart templates. Now, it has its worthy update with Teline III. There is always room for more improvements, and I hope you will continue this tradition with the Teline series.

The original Teline is what brought me to Joomlart, after looking at so many template companies. Teline II is the only template I am using right now, of course, I have extensively changed it from the Demo. And, I will be migrating to Teline III once it is stablized. I might add some unique extensions though to address other features that might not be addressed yet in Teline III.

I am glad that you added some “extensions”, that I have used before coming from third parties, so that I do not have to rely on incompatibilities with similar products by third parties. In fact, I stopped using many because of incompatibility issues with Joomlart extensions and script incompatibilities during upgrades. The added bonus, it is integrated with the thematic layout of Teline III.

Now, I do not have to find an inner page of Boston Globe to check the weather here. I can just look at my personal page.:)

Cornelio

[Phill Moderator PhillJoin date: February 2014Posts: 7013Downloads:40Uploads:77 Thanks: 917 Thanked: 2206 times in 1818 posts]

#315588

Releasing the framework as GPL is a brave step and one that will be appreciated by the Joomla community.

Hopefully it will increase the JA business and not spawn a load of wanabee forum clibs living off the back of your work.

[cgc0202 Friend cgc0202Join date: August 2007Posts: 2244Downloads:0Uploads:3 Thanks: 206 Thanked: 262 times in 1 posts]

#315589

<em>@phill luckhurst 142363 wrote:</em><blockquote>Releasing the framework as GPL is a brave step and one that will be appreciated by the Joomla community.

Hopefully it will increase the JA business and not spawn a load of wanabee forum clibs living off the back of your work.</blockquote>

Yes, it was very fascinating “viewing the slides of Hung’s presentation.

Since summer last year, I was actually discussing in private the idea of “modularity” with some members here. This was based from my observations how fast New York Times can change the content and layout of such a complex online paper.

However, I first appreciated the concept of modularization even before the internet was around. In science, there are so many complex instrumentations, very expensive too. When something malfunctions, a technician from the manufacturer comes, diagnose it. Try to find the module that malfunctioned***. They just replaced the module, and wella, it is working again. The technician did not even have to know the technical details of the modular unit that malfunctioned. There is no repair needed, just replacement of a modular unit.

An online site is essentially the same. Have a basic framework, perhaps subdivisions equivalent to larger sections in a house. Then, tread everything as modular units. You can create dynamic layouts, even group of contents, by moving or removing specific modular units of a site.

Cornelio

***From a previous conversation, over the phone, they usually have some ideas what modules might have malfunctioned.

[mihirc Friend mihircJoin date: December 2008Posts: 597Downloads:0Uploads:3 Thanks: 62 Thanked: 95 times in 39 posts]

#315611

Hello,

After seeing the presentation day before, when Mr.Arvind posted it, i was really really keen on what it could do. Being a template coder as such, a new framework is always interesting. And it is great the JA decided to release it for free.

I had 2 questions but:
– With the framework will you be providing any kind of tutorials about how to use it for CSS 3 and XHTML?
– Will members (like me) be allowed to convert your original templates to the new format and submit them to you? Because I would really like to optimize the earlier templates for my use.

Regards,
Mihir Chhatre.

[godil Friend godilJoin date: September 2009Posts: 11Downloads:0Uploads:0 Thanks: 7]

#316589

Mr. Hung Dinh, surely you have heard from many people the greatness of this work you’ve done, but really I find myself obliged to repeat what they said they it again ..

That the work is really fantastic

Thank you once again .. A lot

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