May 03 2008

Joomla 1.5 extensions - Our favourites

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Written by David Towers   
Saturday, 03 May 2008

The best Joomla 1.5 extensions Yesterday we shared with you the most important Joomla 1.5 extensions that we recommend you install. Those extensions were appropriate for nearly every Joomla 1.5 website.

Today we'd like to share with you a larger list of our favourite Joomla 1.5 extensions. This list includes over 15 extensions (modules and plugins) which will help you customise Joomla 1.5 to create the sort of website you desire. The list includes extensions for Joomla 1.5 which are useful for SEO, image management, creating blogs and creating communities.

Why use Joomla 1.5 extensions?

The reason for installing modules and plugins in Joomla 1.5 is to expand the functionality of your website. (It's a credit to the Joomla community how many good quality extensions exist).

We have created this list of extensions because we have used them when building Joomla 1.5 websites and that we can recommend them for use on other websites.

If you feel like we have missed off a useful plugin, please follow the link at the bottom of the table below to suggest a new extension or alternatively click here to contact us.

Joomla 1.5 extensions we recommend

What does the extension do? [-]Is it free? [-]Is it native? [-]
Sh404sef
Search engine friendly URLs, meta tag management for each page (title, description, keywords, author, language), add h1 tags to contentheadings and componentheadings.


Legacy mode required
JoomlaPack
Complete site backup (including files and database)


JCE 1.5
WYSIWYG editor


Xmap
HTML and XML Sitemap


Signallogin
Fully customisable login module


Google Adsense Plugin
Add Google Adsense into content easily


AdSense Module
Google Adsense module


Calendar Icon
Show article date in neat CSS format


Jom Comment
Flexible and customisable comment system

$30

Community builder
Build and manage communities


Legacy mode required
RokAccess
Hide content according to membership status (Requires hack from GoodWebPractices).


Blog post avatar
Add author avatar next to article title


HTML Tidy PHP
Ensures clean and tidy HTML markup


HighSlide for Joomla
Lightbox effect for displaying images


Ninja Shadowbox
Lightbox effect for viewing media (images, video and websites)


Frontpage Slideshow
CSS slideshow plugin

$30

JSN ImageShow
Flash slideshow plugin

$30

jReviews
Review and rating system

$100

* If you would like to add something to this table or suggest changes, please use this form.

What do you think about this list? Are there any plugins that you think we have missed out?

23 Comments
fuqaha
May 04, 2008
Votes: +1

One thing that really hinders me from using 1.5 for all my sites is the lack of real gallery component. Unless someone manage to port PonyGallery or RSGallery / create a new gallery component, i think im gonna stick with 1.0.x.

=)

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David T
May 04, 2008
Votes: +0

Hi fuqaha, thanks for your comment! RSGallery 2 is being made available for Joomla 1.5 in legacy mode. You download the production Alpha here: http://rsgallery2.net/content/view/92/62/ Why not give it a try?

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Steve Moseley | Hannisdal Express
May 06, 2008
Votes: +0

I love frontpage slideshow - using it on our new upcoming site smilies/smiley.gif Also just tried out Joomlapack. Great component for backing it up.

Although you have to pay for it, I'd also mention Joomla Cloner as a great tool - Especially for 1.0x without the FTP layer.

I had all sorts of issues with permission problems and transferring my site. If I did it will FTP then the server owned it. Then I had to keep permissions wide open which I didn't want to do. Joomla Cloner uses php to open it, so the permissions stay with PHP. Very nice. Haven't tried moving a 1.5 site yet, but it was a God send for 1.0x.

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David T
May 07, 2008
Votes: -1

JoomlaCloner from http://www.joomlaplug.com/ is available for Joomla 1.5 but is actually called XCloner, it's basically a newer version. We have been using JoomlaCloner here at GoodWebPractices with Joomla 1.0 and agree that it's a fantastic backup tool.

Are you working on a new site for Hannisdal Express Steve? Using Joomla 1.5?

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Steve Moseley | Hannisdal Express
May 07, 2008
Votes: +0

@David

Yes - the site is almost done. We just waiting on a few things. We are using Joomla 1.5 which has been interesting.

To me, it seem like there are 1-2 extensions in a category I want. If those don't work, then I've got problems. We wanted to have a newsletter component so we settled on Acajoom's Free Newsletter component. Its pretty powerful but I hated some of the management (such as changing outputted text). I had to live with it though as there wasn't too many other options.

Once I get the site up, I'll have to have you guys check it out and give me some traffic! smilies/smiley.gif

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Steve Moseley | Hannisdal Express
May 08, 2008
Votes: +0

David,

Where did you guys get those date numbers for the articles? I know I've read about it somewhere but can't remember what it is.

Thanks!

Steve

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Steve Moseley | Hannisdal Express
May 08, 2008
Votes: -1

Never mind! I see it is already on the list!

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David T
May 08, 2008
Votes: -1

Hi Steve,

Great to learn your new site is using Joomla 1.5! We've developed a number of sites in Joomla 1.5 and much prefer it to Joomla 1.0... Joomla 1.5 is especially advantageous when clients are using the website, simply because its more user friendly.

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Andrea
May 10, 2008
Votes: -1

You miss the best: Jreviews. Yes, is only available for 1.0 since now, but the 1.5 version is coming.

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Kyle Ledbetter
May 11, 2008
Votes: +0

Somehow missed the Calendar Icon on the Joomla Extensions site, thanks for listing that one, just added to the JoomlaPraise blog. Congrats on the site btw, it's come along nicely.

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David T
May 11, 2008
Votes: +1

Andrea - when JReviews 1.5 becomes available it will be added to the list!

Kyle - Glad you found the list helpful. The Blog calender is a nice little extension! smilies/smiley.gif What do you think of our potential homepage switch by the way Kyle? http://www.goodwebpractices.co...ayout.html We're going to use PraiseSlides hopefully...

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Peety
May 13, 2008
Votes: +2

Thanks for the list. It reminded me to get an update for FrontPage Slideshow. And I think I will give Jom Comment a try..

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David T
May 13, 2008
Votes: +0

Glad you have found the list useful Peety! Good luck trying out Jom Comment smilies/smiley.gif

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Seree
May 14, 2008
Votes: +0

Hi David,

Thanks for sharing and I really love RokAccess as I'm preparing my site to go membership.

Best regards,
Seree W.

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David T
May 14, 2008
Votes: +0

Hi Seree! You're welcome! RokAccess is a great extensions for having certain content only for members! smilies/smiley.gif

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Alexis
May 29, 2008
Votes: +0

Great for this purpose

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Zibi
June 13, 2008
Votes: +0

Jreviews is released in 1.5 native version.

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David T
June 16, 2008
Votes: +0

Thanks Zibi I have added it to the table.

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Jez
June 19, 2008
Votes: +0

Great list - very helpful - thanks very much!!!

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m0nb0f
June 24, 2008
Votes: +0

Great list,
So, could you tell me what is the comment system that you use ? Is it Jom Comment ?
I find it good (avatar and sytem of vote).
This is great too but the support is ended smilies/cry.gif
Regards

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David T
June 24, 2008
Votes: +0

Hi m0nb0f!

We're using Azrul's JomComment! We really like it and can certainly recommend it! In actual fact I'm currently writing a post about JomComment now... So if you come back tomorrow you will be able to read in detail what we think about it. smilies/smiley.gif

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David T
June 24, 2008
Votes: +0

The new post about Jom Comment is here m0nb0f:

http://www.goodwebpractices.co...eview.html

Hope you find it useful.

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Lauren G
June 30, 2008
Votes: +0

Any suggestions on an extension for 1.5 that will help with RSS feed issues - the way DS-Syndicate does for 1.0?

I can't figure out how to get the "Read more" link to show up in my site's feed and it's frustrating and problematic....

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