Forum Activity for @jimmy

How to translate the Dashboard?

Using Jamroom


Sounds like a plan.

Would it be easier to have the option to just to kick out 1 generic error for all errors in the public view. Honestly, that's all I would need. Have it display a site maintenance page. I think most people would opt for a site maintenance page over translation of every error. A site maintenance page / string is what I'm going to use for every error anyway. IPB has a html file they include in the root that just displays that the site is offline where there is an error type that prevents the site from being displayed... that method works for me.

How to translate the Dashboard?

Using Jamroom


No, no specific error to mention. I just want any error that the public sees to be adjustable to what I want it to say, which I assume, would be included if the ACP was mutli-language (those errors would have to be multi-language thus, I could set what I wanted).

Most of the time I'm logged in as the Admin. Maybe the errors are different for the public view. Honestly, I don't see a lot of errors with JR - to your credit - JR works great. But I don't want a generic error popping up on one of my sites, to the public, at 2am when I'm sleeping and is up until 8am when I wake up. I want the end-user to think the site isn't working because I took the site down, not because there was an error on the site. Being able to adjust what the error said via a language file would allow me to do that.

How to translate the Dashboard?

Using Jamroom

Saying that the ACP is only seen by admins, isn't a valid reason. If you want JR to be used internationally, the ACP will have to be multi-language capable.

I speak English, so this isn't an issue for me. But your marketing seems to be focused more on the general population vs. the power user / coder / developer - which in that case, should offer a multiple language option in the ACP. If your marketing was focused more toward power users / coders / developers, I'd say English only would be fine, because most of them have to know English to code / deal with other developers.

Personally, I'd like to be able to adjust what is outputted when there is an error - and not have to edit the core files. Nothing looks more foolish that an error popping up on a high traffic / trusted website. Makes the admin look like he doesn't know what he's doing - even if the error wasn't the result of the admin's incompetence. If there's an error, that error should be in the logs and a generic error should be displayed like "the site is offline, we'll be back soon" not "can't connect to the database, etc. I hate giving an attacker any information. I'd rather let him think that the site is in maintenance vs. an error.

Week 3 Video Preview

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Another great looking video!

Jamroom Facebook/Twitter Campaign

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Ad networks take a cut. I used Google for awhile and received dozens of requests from people who want me to join their ad network. They want me to put their js ad code on my site which I prohibit because who knows what that code is doing - sure legit providers have good code. I sell my ads via companies contacting me directly to place ads which is pure profit for me. Right now, on the old version of IPB, which I'm still running, there isn't a way for advertisers just to purchase ad space in the site's store. With the new version, there is. Believe me, if everyone was just using an ad network, IPS wouldn't have added it to the core.

Affiliates. I also have a nice mix of affiliate banners which make a good amount of money for the site. Again all these affiliate banners are managed by the ad system.

Basically, in v3 of IPB ads weren't part of the core system. Now in v4 they are. In v3 I could buy a 3rd plugin for an ad system, which I did. v4 the ad system is integrated with IPB's commerce module. IPS - they're a picky bunch and back up a lot of their additions and subtractions in the new software with research. So, if they've added it, it says to me that a lot of their enterprise and general clients wanted it.

In addition, a lot of ad blockers block Google ads. They also block ads from many other popular providers. My ads banners aren't blocked because they're image banners with a link and I don't use key ad block words in any of the html code blocks. You'd be surprised how many people / businesses buy ads on my forum.

Having an ad system gives the site owner options. Options to run Google, affiliates, or to sell ad on the site. It also would allow them to change the ad in any spot on the site via a control panel making it easy for someone who isn't a coder.

Let's say I use a site a lot and want to run an ad. I'd have to sign up for Google or XYZ ad site and find the site I wanted to place the ad on. Set everything up on their site, manage all the complex pages and requirements, etc. With on-site advertising, the member can just upload their banner and link and it's off to the races. No messy bidding for the space or complex sites to navigate. Sure, people who use Google Adwords on a daily basis do this all the time, but Joe blow pizza shop owner down the street who uses my community site wants to support my site and pay me directly for the ad, he wants it simple and wants to pay me directly. Added, he's already signed up on my site.

You could make the module certification optional, but with the certification comes the added extra security for end users and a special certification label for the modules which were reviewed. Maybe break it up into a certification channel and a non-certification channel where the developer would have to actually add the non-certification channel via the ACP. Doing this would motivate module developers to get their module certified. Also, maybe charge a higher sales percentage of the modules price for non-certified vs. certified but with certified their is a review up-front fee, unless the module is offered for free.

What you're saying is true though. I could get real complex real fast depending on how many 3rd party developers you have on the site.
updated by @jimmy: 06/19/16 07:46:42AM

Jamroom Facebook/Twitter Campaign

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Another idea I was thinking about, which would depend on your budget, was to start posting jobs on popular freelancing sites for modules. The JR team has created some great modules, but a quick and fast way to get JR into the hands of developers is to start listing jobs on the freelancing websites - Fiverr, odesk, elance, upwork, etc. You'd get exposure in search results, new developer exposure, and another module for the premium package. There are a lot of freelancers who will work for next to nothing.

Of course, the best advertising you could get would be for a major website to be using Jamroom.

Allowing site owners to remove the copyright notice is also to your disadvantage. IPS charges $250 per site to remove the copyright line. Xenforo charges about the same. You're being nice allowing people to remove that, but in the end, it's not helping in the promotion of Jamroom.

Having a WP converter would be huge if that was possible. Having that, you'd allow people to easily transition like what is happening with Ning.

Bridges are bridges. I see a lot of people on IPB who are linking their board with WP. Even though IPB is a full featured suite, there are a lot of people who want to incorporate IPB+WP. Same thing with Xenforo. You should really have bridges for all the major forums IMO. Forum developers do forums well, but other stuff, no so much. That's why people turn to WP for the plugins.

Advertising is important. You don't really have an advertising module for Jamroom. I've talked about this before, in other threads, it's one of the ways people can make money on their site. Making money to pay the bills is important to site owners. IPB went so far as to incorporate it into the core in the new version. I personally pay all my bills, personal and business, with banner ads from 1 site. Having an enterprise grade advertising system where visitors can place ads via the store would be huge. Allowing members to sell ads in their profile, would be a first and allow individuals to make money off their profiles with a cut going to the main site. Advertising, combined with premium subscriptions, and digital and physical goods sales, would make JR a logical choice for a business owner or entrepreneur.

Lastly, module certification. How many WP plugins have had bugs which compromised sites? IPB marketplace... I've been burned for about $100. If the module is showing up in the Jamroom marketplace there should be some sort of certification kind of like the Apple Store. There aren't a lot of developers now, but there could be more in the future. I say this because it could be a great selling point to web developers and enterprise users if you could tell them that something they download from the marketplace is going to be Jamroom certified. Giving them the assurance that no matter what the module, it's going to be safe and work. The web developers biggest fear is the hacking of a clients site via a broken add-on / module / plugin.
updated by @jimmy: 06/19/16 06:07:38AM

Sneak Preview of Premium Skins Ad

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Nice work on the video. This is something JR really needs to get the word out there and grab people's attention.

Jamroom Facebook/Twitter Campaign

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Good luck! If you need any help, just let me know.

Jamroom Facebook/Twitter Campaign

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This is just my opinion:

I think Twitter and Facebook are great but not sure that is the best place to start. With the various CMS choices out there, 9 times out of 10, someone who is going to start a site is going to seek the advice of someone who has experience in the field. I get asked all the time by non-technical people what CMS they should use. I can recommend Jamroom to non-technical person, but if 9 other people are saying Wordpress, then my suggestion isn't worth much. Technical people in my opinion should be the primary focus - a primary focus based on building the referrals by web designers and developers. Competing in the open web against other major offerings (Wordpress, Joomla, Wix, etc) is like the taking on the US Navy in rowboat with a slingshot.

Coming up with a concrete comparison chart and plan to win over the technical people on sites / forums that are technically focused would be a great plan of attack. Maybe having a promotion for developers where if they're a registered business they can get a free license or something. This would also give you a valuable database to market too and allow mom & pop web development businesses to look at switching over to Jamroom from Wordpress. Give the mom & pop web development a reason to switch to Jamroom.

Building clients sites with Wordpress I see all the time, we need to them to start using Jamroom as their default CMS instead of WP. Jamroom has everything needed for them to create a quality robust client's site. Since most of the key modules are developed and maintained by the core Jamroom team, this would provide for better security then a bunch of plugins from an unknown Wordpress developer. You're new pricing structure is also a key advantage. You offer A LOT for the price.

Having bullet point facts about why Jamroom is the better choice is necessary. Those facts would need to be competition class, not a casual comparison. Win those people over with a better sales pitch with concrete facts and they'll start moving to this platform and telling other non-technical people to use Jamroom.

Jamroom has A LOT to offer. Key points would be datastores, the excellent choice of Modules, form creator, Aparna, Groups, and Site Builder. Most of the people I know have never heard of Jamroom. They're all using Wordpress to build client sites.

Searching Google for "major cms systems" or related terms, finding people who review CMS systems, and sending them a pre-written email about Jamroom would be a good way to spread the word and get inclusion on future articles. It's also important to start following these same people on twitter and using the correct hashtags to impact people who are working with CMSs.

I try to promote Jamroom to anyone I come across that wants to use a CMS. It would be wonderful to finally run across someone who says back to me "I use Jamroom and love it." That hasn't happened to me yet and I manage over 20 twitter accounts in various industries. Besides this site, I haven't had a technical discussion with anyone about Jamroom online, with the exception of Centmin Mod forum.

Some other suggestions would be to:

1. Start a Jamroom Slack channel.
2. Setup a Jamroom Reddit page.
3. Submit to Product Hunt.
4. Create a thread on WebHostingTalk.com.
5. Post on HackerNews.
6. Upload Jamroom Core to Codecanyon.net as free.
7. Start some kind of promotion to get people to test out Jamroom like a Hackers contest with cash prizes. "Jamroomhack" every June XX to XX. Come up with the best module in these categories and win $XXX in prizes. Do this every year.

I found out about Jamroom in 2006 on Hotscripts.com. That's where it all began for me.

Maybe you're implementing some of these suggestions already, I don't know. But if you win over the developers and web designers and you'll have a ton of people using Jamroom for a wide variety of purposes. Those developers in-turn will recommend Jamroom to other people who are looking for a CMS to use. We're social creatures and often times seek a more knowledgeable source for a recommendation. Win that recommendation and Jamroom wins.
updated by @jimmy: 06/17/16 08:52:47PM

Changes through the Template editor not showing on the site

Using Jamroom

Turn on the developer mode in Developer > Developer Tools > Global Config > Run In Developer Mode

https://www.jamroom.net/the-jamroom-network/documentation/development/1051/altering-a-modules-template

If you want to make all kinds of modifications I highly recommend a program like phpstorm with a version control system activated.

There are a lot of great videos, grab a coffee and watch them or just watch the ones that apply to what you want to do.

https://www.youtube.com/user/jamroomdotnet/videos?view=0&shelf_id=0&sort=dd