You may have noticed the Joomla Shop recently got a facelift to match the new Joomla.org front page design. Now, to really perk it up we've added new items too.

When your house doesn't seem to have enough official Joomla merchandise, the Joomla Shop has you covered. Expanding the offerings of the shop are three cool new products, guaranteed to make you the envy of open source enthusiasts everywhere.

Autumn is coming, and with it the brisk weather and need for an awesome Joomla-embroidered lightweight jacket. The Men's R-Tek Fleece Jacket is made from recycled material so it's both stylish and eco-friendly.

For those Joomla supporters who need to lug books, a computer, files, and more around, look no further than the new urban backpack. The Joomla Urban Backpack has a padded computer case, MP3 player pouch and chest/waist straps to make it useful on hikes. And, of course, it also has the beautiful Joomla logo embroidered on the front.

Women do Joomla too, and the shop hasn't forgotten that. Adding to the fall outerwear options is the Women's Soft Touch Hoodie. This hoodie is made from Pima cotton, and due to its infusion of Modal fibers it's luxuriously soft.

Support Joomla by patronizing the shop, and get some great stuff in return.

The Joomla Project is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Joomla 1.5.7 [Wovusani]. This is a security release and contains a number of bug fixes, improvements as well as security fixes. It is strongly recommended that users immediately upgrade. It has been nearly four weeks since Joomla 1.5.6 was released on August 12, 2008. The Development Working Group's goal is to continue to provide regular, frequent updates to the Joomla community.

Instructions

• New installation
• Upgrade from an existing Joomla 1.5 version
• Migration from Joomla! 1.0.x

Click here to download Joomla 1.5.7 (Full package) »

Click here to find an update package. »

Want to test drive Joomla? Try the online demo. Documentation is available for beginners.

Release Notes

Security

• Several security issues were fixed in this release. There was 1 critical, 1 major and 2 moderate security vulnerabilities fixed in 1.5.7. For more information, visit the Security Center.

Articles

• com_content: Metadata handling; Alias not copied for Articles
• String Escaping: External links; Titles; Alt tags missing on images
• Blog Layout: Article Page break; new Left-to-Right option; Breadcrumbs; Archive Intro Text formatting issues; Section Blog Article links
• Submit Article: Article Order Drop-Down List on Front End Shows Archived and Trashed Articles; Preview edited Article does not use Template Editor.css
• RSS Feed: Publish Date fix; External URLs rendering incorrectly
• SEO: Index and Follow Meta Tag for Print View

Modules

• Show_noauth problem; Module Deletion after uninstall; Colspan in mod_latest; Copy Newsflash Module
• Name and Username in mod_login; Menu item is locked after closing
• Search: Textfield Width Parameter; Show Search Results option; Category Search

Legacy

• Menu Access Rights Corrections; Menu Separator shows as Link

Templates

• Beez: Contact Image; Typo in Attribute value; Newsflash Article URL
• ja_purity: e-Mail and Print Button files; Default Article Layout does not display Edit Icon for Authors; Site Logo Text goes under Header background; Top menu
• UPDATE (Sept. 10, 2008): New function countMenuChildren() added for hiding empty split menus

Administrator

• $row is not Initialized
• Help: Latest Version check; Help Key Reference Update for Modules: New Screen
• Configuration: Time Zone correction
• Media Manager: Base path missing slashes
• Sample Content: Outdated Links in "Welcome to Joomla", Newsfeed Fixes, several updated articles and statistics
• Installation: Remove confusing error message about language files for extension installations

System

• IIS 6 and IIS 7: JRoute::_() and Application Redirect() fixes
• Parameter Types: SQL, Textarea for Templates
• E-mail: JMail class ignores JConfig.sendmail path for sendmail; Incorrect SEF URLs for outgoing recommendation e-mails
• API: JHTMLSelect fix; queryBatch logging in debug mode; JSite::getParams(); strpos(); setMetadata creates duplicate meta tags; $row is not initialized
• XML-RPC client ID is too high; Profiling J1.5 framework; $row is not initialized
• Cache: JCacheStorageFile::gc flawed logic in cache expiry; Clean Cache file with Cache Manager

UPDATE (Sept. 12, 2008): For FAQs about this release, see http://docs.joomla.org/Category:Version_1.5.7_FAQ

As announced earlier, Joomla was nominated for the Packt Publishing Best Overall Open Source CMS and Best PHP Open Source CMS awards. Thanks to our awesome community support, we're finalists in two categories. Voting for the final round has begun and we need all the help we can get.

This is the time to show your support for your favorite CMS. Click here to vote for Joomla for the Best Overall Open Source CMS and then click here to vote for Joomla as the Best PHP Open Source CMS. You can vote in both categories.

Help us spread the word about Joomla by using the banners below on your Web site. Choose the size that fits best and add one of the following links:

Vote for the Best Overall Open Source CMS

http://www.packtpub.com/article/overall-open-source-cms-award-final-joomla

Vote for the Best PHP Open Source CMS

http://www.packtpub.com/article/best-php-open-source-cms-award-final-joomla

Happy third birthday, Joomla!

The Joomla Project is pleased to introduce a new team focused solely on managing and improving Joomla security?the Joomla Security Strike Team?and their new home at the Joomla Security Center.

The JSST replaces the previous Joomla Security Team by assembling a top-notch group of Joomla experts, complemented by security talent recruited from outside Joomla. Together, part of their goal is to investigate and respond to security matters.

JSST leader Anthony Ferrara is excited about what this means for Joomla security. "We're already well into our first mission?a low-level code audit and a deeper look into every reported vulnerability since 1.5.0 alpha."

The new JSST will call the new Joomla Security Center their home base. The Security Center provides a public presence for security issues and a platform for the JSST to help the general public better understand security and how it relates to Joomla. The Security Center also offers users a clearer understanding of how security issues are handled. There's also a news feed, which provides subscribers an up-to-the-minute notification of security issues as they arise.

"The Joomla Core Team has been planning a new security team for a few months now in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The previous team worked in relative isolation, but the new Strike Team will have a strong public-facing presence," said Ferrara.

But the JSST won't stop there. They fully expect the Joomla community to do its part in reporting vulnerabilities and have created a form for such reports. For each verified security issue reported, the JSST will send the user a free Joomla t-shirt.

Ferrara said, "Security is a perpetual process. We're going to make Joomla even better than it already is."

1. More user-centric design: The top portion of the home page focuses on directing users in Joomla's three primary user groups: Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced. These are three top-level "funnels" for quickly getting users to relevant content.
2. Consolidation of resources: As the previous sites grew, the architecture became more convoluted and pages with redundant resources were created or, conversely, related information was strewn across several pages. A consolidation of information should help users more logically find what they need.
3. More resources brought up to the home page: The previous home page gave users Joomla news and not much more. The lower portion of the new home page brings forward content from many of Joomla's most important aspects. Repeat visitors can get the latest information from a multitude of sources all at a glance.
4. More overall integration: Each of the Joomla sites has differing approaches to resolving unique informational and navigational aspects. When taking into consideration the evolution and overall growth of our group of sites, we have taken a hard look of the complexities and how to resolve those in a manner to give the best user experience.
5. Compliance with W3 standards: Joomla template pages validate according to the XHTML 1.0 Transitional standard. Check it out.

1. Joomla Shop at shop.joomla.org - Update planned by next week.
2. Joomla Demo at demo.joomla.org - Update planned by next week.
3. Joomla Community Portal at community.joomla.org - Coming soon.
4. Joomla Developer Network at developer.joomla.org - Coming soon.
5. Joomla Extensions Directory at extensions.joomla.org - Coming soon.
6. Joomla Discussion Forums at forum.joomla.org - Coming soon.
7. Joomla Documentation Wiki at docs.joomla.org - Coming soon.

The Joomla! community is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Joomla! 1.5.6 [Vusani]. This is a quick turnaround security release to address a high level security issue and it is recommended all users upgrade immediately.

For more information about this exploit, click here to visit the Joomla Security Blog.

Instructions

• New installation
• Upgrade from an existing Joomla! 1.5 version
• Migration from Joomla! 1.0.x
• See below for manual installation instructions

Download the Joomla 1.5.6 full package now

Download update packages

Release Notes

• SECURITY [HIGH] Fixed security hole in reset logic to check for proper token length.

Manual Installation

Download the Joomla! 1.5.6 Security Patch changed files only

For some users a manual installation of the 1.5.6 Security Patch is a faster process. To manually apply the 1.5.6 Security Patch, upload the following files, replacing the existing files:

		components/com_user/models/reset.php
		changelog.php
		includes/framework.php
		administrator/includes/framework.php
		libraries/joomla/version.php
		libraries/joomla/environment/uri.php

This patch will only update installations of Joomla 1.5.5. If you're using an earlier version, it is recommended you update prior to updating these files.

The August 2008 Joomla Community Magazine is available now and it's loaded with cool stuff about the World's Greatest Open Source CMS. (Biased? pfff!) Month after month, you will find articles on Joomla 1.5 Web sites, GPL-compatiable extensions, events, communities around the world, ways to get involved, learning resources for beginners, site integrators, and developers, and the latest buzz on what's happening in the Joomla! project.

What kind of buzz, you ask? Well, this month, it's all about JoomlaConnect?, a brand new service that aggregates Joomla! community news from all around the world. Joomla Core Team member and Communications Team Lead Louis Landry developed this nifty new tool for us to use. So, if you are interested in some RSS action, get your blog firing J!, and see Getting Connected to JoomlaConnect.

Feature Articles

This month, Joomla Core Team member and Development Working Group Coordinator, Andrew Eddie kicks off the Features Section by revealing an encouraging external market survey that shows Joomla!, WordPress, and Drupal as leading Open Source CMSs worldwide. Hat tip to our friends and partners in free software. Andrew also discusses training resources for developers and calls on the faithful to lend a hand updating our dev doc. Come on, it'll make you feel good.

This is very cool --> International award winning author and illustrator Sarah Verroken shares her creative process that resulted in a captivating Joomla 1.5 Web site showcasing her unique and beautiful work. Then, more cool design --> Per Andre Ronsen combines creative talents in theology, music, and design into a hot Joomla 1.5 Web site for Soul Kids.

This month's Joomla Forum Member of the Month is Marieke van der Tuin, undeniably one of the hardest working contributors in all of J! land. Oh, and make certain to check out the great, new GPL'ed extensions highlighted by our very own Toni Marie.

Involved Community

Joomla is powered by an involved community all around the world. Case in point, Vancouver Joomla Day organizer Wendy Robinson shares Ten steps to a successful event. On the other side of the planet, Chorn Sokun and John T Denny highlight what's going on with the Cambodian Joomla! community. Then, from San Francisco, Ron Severdia, founder of PlayShakespeare.com, discusses his Joomla 1.5 site, also the subject of his recent CNN Comcast Newsmakers interview.

Then, Joomla! developer, Alan Langford of Toronto shares a thoughtful piece on why he participates in Open Source and Google Summer of Code participant, Mostafa Muhammad sends Greetings from Wikimania 2008 in Egypt. Core Team member and Fundraising Team Lead, Michelle Bisson, (Wait a minute! Isn't that a lot of Mounties?) invites the community to support Joomla! financially. Give until it hurts. Well, at least give, if you are able, knowing every little bit helps...

Joomla Learning

There are several great articles aimed at skill development for Joomla community members. Those just starting with Joomla 1.5 are encouraged to read the Learning Joomla using Sample Data written by Mark Dexter. Site Integrators will get good value from Sam Moffatt's Improve the Security of your Joomla Administrator article; practical tips from Andrew's Legacy Mode in Joomla 1.5 and Search in Joomla 1.5 pieces; and inspiration from J! talent Jennifer Marriott's Resources for Designers article.

For developers, Jens-Christian Skibakk's tutorial entitled Creating a single package for Admin and Site Languages will help you take advantage of recent Installer improvements introduced by Jens. If you are geek enough, check out the tutorial Dynamic loading of lists using AJAX in a MVC component written by the very talented, Mathieu Chauvinc.

Joomla Project

Really good effort from the Joomla! project this month. Development Working Group Leads Sam Moffatt and Anthony Ferrara share this month's release updates on Joomla 1.5.4 and 1.5.5 . The Joomla! Extensions Directory takes the Working Group spotlight -- and exceeds 3,500 Joomla Extensions! And, finally, there is that very cool announcement about JoomlaConnect?.

Next month?

Much more, and even a bit more on top of that. So, come back and get some. September's line up is all firmed up but if you are interested in sharing an article with the Joomla Community Magazine for October, we might have a spot for that. Just contact us at Joomla.Magazine@community.joomla.org  and let us know what you would like to share. Until then, have fun with Joomla.

The Joomla! community is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Joomla! 1.5.5 [Mamni]. This is a quick turnaround release to address the Duplicate Title error from 1.5.4 . This release also contains important SEF URL improvements and fixes for com_content in addition to a number of bug fixes and improvements. It has been nearly three weeks since Joomla! 1.5.4 was released on July 8, 2008. The Development Working Group 's goal is to continue to provide regular, frequent updates to the Joomla! community.

Instructions

• New installation
• Upgrade from an existing Joomla! 1.5 version
• Migration from Joomla! 1.0.x

Download Joomla! 1.5.5 and update packages

Want to test drive Joomla!? Try the online demo . Documentation is available for beginners.

Release Notes

• Fix Duplicate Titles Bug
• SEF URL improvements and fixes for com_content
• Fixed error restricting Search to Article content, only
• Archived Articles now link correctly with SEF URLs
• Category Blog pagination and Link List corrected
• Category List Menu Item and Frontend now allow List length selection
• Fixed Contact Item Bad Word parameter that prevented email
• Private Messaging Search now returns results
• SWF Banner correction allowing definition of dimensions
• Improved 403 reporting for Submit Article and Web link permission issues
• "Register to Read More" fixes for Newsflash
• Page Break and Read More fixes
• JA Purity Hornav position, login token code, and language string fixes
• BEEZ fieldset alignments for Search and Read More link corrections
• Installer fixes for updates to Components and Modules
• mosmsg now used by 1.0.x extensions