Featured post

Elgg 1.8.13 and 1.7.17

Elgg 1.8.13 and Elgg 1.7.17 have been released to address a security issue in the Twitter widget. The issue is present in all versions of Elgg that have included the Twitter widget plugin. Thanks to Moritz Naumann of Naumann IT Security Consulting for discovering and reporting this vulnerability to us.

Keep your Elgg site secure by disabling the Twitter plugin or upgrading today.

Five developers contributed to this release:

  • Cash Costello
  • Juho Jaakkola
  • Kevin Jardine
  • Krzysztof Różalski
  • Steve Clay

If you would like to contribute to an Elgg release, fork our repository at Github.

Featured post

A word on donations, open source, and the Elgg community site

Recently there have been an increasing number of posts on the community site related to donations and paid support / solutions on the community site. I have made a couple posts addressing this, but it’s still occurring with increasing frequency.

First, this is the community site for Elgg as an open source project. This is not your personal site; this is not an Elgg demo site; this is not an advertising service.  This site is a place for users, contributors, and those curious about Elgg to interact with each other, share ideas, share troubleshooting, and to share plugins and themes.  The contributions to this site are made without want, requirement, or expectation of donations. If you are uncomfortable with these stipulations, please leave the community site. If you cannot abide by these stipulations, you will be banned.

Secondly, as a developer who happens to like having food to eat, a place to sleep, and heat in the winter, I understand the need to be reimbursed for time spent developing. As an open source developer, I understand the need to keep the project’s community active and I believe in the principles and philosophies of Open Source. These two concepts are not mutually exclusive, but are beginning to be in this community.  When every discussion board and group is littered with donation requests it greatly distracts from the value of having a community based around a project.

On the other side of this are the users who take all for free without contributing back.  This also hurts Elgg.  I’ve outlined before how to contribute back to Elgg if you can’t code, and for the most part people do.  There are some “help vampires” that demand free help right now or they demand immediate updates to plugins.  This isn’t the way to interact in an open source community either and is just as damaging as commercial spam.

No one is against using Elgg as a means of income.  In fact, part of the decision to dual license GPL/MIT on Core was because MIT offers developers who want to resell greater flexibility than the GPL.  However, having the community site polluted with “Donate!” messages is distasteful and subtracts from the worth of the community as a whole. More than one person has commented on the fact that seeing all the donation requests in the community makes Elgg less appealing.  This must stop.

So what would you, the community, like to see on the this site regarding commercial services and donation requests? The current plan is to allow those who wish to offer consulting services for Elgg to do so tastefully through their profile and the Professional Services group.  In group discussion, if the only reason for a reply on a discussion topic is to gather donations or to offer unsolicited paid services, it will be deleted and the offending user will be banned.  Posts prefixed with “Looking for a developer.” are, of course, fair game to announce your services to the author.  Post that say “How do you…” are not appropriate threads in which to ask for donations.

On a personal note, I hate that this post needed to be made.  What has been happening on the community site is so far from the philosophies of open source that it’s very discouraging.  Open source software is something I feel strongly about and that I will fight for.  If you don’t like interacting with an open source community, please leave–you will be frustrated and you will frustrate those around you.  If, however you simply don’t know how to interact with us or are uncomfortable about it, please send me a direct message or an email and we’ll talk.  The point of open source is community, and that’s something I will protect in Elgg.

Please comment at the Community Action group on the community site.

Featured post

It’s official: Elgg is the best social networking platform

We’re pleased to announce that Elgg has been featured as the best open source social networking platform in InfoWorld’s 2008 Best Of Open Source Awards. Elgg joins WordPress, which won for best blogging platform, Firefox, which won for best web browser, and MySQL, which was featured as the best database system.

From the article:

While Elgg lets corporations, governments, and schools quickly establish blogs, the system’s collaborative features encourage building communities of users with shared interests. Other Elgg fine points include podcast support, file repositories, user profiles, an RSS aggregator, and branding features. Significantly, the software integrates with other IT systems and provides OpenID authentication.

We’re pleased to do all that and more with Elgg 1.0, due for release on August 18th.

 

Please note that development support requests will be deleted. If you are looking for Elgg community support, head over to http://community.elgg.org/

Get Better Knowledge About Fashion With These Great Ideas!

There are many people who lack fashion knowledge. When it comes down to fashion, you need to learn a few simple facts in order to develop good fashion sense. Let this article assist you in learning about how to build that good fashion sense.

Sheer clothing can be sexy, but beware of how sheer and what’s showing. An item that is overly sheer can look cheap instead of sexy.

Always take note of the new fashion trends in the industry. Styles are constantly changing, which is why you are going to want to make sure that you are always up to date with the latest there is to know. They will usually point out new trends first.

Accessories are your best friend. You can take any old outfit that would be quite boring or plain on its own and dress it up with amazing accessories. Add the perfect necklace or brooch to a little black dress, and you’ve taken that LBD from average to awesome in two seconds flat.

If you notice your hair frizzing when it is dry, try applying just a little leave-in conditioner from the top to the bottom of your hair follicles. If your hair is very curly, use a serum instead and start around the middle of your hair rather than at the crown. These tactics will help to smooth things out and help you to look your best.

If you find a classic skirt, linen shirt or pair of jeans that fits you perfectly and makes you look and feel fabulous, buy two of them. Designers make their money by making changes every year so that customers will buy new items each season. You may not ever be able to replace that beloved item that gives you so much pleasure and confidence.

Don’t shy away from Real Madrid Barcelona. You may be reluctant to wear used clothing, but keep an open mind. If you don’t have much money to spend on a new outfit, your local thrift store could prove perfect. Check out thrift stores regularly. You could end up finding some unique, fashionable additions to your wardrobe.

Don’t make fashion impulse buys. When you buy on impulse, you often make bad choices. The clothing may not fit as well as you hoped, or it doesn’t truly work with anything in your closet. Before making the buy ask yourself if you really need it, and if you have items that can compliment it.

Don’t wear current trends just because they are what everyone else is doing. What looks amazing for a runway model might not look great on you. Consider different fashion tips, and follow your own desired tastes. You know better than anyone else what you look good in. They will keep you on the right path.

Although denim has taken on many forms over the years, it is something that will never go out of style, regardless of its variations. A well-fitting pair of denim jeans looks good on anyone. This doesn’t mean putting on a pair that is too tight. Your denim jeans should fit comfortably around your body.

Invest in the basics. Every wardrobe should have a few key pieces. The little black dress is a classic for good reason. A well-fitted white blouse is versatile and flattering. A tailored suit is perfect for serious business. These items are ones you shouldn’t be afraid to spend a little extra on, as they are timeless classics that last beyond the changing fashion trends.

When finding the right coat, it is important that you find one with the right fit. A good coat will flatten the shape of your upper body. It should be just loose enough so that you can reach insider to get something out of your breast pocket. Any looser and your look will not be chic.

The bra you wear can have a major effect on your look. A stretched out bra that rides up your back is going to do nothing for your chest. On the other hand, push up bras can make your breasts look fake. Try to stick with a bra that has undwire and a little padding.

Your fashion should demonstrate to the world what type of person you are, but it should not shout the message. Keep your style in mind when you shop and collect the items you need to create it. Use the tips in this article, and put together a wardrobe that reflects your personality and style.

Internet Shopping Advice You Need To Be Aware Of

When you need to buy something, you should give online shopping a try. It allows you to buy whatever you need and have it mailed to where you live. It puts you in touch with places that offer great deals too. You can learn more about this if you read the article that follows.

When shopping online, it is critical that you spend a little time looking into the site that you are considering buying from. You can find information about the site from other sites and the Better Business Bureau. Not researching them could lead to you getting the products you did not order or getting billed more than you should have.

Check out coupon sites. Whatever you want to buy might have coupons or discount codes. Before you buy something, make sure that you have the ability to take a few seconds and do a quick search. You might even want to bookmark some coupon sites to have ready when you buy.

If you’re considering buying a product online, check out the reviews. The reviews from other people that have used the product will be able to give you a good idea about the product. You may be able to find out the quality of the product, if it worked as described, and if you should make the purchase.

If you want to buy books online, you’ll get a better deal if you get them used. Depending on the condition you get them in, you may just end up paying a few cents plus shipping. Make sure you read through the description of the book to see if there are any damages you should be aware of.

Before shopping from a store that is new to you, find out what the store’s reputation is like. You can usually do an online search and find out what others think of the business. It is best to do this so you do not find out the hard way and lose your money.

If you see an item you’d like to buy online, but want to pay a little less, add it to your cart. Most stores will save the items you put in your cart, which means you can come by and check for price drops regularly. Just don’t wait too long. The item you want might disappear.

You can save a lot while shopping online if you order all the products you need at once. Most online stores will ship your items together and only charge you once for shipping. Some stores will even offer free shipping if you spend a certain amount. It is sometimes more interesting to purchase an additional item instead of paying for shipping.

No reputable company should ask for or need your social security number simply for shopping purposes. Therefore, make it a practice never to give out your SSN online. If you are making a purchase and you are asked for this number, do not continue. You are probably on a scam site, and you should not complete the transaction.

Read the reviews left by other customers. You will likely run into some sites that pay for their reviews, so pay attention to what you are reading not just the star ratings given. You will be able to learn a lot about the quality of the product as well as the site by reading the reviews.

If you are unsure whether or not you can trust an online vendor, look up their reviews online first. Many times, customers will post reviews about their shopping experience, both good and bad. One or two bad reviews should not put you off, but many bad reviews should set off warning signals.

Watch out for online retailer discounts that have short expiration dates. Too many online shoppers fall for the urgency of a good discount without really thinking it through. If the discount is for items that you need, it may be a good idea to use it. However, if the discount only applies to things that you wouldn’t buy otherwise, it’s not a good deal. Keep in mind that you could also find a better deal elsewhere, so think about it and do your research before you buy.

Plan your online purchases carefully. Do not hesitate to spend a few hours looking through different stores to compare the products offered. Look for reviews on different sites and find a product adapted to your needs and your budget. Do some research on the online stores that offer the product you want before ordering Mænd Nike Free Run

Now you should be able to see that shopping online is simple and fun. If you’re ready to get started, take what you’ve learned here and have at it. You’ll have a more enjoyable time shopping online because of the tips you learned here. Have fun and be safe out there!

MapleStory Mesos Guide Mesos4u

There are several excellent maple story mesos-making quests inside MapleStory that can make you more cheap maplestory mesos than some of the other quests.

You have to visit the Dungeon, if you don’t know where Sleepywood is yet.Because I do not have the scroll yet I prefer to consider the Herseys path.

maplestory mesos

maplestory mesos

To get to Sleepywood, take the Herseys course to the Dungeon. Till you finally get to the Dungeon you will undergo 2 zones.Keep till you will find a statue with a zone in it dropping down, when you get in the zone. Zone in and you’ll be in Sleepywood.

Until you see a statue from there, walk right. Click the statue. The statue will take you in to a leaping quest zone.Cope with both of these zones and collect the flowers. Once the flowers are got by you, you will be carried from the zone.

There is a possibility that you wont get enough flowers if the quest have been just done by someone. Return to Lith Harbour, if flowers were got all 10 by you and get some EXP and 30 screws! Also, do not forget to have a Sleepywood scroll if you have $600 mesos.

There are 2 ways you can earn money from this quest:

  1. Concluding this quest enables you to accomplish that jumping quest for ores. Remember Ores = Mesos. If you are good at it, your time can be got by you down to about 2 minutes per completion. That is one ore per minute.This is quite excellent. If you collect enough of these ores with this technique, you can make ore plates which sells for $ 20, 000 to $ 60, 000 each. IT may become more or less, based on the industry, ore and server you are on. Therefore, it’s not a poor quest to practice particularly at low degrees of the game.
  2. By the end of the quest, screws are got 30 by you. You can sell them for $ 1, 000 each, creating you $ 30, 000! There are screws going for $5,000 each also it can actually make you $80,000!. So, this quest can possibly make you $80,000 at level

I did an experiment to see how much mesos I could farm in 2 hours. I was able to complete about 50 in 2 hours, with the possibility to produce no more than 10 refined ores. Promoting them individually at the free industry ranging from $2,000 to $7,000 each, I created a grand total of $532,000! This is not bad for 2 hrs of work on level 15. This can help release mesos issues for a while.

If you want more details on making more maple story mesos fast in MapleStory, our MapleStory guides can be checked out all by you with all the best mesos from Mesos4u.com!

Source: http://www.mesos4u.com

Beijing Massage

Today beijing massage is an essential part of our dailylife.Mainly because it provides us with some kind of relations which are important for all people today as they are an integral part of them.. If you need to alter them it’s also an important aspect in relatives particularly. But occasionally in this world you could easily have various issues.
beijing massage
Which is not your problem. They may be connected with wrong instruction, and the insufficient expertise and essential understanding. Why all types of beijing massage might assist you that is. We’re at your service. Simply make up your dive and mind into the world of the dreams and desires.

Therefore there are lots of helpful practical bits Continue reading →

Moving towards v1.8

Now that v1.7 has left the building, it could be time for a break but not here at Elgg central, instead, it is straight on with work which will eventually become v1.8 – the interface release!

Firstly, I would like to thank Brett Profitt, Elgg’s recently appointed Lead Developer, for his outstanding work on the core engine: introducing coding standards, improving the core API and working closely with developers in the community. This has been the most successful release of Elgg ever in terms of community participation.

We took our time over v1.7 which was required to sort out a few long term core bugs and to rectify some architecture decisions taken early on in the project, which proved problematic. Now that we have reached this milestone, the most stable version of Elgg yet, attention is on the interface and end-user features.

Our aim over the next few months is to simplify Elgg’s interface, make it standards compliant and improve the features we all use and expect on our Elgg networks. We want to make theming much easier and ensure the user experience is consistant as we know this is an area where Elgg needs to improve.

Interface work has already started and is being committed into SVN. Discussion has begun in the community and we welcome all thoughts/ideas/input:

Part one: http://community.elgg.org/mod/groups/topicposts.php?topic=397103&group_guid=212846
Part two:http://community.elgg.org/mod/groups/topicposts.php?topic=424690&group_guid=212846

Edinburgh Napier Education Exchange

After watching this video about an new initiative at Edinburgh Napier University, I got in touch with one of the team there to find out how things were developing. Colin Gray was kind enough to answer a couple of questions.

1) How are you using Elgg?

We are using ELGG for 2 different sites at the moment:

  • The first is a staff collaboration area for coordinating research, communicating about projects, running special interest groups and just generally encouraging collaboration and the sharing of practise across the institution.
  • The second is a cross-institution resource which is working to increase articulation paths between ourselves and a few colleges in the Lothians area. It’s being used mainly for communications between the facilitation team, storing meeting/event materials and distributing outcomes. It’s also being used to co-ordinate work shadowing between academic staff.

2) How long have you been using the platform?

I first installed the system to do a bit of research on it around April 2009, and have been using it for live sites since the summer of 2009.

3) How has it been going so far?

We’ve had a really positive response to it so far, but usage is too limited at this point to define whether it has been successful on either of our sites. Hopefully more on this in 6 months time or so!

4) What are your plans moving forward with Elgg?

I want to expand the use of the first site in particular by getting a lot more staff on it. This’ll hopefully generate a lot more content and get the community buzzing!

5) Have you had to overcome any challenges to get up and running?

The main challenges have been technical really – our servers are all ASP based and obviously ELGG is PHP, so I’ve had to go external for hosting which is a pain, and this obviously brings in fears of reliability, security, etc. Also, there is a bit of resistance to yet another system with a new set of logins and passwords. I plan to explore whether we can tie it in with our internal login system using LDAP authentication but I’m not sure if this will be possible between our systems and an externally hosted site from a security point of view.

6) What would you like to see improved in Elgg?

I’d love a few new features to cover requirements which I’m currently handling with slightly inadequate plugins. Of course, I might simply not have come across the right plugin yet so any tips gratefully received: 

  • Site-wide calendar function, group calendars.
  • The ability to authenticate users – far too many spam users coming in at the moment but I really want to keep registration open. More security features to combat this would be really really useful.
  • More easy customisation options for the front page. I know there are editable areas, but it would be good to have more power over what appears on the front page without delving in to the code or employing 3rd party plugins that have sometimes brought down my entire test sites.

Elgg 1.7 released!

I am pleased to announce Elgg 1.7 has been released–download it from the Elgg downloads page!

For 1.7, the core team focused development on improving the core API, correcting long-standing bugs, and enhancing security.  During the development of 1.7, we have had an unprecedented amount of community involvement in trac.  In fact, over 250 issues were resolved in trac for this release!

Much of the development time was spent improving the core API to make Elgg a stable platform for development.  As I have mentioned, this means that there are very few new features in Elgg 1.7–most of the improvements are behind the scenes and will be visible only to developers.

Some of the larger changes in 1.7 include:

  • Proper UTF8 support in the database — This allows developers to use MySQL’s native string functions in queries
  • A new data directories layout to work with standard filesystems
  • Full-text search
  • A new core API for retrieving entities
  • A functional REST API
  • Unit tests

I’d like to personally thank the following people for their contributions to 1.7:

  • Cash Costello for endless testing, developing, bug reporting, and feedback
  • Justin Richer, Nathan Rackliffe, and Tom Read from MITRE for the basics of the new search
  • Mike Lietz, Patrick McSweeny, and Kevin McCollough from eTech Ohio for bug reports and patches
  • thomas, sammykanan, gv, coldtrick, jaakko.naakka, markharding, milan, and twall for testing against SVN, submitting trac tickets, and submitting patches

This list is by no means all-inclusive, so for anyone I mistakenly left out, thank you too!

With more people joining the effort to test, to patch, and to develop, Elgg is really gaining momentum.  This is absolutely great news and I’m very excited about what the future holds!  The increase in developers has, however, demonstrated that we need to change how our SVN repositories are organized.  To simplify the development process, the separate core and extensions SVN repositories and tracs will be merged into a single repository and trac system.  The SVN repositories will be updated to a standard branches, tags, and trunk layout to allow concurrent development and support for multiple versions of Elgg.

To implement these changes, Elgg’s SVN and trac will be unavailable until March 3rd, 2010 at 9:00am EST.  Watch this blog space for information on how to switch to the new SVN layout.

The road to 1.7 has been an exciting one for me, and I hope that 1.8 is just as interesting!