For the past several years, Joomla has been using the 1.5 version, which is more stable than it has ever been and is used by millions. With the release of Joomla 1.6 early in 2011, then the subsequent release of Joomla 1.7 in July of 2011, leading to the discontinuation of Joomla 1.6, many Joomla developers and users are left wondering what to do. More confusion comes when you consider the release of Joomla 1.8 is scheduled for early 2012, and Joomla 1.7 support will be discontinued at that time.
What this means for the average Joomla user remains to be seen, but the bottom line is that Joomla 1.5 will be supported until at least the middle of 2012 so there is no reason not to continue using it. All of the extensions, components and templates for 1.5 are well established and more stable than ever. We feel upgrading to one of these new versions should be held off until they become stable, or Joomla can decide on a stable version that won't require massive upgrades every few months.
It seems the Joomla developers have their own plans, possibly building towards a 2.0 version, in our opinion it doesn't make a lot of sense. The major changes that are introduced from version to version have left the development community scrambling to build new extensions, templates and products - only to have them become obsolete a few months later, once again scrambling to catch up to the next version, again.
Those who jumped on the 1.6 bandwagon are now left with the frustrating relization that there is no support for their version or extensions and they must now upgrade to 1.7 - which is in it's infancy and many developers have not fully upgraded their products to work with that version. Those who jumped on the 1.7 bandwagon will face a similar situation in a few months, and who knows what happens after that. It's a difficult time to be a Joomla user or Developer.
Our verdict: use 1.5. There is absolutely nothing wrong with continuing to use Joomla 1.5, as it is more stable and secure than it ever has been. It offers infinitely more expansion options than either of the new versions. We are continuing to use Joomla 1.5 until the dust clears a little bit, we see no reason to be using new verions of anything until their stability and usability can be proven. Bottom line: Joomla 1.5 just works, we know how to work it, and we can provide quality website products while using it.
As Joomla developers, we feel it’s important to educate our clients about new changes that become available. But new doesn't always mean better. While there are many enhancements in the new versions of Joomla, there are also many bugs and a lack of support. All the new features in the world don't count for much if there are flaws and limited extension options.
We urge everyone to consider: Why upgrade into a system that limits your options when there is already an established version that works just fine? We subscribe to the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" policy, this serves us well in being able to deliver quality and reliable products to our clients. Support for 1.5 is planned to be continued until mid 2012. Hopefully by then there will be a usable version that will have a shelf life of longer than a few months. We can only hope.
Contact us with questions about Joomla and what it means for your website.
Netsense Media was a tremendous help to me in creating my website. I had several ideas about the look and feel I wanted, but no idea where to start. They took my vision and implemented it and designed it better than I could have imagined. They are quick, reliable and diligent; I was on a fast timeline and they met it without any complications or complaints. I will recommend Netsense Media to anyone and everyone looking for talented web designers.
Dana Harris, Owner. DMarie & Company
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