Past Meetings

November 2009: Joomla 1.6

Want to find out what Joomla! 1.6 will be all about before it gets released from the lab?
Login to JoomlaChicago, then RSVP for the LIVE meeting on Wednesday, November 11th!

For Web Designers, Developers Marketers & Admins: Joomla Chicago User Group meetings are on the second Wednesday of every month, from 11:00 am - 1:30 pm at the offices of The Acquity Group.  Come. Relax. Enjoy lunch, care of our friends at Arc Technology Group.  JoomlaChicago is for all friends of Joomla! who want to learn more about how to use and participate in one of the most incredible open source web design & development communities on the planet: Joomla!

Wednesday November 11th, 2009 Meeting Agenda:
11:00 - 11:45: Joomla CMS KickStart^TM Training - Joomla Basics
11:50 - Noon: Joomla! Extension Of The Month & Site Showcase
Noon - 1:00: Featured Presentation - Joomla! 1.6 Preview
1:00 - 1:30: After Half-Hour Business Networking

[Registration for this meeting is now closed. Please join us in December.]

(Note: You must be a registered member of JoomlaChicago to attend.
Membership is free, so sign up for JoomlaChicago today!)

If you are like most of the JoomlaChicago Users, you may need a little one-on-one help to get over a particular Joomla obstacle from time to time. Check out Professional Hour from 1:30-2:30.

February: Customize Your Joomla! Template

When you choose to use Joomla! as your CMS, you can tap into an immense library of online templates totalling in the tens of thousands. Whether you find a commercial template for free or for a fee, you'll want to customize your template for your own business.

Want to learn the best ways to do that? Come to the February, 2010 JoomlaChicago Meeting and find out! For the JoomlaChicago February meeting, Kendall Cabe will lead a session on how to customize your Joomla! template. 

Wednesday February 10th Meeting Agenda:
11:00 - 11:50: Joomla CMS KickStart^TM - or - Joomla Pro Roundtable
11:50 - Noon: Joomla Extension Of The Month or Site Showcase
Noon - 1:00: Featured Presentation - Customize Your Joomla! Template - Kendall Cabe
1:00 - 1:30: After Half-Hour Business Networking

Sorry, this event is sold out! This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to be added to the waiting list.
You will be contacted if a spot opens up.

If you are like most of the JoomlaChicago Users, you may need a little one-on-one help to get over a particular Joomla obstacle from time to time. Check out Professional Hour from 1:30-2:30.  You must be a registered member of JoomlaChicago to sign up and attend. Membership is free, so sign up for JoomlaChicago today. If you have any issues registering, contact us right away.

October 2009: Mobile Joomla!

Want to learn more about how to take advantage of the mobile web, using Joomla! Content Management System? Login to JoomlaChicago, then RSVP for Mobile Joomla! Meetup on October 14th, a free CMS learning session hosted by the CMS Association. Come learn how progressive communicators are using mobile Joomla! to achieve their goals (repeat - you must be logged in to register. If you're not yet part of JoomlaChicago connect to our CMS Community here.)

A Telling Forrester Research Forecast:

"As mobile devices not only extend the collaboration and productivity capabilities that used to tether us to fixed locations, we’re also seeing the rise of new, highly interactive mobile platforms and networks that increasingly capture our attention and time. Spending growth over the next five years is compounded at 27% which makes it the second most notable growth factor behind Social Media with $1,274 (in millions) expected to fund mobile programs in 2014."
- From PR 2.0

As budgets in the Mobile and Social Media segments continue to expand (at the expense of conventional advertising), we at JoomlaChicago want to make sure we're providing our members with the latest information, knowledge, techniques and real-live people to help you achieve your objectives. So be sure to sign up for this dynamic session on Joomla!, one of the most powerful Open Source CMS solutions on the planet. Learn how you can use Joomla! and its powerful (and emerging) mix of mobile extensions to deliver results.

Meetings are on the second Wednesday of every month, from 11:00 am - 1:30 pm at the Loop office of The Acquity Group. Enjoy lunch, care of our friends at Arc Technology Group. This is NOT a sales pitch session; it's a learning session, so the lunch is really free ;) for all friends of Joomla! who want to learn more and share what you know too in the Joomlasphere!

Wednesday October 14th, 2009 Meeting Agenda:
11:00 - 11:45: Joomla CMS KickStart^TM Training - Joomla Basics
11:50 - Noon: Joomla! Site Showcase
Noon - 1:00: Featured Presentation - Mobile Joomla!
1:00 - 1:30: After Half-Hour Business Networking

January: Must-Have Joomla! Extensions

Joomla! is one of the world's leading content management solutions. Out of the box, it will power an amazing number of features and tools for your website.  But this just scratches the surface: Joomla also supports an ecosystem of thousands of "extensions" which add features and functionality.

For the JoomlaChicago January meeting, we'll be taking a look at "Must Have" extensions available for you to extend the power of your Joomla!-powered site. Session Leader
Justin Kerr will demonstrate tried-and-true third party extensions which can benefit any Joomla installation.  We'll focus mainly on extensions that add functionality on a system-level (like backups, file access and other back-end adminsitrative helpers), but we'll also touch on some of the class leaders for very popular solutions. And we'll look at some techniques you can use when evaluating extensions for your site.

If you'd like to discuss or recommend extensions prior to the January meeting, please see the "Soliciting Must-Have Extensions for the January Meeting" discussion in the "Meetings" group on joomlachicago.com.  We hope you will join us for this informative session, presented by JoomlaChicago member Justin Kerr.

Wednesday January 13th Meeting Agenda:
11:00 - 11:45: Joomla CMS KickStart^TM - or - Joomla Pro Roundtable
11:50 - Noon: Joomla Extension Of The Month & Site Showcase
Noon - 1:00: Featured Presentation - Must-Have Joomla! Extensions - Justin Kerr
1:00 - 1:30: After Half-Hour Business Networking

Login to JoomlaChicago, then RSVP for the January 13th JoomlaChicago Meeting. Remember, you must be logged FIRST in order to RSVP for this meeting.

If you are like most of the JoomlaChicago Users, you may need a little one-on-one help to get over a particular Joomla obstacle from time to time. Check out Professional Hour from 1:30-2:30.  You must be a registered member of JoomlaChicago to sign up and attend. Membership is free, so sign up for JoomlaChicago today. If you have any issues registering, contact us right away.

December: Content Creation Kits For Joomla!

SOLD OUT! Content Creation Kits ("CCKs") are hot, empowering Joomla users to quickly launch catalogs, directories and more. Come find out what CCKs are all about as we compare popular offerings like K2, Zoo, JReviews and FlexiContent. Learn how to take Joomla to a higher level, with the right CCK. Login to JoomlaChicago, then RSVP for the December 9th JoomlaChicago Meeting today.

Wednesday December 9th, 2009 Meeting Agenda:
11:00 - 11:45: Joomla CMS KickStart^TM - or - Joomla Pro Roundtable
11:50 - Noon: Joomla! Extension Of The Month & Site Showcase
Noon - 1:00: Featured Presentation - Comparing Popular CCKs
1:00 - 1:30: After Half-Hour Business Networking

If you are like most of the JoomlaChicago Users, you may need a little one-on-one help to get over a particular Joomla obstacle from time to time. Check out Professional Hour from 1:30-2:30.  You must be a registered member of JoomlaChicago to sign up and attend. Membership is free, so sign up for JoomlaChicago today. If you have any issues registering, contact us right away.

September 2009: Socialize Your Joomla! Site

Socializing your site is a critical way to increase your chances of success with your online commmunication goals. If your business or organization employs a community-building strategy in order to achieve success, you might want to think about attending September's JoomlaChicago meeting.

Be sure to sign up for this dynamic session led by John Coonen, which will concentrate first on the strategic aspects of community creation from a business perspective:

What are your community objectives?  Who is your target audience? Is your community pre-existing; are you extending another service; or are you attempting to attract brand-new members? What tools will you use to attract and retain community members? What are the most common mistakes community leaders make and how can you avoid them? How do you "keep it real" as an authentic community?

Then, we'll take a look at how Joomla! along with its many extentions can help you achieve success in your strategy. We'll look at JomSocial, Community Builder and more. We'll also review several socialized sites and find out what makes them tick. We look forward to seeing you there!

Meetings are on the second Wednesday of every month, from 11:00 am - 1:30 pm at the Loop office of The Acquity Group. We'll take a look at two of the top community-building Joomla! extensions: JomSocial and Community Builder. Enjoy lunch, care of our friends at Arc Technology Group.

Wednesday September 9th, 2009 Meeting Agenda:
11:00 - 11:45: Joomla CMS KickStart^TM Training - Joomla Basics - Expert Panel Q & A
11:50 - Noon: Joomla! Site Showcase: Chicago GOP
Noon - 1:00: Featured Presentation: Socialize Your Site With Joomla!
1:00 - 1:30: After Half-Hour Business Networking

August 2009: Joomla Template Design

Sold Out! Hey BABY! You're invited to our August, 2009 JoomlaChicago Meeting to release your inner child, and learn how to create your very own Joomla! template. Phil DeKoker and Robert Nowak will show you, step-by-step, how to create your own site template from scratch. Using Artisteer, you'll get the 411 on how to create and customize your design, and get it operational. Enjoy lunch, care of our friends at Arc Technology Group.

Wednesday August 12th, 2009 Meeting Agenda:
11:00 AM - 11:50: Joomla CMS KickStart^TM Training - Joomla Basics
11:50: Joomla! Site Showcase: Glen Kato / Joomla! Museum site
Noon - 1:00 PM: Featured Presentation: Do-It-Yourself Joomla! Template Using Artisteer!
1:00 - 1:30 PM: After Half-Hour Business Networking
1:30 - 2:30 PM: Joomla Professional Hour (optional 1:1 by appt)

Road Trip: "Chillwaukee" Picnic

You're Invited To the First Annual Combined Chicago - Milwaukee Picnic and Softball Classic!

If you're a member of either the JoomlaChicago CMS Group or the Milwaukee Joomla User Group, you're in for a real treat...come for the combined Chicago-Milwaukee Joomla! Group Picnic! Bring whatever you like for a picnic lunch. We'll be playing the first annual Chillwaukee Softball Classic from 2pm - 5pm. So bring along mitts, your favorite softball bat and something to drink (along with aspirin and an ice pack - this is Chicago-style "tackle" softball). Just kiddin... See you there!

Chillwaukee Picnic & Softball Classic (a beta test picnic)

McCarty Park in Milwaukee!
Noon until 5:00 pm
Saturday, July 11th, 2009 - Picnic Area #2
Softball Area #2 (closest to Cleveland Ave)

July 2009: CMS CageMatch II - Clash of the Titans

Last July was our first CAGEMATCH, comparing Joomla! to Drupal. Now, you're invited to our July, 2009 JoomlaChicago Meeting for "CAGEMATCH II" featuring a comparison of Joomla! and other top enterprise-class Open Source Web Content Management Systems - Drupal, Magnolia and Alfresco), during our Featured Presentation by the Acquity Group. Enjoy lunch, care of our friends at Arc Technology Group.

Wednesday July 8th, 2009 Meeting Agenda:
11:00 AM - 11:50: Joomla CMS KickStart^TM Training - Joomla Basics
11:50: Extension of the Month: Joomla! Extplorer
Noon - 1:00 PM: Featured Presentation: CageMatch II WCM Comparison
1:00 - 1:30 PM: After Half-Hour Business Networking
1:30 - 2:30 PM: Joomla Professional Hour (optional 1:1 by appt)

June 2009: Video For Joomla!

You're invited to attend the June 2009 meeting! At 11am, come to our monthly Joomla^TM CMS KickStart^TM for the basics on Joomla! It's great for beginners and intermediates to get up to speed on Joomla! At noon, we welcome Nick Martinelli, from Sourcebooks.com, and webcasting live from Athens, Greece, we welcome Fotis Evangelou from JoomlaWorks. Come find out from two incredibly talented web pro's what YOU can be doing to stay on the bleeding edge of video for Joomla!

Agenda for Wednesday, June 10th, 2009:
11:00 AM - 11:45: Joomla CMS KickStart^TM Training - Joomla Basics
11:45: Lunch Is Served - Extension of the Month (lunch c/o Arc Technology Group)
Noon - 1:00 PM: Video For Joomla!
1:00 - 1:30 PM: After Half-Hour Business Networking
1:30 - 2:30 PM: Joomla Professional Hour (optional 1:1 by appt)

Bring a colleague, friend or client on
the second Wednesday of every month!

May 2009: Google Analytics II

You're invited to attend the May 2009 meeting!

At 11:00 a.m., come to our monthly Joomla KickStart^TM for the basics on Joomla! It's great for beginners and intermediates, and many expert-level Joomla users have told us they learn something new every time they attend too.

At noon, we welcome back Avery Cohen, CEO of Metrist Partners to present on Google Analytics II. Come for this detailed case study to learn the inner workings of Google Analytics, and find out for yourself what you can do to enhance your marketing message. This one hour session will give you walk-out-the-door-and-do-it-that-afternoon knowledge on specific steps you can take to make a measurable difference in your business.

Agenda for Wednesday, May 13th, 2009:
11:00 AM - 11:50: Joomla KickStart^TM Training - Joomla Basics
Led by Kendall Cabe from JoomlaCoaching & Nick Martinelli from Sourcebooks
11:50: Extension of the Month (lunch is served)
Noon - 1:00 PM: Google Analytics II
Led by Avery Cohen of Metrist Partners
1:00 - 1:30 PM: After Half-Hour Business Networking
1:30 - 2:30 PM: Joomla Professional Hour (optional 1:1 by appointment)

Bring a colleague, friend or client on the second Wednesday of every month!

Whether you're just starting out, or more advanced in the Joomla world, come to the 22nd floor of the Ogilvie Transportation Center for our monthly meeting, put together by CMS professionals here in Chicagoland.

We've got "real people" in our group - Administrators, Businesspeople, Content Creators and Developers - all learning together - using common everyday language (no consultantspeak), in one heck of a group we call JoomlaChicago.

Ask your friends and colleagues to join you! While you're here, enjoy a delicious complimentary lunch from Corner Bakery, sponsored by Arc Technology Group

April 2009: Washburn Guitars

You're invited to attend the April 2009 meeting!

In April, we are offering two sessions at 11 am. One session will be our monthly Joomla KickStart^TM for the basics on Joomla (great for beginners and intermediates) or you can attend the other session on Migrating from Joomla 1.0 to 1.5 conducted by Phil DeKoker and Joe Scarry.

Then, at noon, we'll do a live interview-style case study with one of Chicago's hottest web design firms, F3 Studios, led by outstanding Artist Stephen Jensen and Web "Sourcerer" Patrick Szczypiski. We'll take a look at a phenomenal new Joomla-powered website they created for Chicago-based Washburn Guitars. Yum.

Agenda for Wednesday, April 8th, 2009:
11:00 AM - 11:50: Joomla KickStart^TM Training - Joomla Basics
Led by Kendall Cabe from JoomlaCoaching & Nick Martinelli from Sourcebooks
11:50: Extension of the Month (lunch is served)
Noon - 1:00 PM: Joomla Case Study on Washburn Guitars
Led by the incredible team from F3 Studios
1:00 - 1:30 PM: After Half-Hour Business Networking
1:30 - 2:30 PM: Joomla Professional Hour (optional 1:1 by appointment)

Bring a colleague, friend or client!

Whether you're just starting out, or more advanced in the Joomla world, come to the 22nd floor of the Ogilvie Transportation Center for our monthly meeting, put together by CMS professionals here in Chicagoland.

We've got "real people" in our group - Administrators, Businesspeople, Content Creators and Developers - all learning together - using common everyday language (no consultantspeak), in one heck of a group we call JoomlaChicago.

Ask your friends and colleagues to join you! While you're here, enjoy a delicious complimentary lunch from Corner Bakery, sponsored by Arc Technology Group