For Joomla users out there, you may be interested in a few new and updated 3rd party extensions that provide integration with CiviCRM. A semi-complete list of available extensions with their descriptions can be found here: http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence/display/CRMDOC/Joomla%21+Extensions+for+CiviCRM+%283rd+party%29

Of particular interest are a few for Joomla 1.6+ users:

CiviCRM 3.3 introduced a new hook that allows you to interact with and alter dedupe queries. Unfortunately, it was something of a "hidden hook" as it lacked documentation for quite a while. But it can be quite useful and powerful, and thus deserving of a review.
In version 3.3 and 3.4/4.0, the dedupe tools in CiviCRM received several notable improvements, including a restructuring of how the dedupe queries are built to improve performance, and the introduction of a paginated display with table caching that significantly improves the dedupe review and merging process. However, running a rule can still take quite some time on a large database (250k+ contacts), and the matching mechanism is quite basic -- simply comparing field data with field data.
That's where the dedupe hook can come into play.

We are excited to announce the publication of Using CiviCRM, by Packt Publishing – the first full-length, commercially published book covering implementation, configuration, and usage of CiviCRM.

I've been working through case configuration with a few clients over the last several months and have run into a few areas where I think the functionality could be improved. The core team asked that I outline it for the community to see if other groups experience similar workflows and would benefit from these changes.

CiviCRM is considering applying to be a mentoring organization in Google's Summer of Code program (GSOC). If you're not familiar with GSOC, you should be! (http://socghop.appspot.com/) -- it's a fantastic program that can jointly help open source projects advance development, while encouraging students to become involved in the open source community. The basic thrust of the program is that Google sponsors students (monetary stipend) to work on projects for open source software.

Joomla has a developers camp scheduled for Dec. 5-6 in New York City, geared primarily toward an introduction to Joomla 1.6. Details and event registration are found here: http://opensourcematters.org/devconferenceinformation.html (note the reg form uses Civi for event info/registration!).

A while back, Lobo alluded to some recent modifications that allowed Joomla and Standalone users to more easily tap into CiviCRM's hooks (issue detailed here). Hooks provide a powerful way to modify/customize Civi functionality without hacking core, thus making future upgrade paths much easier.

Last week I had the privilege of joining 10 other CiviCRM enthusiasts, along with a facilitator (Adam Hyde from FLOSS Manuals) for the CiviCRM Book Sprint. It was a fantastic experience on many different levels. More than anything else, it was great to meet in person and interact face-to-face with members of the core team and active members in the community—many of whom I’ve had forum-based contact with for several years.

In between (and often during) the writing, I had great opportunity to talk through how people have used and implemented CiviCRM, enriching my own understanding of the software and the possible capabilities it provides.

Both those discussions and the writing process itself made me appreciate even more how robust and flexible CiviCRM can be in meeting the diverse needs of non-profit organizations. As each chapter went through revisions, each reviewer brought their experience of how the software has been used, broadening and deepening the content and usefulness of the chapters.

Google has once again continued their commitment to open source technology through the annual Google Summer of Code (GSoC) program. The program runs from April through September and awards students a stipend for working on and completing qualified open source projects. The program provides students a valuable opportunity to get involved in real-life development projects while introducing them to the world of open source.

Google works with approved mentor organizations who in turn review and approve proposed projects and students. The organizations then assign mentors who will guide the student through the development process, serve as a resource, and review the student’s work at various stages.

CiviCRM is excited to have two GSoC projects approved through Joomla!. Considering that Joomla! was awarded a total of 18 funded projects through Google, it is significant that two will involve CiviCRM integration. Many thanks to Elin Waring and others for their support of Joomla!+CiviCRM.