OneUmmah.net Improvements
Occasionally, I am reminded that I am not only a OneUmmah.net member, I’m also the webmaster. During such epiphanies, I actually become productive. Anyway, we’ve made some drastic improvements. The old Islamic Library is no more. For the past couple of years, we’ve been using Xoops, particularly, its LINKS section, which is far superior to other links components/modules of other content management systems.
Anyhow, it has long been time to move on, but I was offered no practical solutions. Last year, I migrated OneUmmah.net’s main site from standalone to Mambo. In the past few months, we have upgraded our Mambo install to Joomla. Stay with me. Recently, I discovered a mambo/joomla component for links (similar to a yahoo!-esque directory format), called Bookmarks. To make a long story short, I ended up using a hack of this component, Joomla Business Directory. I then proceeded to rip apart the language file, until all of the words fit the Library. Naturally, all of these CMSes are released under the GNU GPL.
I still have many records to re-enter into the database, but you’re welcome to browse through the catalog now at Islamic Library. It’s funny. There are many works on there that I’ve even forgotten we had, such as Jalaluddin Abdur-rahman Suyuti’s Ihya al-Mayyit bi fadhail Ahl-al-Bayt (loosely translated as the Revival from Death with the Merits of The People of the House), or as the translators cleverly devised, The Dead Come Alive By the Grace of the Holy Five — sounds like a song, right?).
I also found a searchbot that integrates the library into the entire site’s search engine, making finding things even easier.
Now, if i can only finish that Islam FAQ (by the way, volunteers are welcomed, but not paid).
