The Backstory

A lifetime ago (or so it seems now, circa 1989-1997), I published a couple printed newsletters for Apple // and Macintosh programmers. I also created some nice tools and libraries for my developer friends. And even though I was in a bit over my head most of the time, it was the most fun I've had before or since.

Unfortunately, Steve Jobs wasn't with Apple through most of that period, and the Big Boys in Cupertino floundered. They lost over $700 million dollars in a single quarter, and over a billion in one year. Developers were leaving the Mac in droves.

So I had no choice but to fold up my little publishing tent and enter the ranks of working, professional software engineers. I got certifications from both Microsoft and Sun and worked for several start-ups, one of which was enormously successful.

I've been in the trenches and I've lived in the seamy, steamy underbelly of software and software marketing. And I have collected many stories. Oh gee, do I have stories.

But I digress. All that to say that I have the technical chops, the writing skills, and the teaching expertise to bring you top-flight content and training. More importantly, that is exactly what I love doing the most.

The Ride Into JoomlaTown

In the spring of 2008, a former colleague and I were brainstorming about ways to provide the most possible value to the most lucrative market we'd ever worked with, namely small-to-mid-sized businesses. After several months of investigation, our answer was clear: Joomla.

In addition to being a first-rate content management system, Joomla is also a rapid application development environment: Add a custom template and sprinkle on some extensions and in a week you can build a site it would take months to create from scratch.

My colleague and I began bringing a fairly unique value proposition, namely a 100% turnkey, hands-off business web site. Joomla allowed us to focus on our key value proposition, namely integration. We incorporate manufacturer data feeds on the front end and integrate with QuickBooks on the backend. In addition, we provide copywriting and media production. My custom development house, Digital Provisioners, LLC, quickly became a preferred small business vendor for MasterLock Corporation.

And all this happened in the midst of the scariest recession and banking crisis in my lifetime.

So what does this all have to do with JoomlaGizmos.com? Simply this: We have developed nearly a dozen component and tools for our own use that we believe have great commercial potential. We will be polishing them up and bringing the best to market over the next year or so.

One final note: If you're looking for a serious and academic tone, you've come to the wrong place. I'm a little irreverent, totally nerdy, and I like to have fun when I write. I think most of my readers enjoy my stories and asides, even in the midst of teaching technical information.

I hope you like it, too.

R.W. Lambert, Prez
JoomlaGizmo.com