Contributors: A-Z Index

A

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Allen Ellis		Founder	Original designer for ocPortal Also conceived and coded the Theme Wizard and Point Store Son of one of the early inventors of Internet protocols (Usenet, aka Internet newsgroups) Token non-brit	View

C

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Chris Graham		Founder	Original developer of ocPortal, former lead developer of Composr CMS Masters degree in Computer Science from The University Of Sheffield Undertaken work for over 15 FTSE-100 companies, as well as many small and mid-sized organisations. Includes a number of banks and major brands.	View
Chris Warburton		developer for ocProducts	Made some key contributions to ocPortal	View

H

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Haydn Maidment		project manager for ocProducts	None available	View

J

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Jim Davidson		contributor	written many tutorials via Arvixe	View

P

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Patrick Schmalstig		Lead Developer	Joined Chris Graham behind the scenes in the development of Composr CMS in 2016. Took on the lead developer role in 2023 when Chris Graham stepped back to attend to his new lifestyle changes. Spearheaded the development of Composr CMS v11 and the new website, Composr.app. Formed the company PDStig, LLC to take on professional support and development for Composr CMS users especially after the discontinuation of ocProducts, Ltd.	View
Philip Withnall		Early Developer	Coded the chatroom, blogging support, the analytics system, and OcCLE (now Commandr) Masters Degree in Computer Science degree from The University Of Cambridge Other work has included helping out with Firefox, and ongoing work on GNOME	View

R

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Robert Goacher		Founder	Ran some of the early websites where ocPortal came from Technically the original developer of ocPortal, in that he wrote the first few lines of code Heavily involved in the feature design process Hosted some of our early meet-ups	View

S

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Steve Jarvis		project manager for ocProducts	Wrote many tutorials via Arvixe	View

Newest 10 Entries

Question	How can I contribute to translating Composr?
Answer	You can contribute to Composr's internationalization by: Joining the translation team on Transifex: Translate language strings collaboratively with other volunteers. Becoming a language maintainer: Take responsibility for the translation and support of Composr in your native language. Reporting translation issues: If you encounter unclear, incorrect, or duplicated language strings, file bug reports. Providing feedback and suggestions: Share your thoughts on improving the translation process through feature suggestions. Your contributions are valuable and help make Composr accessible to a wider audience.

Question	What is Transifex, and how does it help with translation?
Answer	Transifex is a collaborative online platform used by the Composr community for translation. Its benefits include: Centralized translation efforts: Multiple translators can work on the same project. Improved translation quality: The platform facilitates consistency and accuracy. Simplified language pack creation: You can generate downloadable language pack addons directly from Transifex. We encourage using Transifex for translation to foster collaboration and maintain high-quality translations.

Question	Can I translate images with text on them?
Answer	Yes, you can translate images containing text. In the themes/default/images/ directory, you'll find an EN folder containing images with English text. Copy the EN folder: Create a new folder with the ISO code of your target language (e.g., FR for French). Replace the images: Replace the English images with translated versions. Ensure correct image paths: Update any references to these images in your templates or content to point to the translated versions.

Question	How do I translate the content on my Composr website?
Answer	Once you've installed a new language pack, you can translate existing content by: Editing the content directly: Go to the specific content item (page, news post, etc.) and edit it in the new language. Using the language editor: Access the language editor from Admin Zone > Style > Translate/rephrase Composr to modify language strings used on specific pages. Note that some elements like forum names are not designed to be translated directly. Instead, you should create separate forums for each language.

Question	How do I change the language of my Composr website?
Answer	Composr comes with English as the default language. To change to a different language: Download the language pack: You can download language packs from the Composr website. Install the language pack: Upload the downloaded language pack addon through Admin Zone > Structure > Addons > Import non-bundled addon(s). Change the default language: Go to `http://yourbaseurl/config_editor.php` and set the desired language. Update your profile: If you had a previous language set in your profile, update it to the new language. You can test a language without changing settings by appending &keep_lang=XX to the URL, where XX is the language code (e.g., FR for French).

Question	What should I do after successfully importing data into Composr?
Answer	After importing, if all files like avatars, photos, and attachments have been copied to Composr's directories, you can remove the imported product's directory. However, it's advisable to keep the directory, database, and import session for a few weeks in case any data was not correctly imported and needs further attention. Importing is a complex process, so keeping backups and sources for a while is a good practice.

Question	Where can I get help with the import process?
Answer	The Composr documentation provides extensive information. Additionally, you can seek assistance from experienced Composr developers, including the Composr team if your project allows for professional support.

Question	Can I switch from a third-party forum to Conversr (Composr's built-in forum)?
Answer	Yes, if an importer exists for your current forum software, you can switch to Conversr during the import process. Composr will handle the forum driver switch and remap user IDs, but it's recommended to double-check permissions afterward.

Question	How does the HTML website importer work?
Answer	The HTML website importer is an advanced tool for migrating static HTML websites to Composr. It analyzes the HTML structure to create zones, Comcode pages, and a basic template. It also attempts to fix links and file paths for Composr compatibility.

Question	What is a Composr import session?
Answer	Import sessions track the progress and ID remapping for each import, allowing you to merge multiple sites or resume interrupted imports. This is particularly useful when merging multiple Composr sites into one.

Top 10 Entries

Question	What is post history and why is it important?
Answer	Post history tracks changes made to forum posts, including edits and deletions. This feature helps monitor for inappropriate edits or attempts to cover up spam or rule violations. Staff can review the history, restore deleted content, or even permanently erase it.

Question	Can I moderate content in Composr forums?
Answer	Yes, Composr provides various moderation tools for managing forum content. Moderators can edit or delete posts and topics, move topics between forums, close or open discussions, and validate content submitted by users who require approval. These are done in an actions dropdown on a topic, or through buttons on individual posts.

Question	What is the "black hole" technique and how does it work?
Answer	The "black hole" technique involves adding hidden fields to forms. While invisible to human users, bots often detect and fill these fields, revealing their nature. Composr uses this information to flag and block suspected spam submissions.

Question	How can I report spam in Composr?
Answer	You can report spam using the "report this" link or "report" (forum post button) feature. This alerts staff to the issue, allowing them to investigate and take appropriate action, such as deleting the spam, warning the user, or banning them. It also creates a Support Ticket between the reporter and staff in case the staff need further information.

Question	What are Remote Block Lists (RBLs)?
Answer	RBLs are third-party lists that track IP addresses associated with spamming activity. Composr can be configured to consult these lists and block or flag requests from suspicious IPs. However, relying solely on RBLs may lead to false positives, as some lists are overly broad.

Question	What are CAPTCHAs and how do they work?
Answer	CAPTCHAs are tests designed to differentiate between human users and bots. Composr's unique CAPTCHA method uses CSS and JavaScript to generate images or audio challenges that are difficult for bots to solve. While effective, some spammers use human workers to bypass CAPTCHAs, leading to the need for additional anti-spam measures.

Question	How does Composr prevent spam?
Answer	Composr offers several tools and techniques to combat spam, including: CAPTCHA: A visual or audio test that humans can easily pass but bots struggle with. This helps prevent automated spam submissions. Heuristics: If Composr thinks an action is spam based off of configurable criteria, it can either flag the content for validation, block the attempt, or ban the IP address outright. Public block lists: Composr can utilize the Stop Forum Spam system or other block list systems to identify and block known spammers based on IP addresses, usernames, and email addresses. Link posting restrictions: Disallowing links in member profiles for users with no posts and adding "nofollow" attributes to links discourages spammers seeking backlinks. Black hole fields: Hidden form fields that should remain empty. Bots often fill these in, allowing Composr to identify them. Project Honey Pot integration: A system that places hidden links on pages, attracting and identifying spam bots. Content/post reporting: Users can report spam, enabling staff to take action. Guest posting limitations: Restricting guest permissions raises the bar for spammers. Advanced techniques: Developer addons like "antispam_question" or probation systems provide additional layers of protection.

Question	What is the "Sitemap" in Composr, and how is it used?
Answer	The Sitemap is a hierarchical representation of your website's content, including zones, pages, categories, and entries. Composr generates the Sitemap dynamically and uses it for various purposes: Generating menus. Creating the user-facing sitemap page. Generating the XML Sitemap for search engines. Providing a visual representation of your website structure in the Sitemap editor and Permissions tree editor. You can edit the sitemap under Admin Zone > Structure > Sitemap editor.

Question	Can I change the URL scheme after my website is already live?
Answer	Yes, you can enable or change a URL scheme on an existing website. Old URLs will redirect to the new format, ensuring that your SEO isn't negatively impacted. The canonical URL will also be specified in your website's HTML, further protecting your search rankings.

Question	How do URL schemes work, and what are the benefits of using them?
Answer	URL schemes allow you to control the structure of your website's URLs. Composr offers several schemes that create shorter, more user-friendly URLs: /pg/ (e.g., /pg/home) .htm (e.g., /home.htm) Simple unadorned URLs (e.g., /home) Benefits of using URL schemes include: Improved user experience with more readable URLs. Potential SEO benefits, as some believe search engines favor cleaner URLs. Easier sharing on social media and other platforms.

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