Just when we thought that the additional workload that is so typical for the time before Christmas - you certainly know what we are talking about - was slowly drawing to an end with the last days before Christmas, the Virtuemart Core team decided to surprise its users once more with some great news at the end of the year. Virtuemart 2.0 has now been released in a stable version!

Virtuemart 2.0 stable - Status Quo

Just a few days ago, we still could not quite believe it when the Virtuemart Core team surrounding Max Milbers announced that they were planning the release of a stable version of the most popular e-commerce solution for Joomla! for the very last week before Christmas 2011. Now, it has been released, and developers like us are called into action to develop the products for and with Virtuemart.

So a stable version of Virtuemart 2.0 has been announced. Consequently, users are prone to refocus on this newest version. The following weeks will therefore be dominated by the challenge of freeing Virtuemart 2.0 from its teething troubles and create a "truly stable" version. Doubtlessly, there is still more than enough work to be done, as Virtuemart 2.0, even though bearing the title "stable", is still suffering from some minor and unfortunately also from some major teething troubles, as is usually the case with software. So the task is now to solve these.

The fact that Virtuemart 2.0 is still suffering from these teething problems will inevitably affect or products as well. That is to say: Errors may come up which will have to be solved not by our products but by the Virtuemart Core. This is one of the reasons that, on congratulating Max Milbers on the release of Virtuemart 2.0, I took the chance to offer our assistance for the development of Virtuemart itself again.

Hence, we will from now on assist the Virtuemart team with your help as well by providing error reports and troubleshooting for Virtuemart 2.0 with the aim of providing the community with a solid and error-free Virtuemart Core as soon as possible.

Moreover, the variety of available enhancements, templates and themes for Virtuemart 2.0 is naturally still quite limited, which means that it would be better to plan with some more weeks of work for the release of the new shop with Virtuemart 2.0 than was originally the case.

We have been witnessing the development of Virtuemart 2.0 continually for the past months and went through each new version with a fine-tooth comb and a lot of anticipation.

Meanwhile, we have also used the time to bring the majority of our products "in shape" for Virtuemart 2.0, as you can read further down.

Virtuemart 2.0. - The course is already set! Will you jump on board?

We had not been the fastest team in the past, but we are so now, and we are on a good way to continue to be so in the future! After a short dry spell towards the middle of the year and great new members joining our team, we are now all eager and set by your side to make you happy as our customers!

For this purpose, we also want to give you the opportunity to be up to date at all times.

Consequently, we are particularly happy to inform you that yesterday, just a few hours after the announcement and release of Virtuemart 2.0, we have released our first Virtuemart 2.0 template (available here...) as well as various Virtuemart extensions, such as, for example, our Virtuemart modules and our Virtuemart components for Virtuemart 2.0!

From now on, most of our Virtuemart products will also be available for Virtuemart 2.0! And the best thing for you as a customer is: By buying our products from Virtuemart - provided that the version from Virtuemart 2.0 is already available - , you will receive both versions in one download package without any additional costs. It is therefore completely up to you to select the Virtuemart version you would like to run your shop with our products on! However, please make sure which version is stated in the product description prior to your purchase to avoid any misunderstandings that may occur in respect of the Virtuemart version.

In the following, we would like to provide you with a list of all products already available for Virtuemart 2.0 and also of the product which will definitely not become available for Virtuemart 2.0 in their current form.

The following products are already available for Virtuemart 2.0:

• Yag Lightroom VT - Virtuemart Template
• Yag Lightroom VMT - Virtuemart Theme
• Yag Blueberry VMT - Virtuemart Theme
• Virtuemart Merchant Connect
• VM Top Products Module
• VM Random Products Module
• VM Showcase Products Module
• VM Latest Products Module
• VM Featured Products Module
• VM Category Image Module
• VM Category Dropdown Module
• VM Category List Module
• VM Category Accordion Module
• Virtuemart Product Tab Slideshow
• Customer Reviews Pro
• Latest Customer Reviews

The following products will not be reprogrammed for Virtuemart 2.0:

• Virtuemart SEO/SEF Links Plugin PRO Since the new Virtuemart version can now generate readable URLs by itself, it has become unnecessary to develop these enhancements for Virtuemart 2.0 as well. Nonetheless, we are currently working on a component for version 2.0 which may become a powerful tool for your online marketing. Naturally, customers who purchase enhancements for Virtuemart 1.1 as mentioned above and are still falling under the free update period of six months will get a discount on the upcoming Virtuemart enhancement that will ensure that they will not have any disadvantages from this. Virtuemart Meta Manager
• Moneybookers Payment Plugin

What will become of Virtuemart 1.1.x?

First things first: There is absolutely no reason to precipitously migrate from a stable and running Virtuemart 1.1.x or even a 1.1x version that is still in the setting-up process to a new Virtuemart 2.0. "Never change a (good) running system" is an often quoted saying, and it fits perfectly here.

As a customer of Yagendoo, you get free updates for products purchased from us for a period of six months. This also applies for Virtuemart 1.1.x and Virtuemart 2 products. As a consequence, even if you buy a Virtuemart 1.1.x product from us today, for example, you are allowed to update your product to the Virtuemart 2.0 version of the product you purchased within six months without any additional costs. Free of charge!

Important: The pre-requisition for a free-of-charge update is that we offer the respective product for Virtuemart 2.0, of course. This will definitely be the case for all products that we will publish from now on. A major part of our already existing products has already migrated, and many more will follow over the next weeks.

From now on, we will consequently meticulously and critically consider the necessity of Virtuemart 1.1.x enhancements, templates and themes under the criterion if it is worth to publish new Virtuemart 1.0 products or add new features to existing products for Virtuemart 1.1.x. In any case, we will maintain our Virtuemart 1.1.x products, resolve any errors that may occur and provide support for the time being. Hence, you can be sure to make the right decision both with our Virtuemart 2.0 and our Virtuemart 1.1.x products!

Yagendoo Roadmap for Virtuemart 2.0 - What is planned for the future?

Basically, it is you, our customers and friends, who set the course for the future on yagendoo.com.

For now, our strategy provides for no further enhancements, templates and themes for Virtuemart 1.1 to be developed and released. Nonetheless, we will of course continue to maintain the existing enhancements, themes and templates!

Rather than developing more 1.1 products, we would like to have published three additional and brand-new Virtuemart templates and made all the enhancements with the exception of the cases mentioned above available for Virtuemart 2.0 by the end of January. From then on, we would like to concentrate fully on the development of great new Virtuemart templates, themes and extensions to use the numerous new possibilities that Virtuemart 2.0 offers.

As mentioned before, it is you, our customers and friends, who can provide us with your ideas and wishes. We will turn your input to the extent possible into a component of our next strategy so that we can continue to do a great job for you and offer you good, useful and exciting products.

Closing Words

At this point, I would like to congratulate the whole Virtuemart team again and express my great gratitude for their work that - mind this - is done in an honorary capacity. We are glad that a new version is now available after such a long time of development and will do our best to do our share in making version 2.0 a huge success.

What is your opinion on Virtuemart 2.0 and our future course? Give us your opinion by using our commentary function or, alternatively, use the following link to access our forum as a registered customer. We're looking forward to your input!

Best wishes, Yannick Spang, CEO Yagendoo Media GmbH