It's dang hard to find a good Joomla extension...

... and it can cost a lot more than money...mostly time! when you opt for the wrong one... fortunately I've haven't encountered too many disasters One thing I have learnt though, is that even if you have the near perfect... if not completely perfect... component / mambot / module you should always keep your ear to the ground with your eyes and mind wide open because like most things in life, Joomla and technology is constantly evolving

I've used a couple of Comment components / mambots on bee.geek.nz before, first off the bat as AkoComment, next was ComboMax, after that was AkoComment Tweaked... and I'm sure there are a few others in between also ... but that aside... it's not the first time I've spoken about the comment systems that's used here either, I rambled on about my migration to AkoComment Tweaked during the article Some Things in Life... but since then I've found something even better...

... welcome to the world of JomComment The great thing about JomComment is that it uses AJAX technology so it allows users to comment on articles without the whole page refreshing because all the action goes on behind the scenes

Some of the other things I love about JomComment is that it was dead easy to install, the documentation provided is simply brilliant and it's all wrapped up in one easy to read pdf file that covered the essentials. Next on the list which was... to me at least... incredibly surprising, in that it stated that it could import previous comments from ComboMax and AkoComment, I wasn't holding my breath in this area and I admit it, I anticipated the worst ... but I got the very best of the yard stick and all the previous comments from ComboMax and AkoComment Tweaked imported like a charm so I couldn't be happier

As most know these days, SPAM protection is incredibly important, none more so than when your front door is exposed, JomComment does a great job of this using Captcha to keep it all at bay, this feature allows for stress free guest posting (if permitted) which is super nice if you want your fly-by visitors to be able to leave their 2 cents worth on your articles... and moderation of comments (requiring admin approval) is also a readily available if you're at all concerned about comments made when you're not around. There is a fully accessible filter list for IP's should you run across a problem user or bot, and there's also one for all those words that make your toes curl up. Another real perk is the ability to moderate comments from the front end, no more going in through the back door then navigating your way through to your comments component, it's all right there in easy reach from your front door step when you're logged in. Avatar support is kinda cool because when enabled, it will pick up your Gravatar which is a really nice feature that adds a wee personal touch... and if you're logged in to Joomla, JomComment will automatically detect and complete your form with your name and email address... it's like having someone pulling out a chair for you so you can sit down and put your feet up You'd think the above would cover all of the JomComment features.. but it doesn't for a full list and detailed explaination check out their Product Info page.

JomComment isn't a free component.. but pleeeeease don't let that put you off, there is a 7 day money back guarantee and as it's priced at US$12.50 for the Standard version or US$25 for the Professional Version you have nothing to loose by trying it.. you won't be disappointed ... and for some other opinions check out the Joomla Extension Directory listing for JomComment there is great user reviews available