Community Spotlight - Tony Mercurio

As a free-to-download-and-use Open Source project, developments in SEBLOD either come from client project features which are incorporated in to SEBLOD, or from the community. For a lot of SEBLOD users, contributing to the core is beyond their skillset. After all, SEBLOD empowers many people who aren’t trained developers to build powerful websites and web applications. However, there are many ways to be involved in the progress of SEBLOD without contributing to the core.

• Users can help out and share their expertise on the community forums. There are always new people coming to use SEBLOD and your experience – no matter how limited – is valuable.
• You can submit your projects to the SEBLOD showcase, to demonstrate the power of SEBLOD, and to give your project some publicity too!
• You can write a tutorial or ‘how-to’ article if you think you can contribute to a gap in the community knowledge of a particular aspect or use-case of SEBLOD. We’ll be sure to give you a shout out on our social networks like we did recently for this great how-to written by designbengel on making a bootstrap slideshow with SEBLOD.
• You can translate SEBLOD and submit the translation here on Transifex

But now let me introduce you to someone who has taken their contribution to the next level. Tony Mercurio is an Italian SEBLOD user who has published an eBook which aims to help users with the basics of SEBLOD, and he has another more advanced version coming up soon! I caught up with Tony to ask him a few questions about his experience with SEBLOD and his new book.
Me: Hi Tony, thanks for taking the time to talk to SEBLOD.com about your new ebook
Tony: You’re welcome

Me: Tell me a little bit of your history with SEBLOD - When did you start using it?
Tony: I have used SEBLOD since version two and I did screencasts on its use in Italian language. When the third version was ready I attended tutorial and other resources.

Me: Why did you choose SEBLOD over other CCK’s and software?
Tony: SEBLOD is an excellent CCK component for Joomla because it helps us to build customised content and with it we can extend the power of Joomla CMS. I think that SEBLOD is a higher level on Joomla because we can add new content types as we prefer. Forms, categories, articles, ACL can be extended with SEBLOD. I think the power of SEBLOD is the possibility of building app folders and export them in other sites. With the apps free in bundle in the component we can build e-commerce, multi-sites, multi-languages and more.

Me: Why did you write the book?
Tony: When I saw such a number of resources I decided to do an ebook for the whole community of Italian users. The Italian community is searching for resources and tutorials in Italian language and I discovered that there aren't manuals neither in Italian language nor in English and this doesn't help SEBLOD to grow up. I haven't used the component to build sites because I'm not a web developer, I'm only passionate in e-learning. My mission is helping people to know Joomla, Drupal and other CMS as the extensions.

Me: You’ve created this ebook in the spirit of Open Source, which has been quite an undertaking for you to put together all of this content. Is Open Source something that is important to you?
Tony: I use Open Source Software every day because I think that freedom is the key for everyone who is interested in a better collaboration on developing. I think the philosophy of Open Source Software is awesome and helps every developer to do better software solutions and this is the solution offered by SEBLOD. I am happy to be able to contribute to an Open Source project like SEBLOD by writing material like this.

Me: What would you say the greatest strength of SEBLOD is?
Tony: The real power is the marketplace in SEBLOD.com with very powerful apps by which we build whatever we want.

Me: If you could send a message to the SEBLOD community, what would you say?
Tony: Don't be scared of SEBLOD and its power!!! I'm writing a second book about the advanced techniques. It's coming soon!

I'd also like to say 'thanks' to my helper Marianna for the English translation, and the Spanish one that is coming soon.
We've recently launched a new section of SEBLOD.com to showcase eBooks available to help users learn SEBLOD. Check it out at: http://www.seblod.com/resources/books

Tony’s ebook is available on Amazon.com:
Italian: http://www.amazon.com/Guida-componente-Seblod-3-4-2-Estendi-ebook/dp/B00PUGBDBY
English: http://www.amazon.com/Guidebook-Seblod-Extend-power-Joomla-ebook/dp/B00RNI9OPY


Tony maintains the following online presences:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/tonyubuntu
Twitter: @tonyubuntu
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tonyubuntu
Google Plus: TonyMercurio