What is the LATEST news on the latest Joomla and VM version comparability??

[Dog_Guy]

The exhalted Mr Jenkin Hill said in May 2013 that:

A J3.x compatible version will be released in time for the next Joomla LTR (J3.5). Atm planned for March 2014.

I am currently running Joomla 1.5  and VM 1.1.9

I am looking to upgrade these at the same time.

Unfortunately (unlike wordpress) Joomla isnt an automatic update. Wouldnt life be sweet?

There is a fair chance that the new versions of Joomla or VM are not auto updates either, but that is the tech that I have.

Can anyone tell me what the current stable LATEST versions of Joomla and VM are, and if they have any bugs that they have had to resolve.

I am trying to find people who will do the upgrades for me, but it would be great to get unbiased opinions in here about what works for actual users and programmers.

I am seeking people on Fivrr but might put my net further afield - any advice on sites to get reasonable quality and prices?

ALSO  - any ideas about how far away NEXT versions are and if its worthwhile holding off. That is, if Joomla 4 is happening in 2 months it probably would be silly to spend all the effort and time on upgrading to a J3 version.

Thanks!   Bruce & Archie.

[Maxim Pishnyak]

I don't see such a big problem if migration could be done to VM 2.0.24 and everything will be tested after this. There is an option to work with previous nice versions 2.0.22e also.

I disagree that migration could take so much time and resources also.

You need to migration because of insecure versions that you have.
And because there are a lot of useful addons for current VM version and for Joomla 2.5.

[jenkinhill]

Current stable and secure versions are Joomla2.5.14 and VirtueMart2.0.24. Joomla 2.5 is officially supported until December 31st, 2014 after Joomla3.5 is released around the middle of next year. From a migration viewpoint the change from J1.5 to 2.5 is the one that gave me most hastle. The inbuilt VM1.1 to 2 migrator can handle most of the VM migration but for me generally went smoothly. To help non-techs with migration there is an component to migrate both Joomla amd VirtueMart: http://extensions.virtuemart.net/import-export/virtuemart-migrator-detail

Work has started on making VM2 compatible with J3, and anyone can help with the development: http://forum.virtuemart.net/index.php?topic=119177.0

Updating Joomla 2.5 to 3.x is quite easy, a couple of mouseclicks, but does require changing the Joomla template and updating any 3rd party modules & plugins. VM2+ updates are very simple.

[AH]

Here is my input

If you are going to be on a VM release 2.0.24 is where you need to be, not a previous version.  Note how many times Maxim/Jenkin and others have said - " You need to upgrade to the latest version"

To be honest you are running pretty stock VM and have not customised the look and feel of your e-commerce experience. Even to the point of leaving the word Virtuemart on your modules etc. So you might gain a better looking e-com experience by moving to VM

For others however, the time required depends on how your site is customised at present (both front end and backend admin).
If you have a business on the web that is important to you then it is likely to take time and resource in abundance! 

Things to consider (not exhaustive):-

• Search engine results placement. You will need to think about ensuring your product page position does not take a deathly hit due to your urls changing.  You will want to have a 301 re-direct tool in place and configured to ensure that your old urls are re-directed to your new VM seo urls.  I use redj  http://www.sistemistica.it/redj.html
• Your site template for Joomla - does it have many bells and whistles
• Joomla Modules you use
• Joomla plugins  you use
• You payment provider and method of connection - is it supported in new VM
• Any VM customisations you have had done to meet your needs, including look and feel.  Remember that your customers and you may like what you have and keeping that will cost you time and effort
• Joomla 3.1 is different to 2.5 and if you can hold out, why bother doing a hop/step. 
  Some modules that are paid for might cost you a second time if you did the hop.

You need to migration because of insecure versions that you have.
And because there are a lot of useful addons for current VM version and for Joomla 2.5.

Do you really need to migrate? If you have taken care to follow the bulletins for joomla and are not running insecure plugins and modules then you might be fine. But make sure you have full site and database backups or you may be in trouble 

As for the useful plugins bells/whistles - Having seen your live sites, You do not use them so no massive gain there.

The new version of VM is certainly a step onward from VM1 and you are unlikely to be disappointed when/if you make the transition.

My advice - For what is is worth

Just kick yourself up a localhost environment under xampp and install the new version 2.0.24 to see what it looks like out of the box.
Then play and fiddle with it to see how it meets your needs, all without any risk to your existing business (except that you have spent time looking at new VM rather than doing other things related to your business.)

So to your questions - I got there eventually!

I am currently running Joomla 1.5  and VM 1.1.9
I am looking to upgrade these at the same time.

Yes you will have to do both at the same time!(there is a non supported version of VM running on 2.5 joomla but I would not go there!)

Unfortunately (unlike wordpress) Joomla isnt an automatic update. Wouldnt life be sweet?

Serendipitous indeed, but then you would have to run wordpress 

There is a fair chance that the new versions of Joomla or VM are not auto updates either, but that is the tech that I have.

They are migrations and updating is not an option. However VM 2.0.24 has a very usable conversion utility that will (with some technical knowledge)
migrate your orders/categories products etc over to new VM. This works wonderfully well on the whole and you will laugh at how easy it is.  Then squeal when you see all your products in the new VM with hardly any effort on your part!

Can anyone tell me what the current stable LATEST versions of Joomla and VM are, and if they have any bugs that they have had to resolve.

VM 2.0.24 ( is very bug free) and Joomla 2.5.14. (From the look of your shops' frontend and the complexity of product offering, )

I am trying to find people who will do the upgrades for me, but it would be great to get unbiased opinions in here about what works for actual users and programmers.

I am seeking people on Fivrr but might put my net further afield - any advice on sites to get reasonable quality and prices?

Try requesting help on the paid boards in this forum.  If someone is interested, then take a look at any of their responses or questions and get to look at their live work etc.

ALSO  - any ideas about how far away NEXT versions are and if its worthwhile holding off. That is, if Joomla 4 is happening in 2 months it probably would be silly to spend all the effort and time on upgrading to a J3 version.

I would take a look at vm 2.0.24 on Joomla 2.5 in a test localhost environment.


Note: VM does not currently support Joomla 3, so if you want to go straight there, you will have to wait.

Maybe one of the devs could answer the question:
Will the migration utility support a move from 1.5.9 t VM running on Joomla 3.x?