I recommend you review and update your files and documentation

[innato]

I am using VM 3.0.16 on Joomla! 3.5.1 and PHP 5.6. I noticed that your documentation often differs from what my VM screens say. I doubt whether your documentation has been reviewed to comply with VM3. Also on your dev.virtuemart.net website, the latest VM version is 3.0.17, whereas the download from your home page is v3.014. This is confusing and not helpful. Is it safe to use the latest version 3.0.17?
I know that building new code is more fun than maintaining documentation, but the latter is crucial too, considering the complexity of VM.
As a final general remark, I envy your technical programming skills, but the layout at the user side of your excellent component has always been rather clumsy and very time-consuming to get it right. You should consider seeking professional advice. Please don't get me wrong, I love your product and appreciate your work, but it could be so much more user-friendly and effective.

[jenkinhill]

Welcome the Virtuemart community forum.

You are more than welcome to contribute an enhanced user interface to the project which we know needs updating, or to donate money to help employ "professionals". VirtueMart is a project, community driven and developed mostly by volunteers giving up their free time.  And if you also have some free time to help with updating documentation that would be helpful. Many people still use VirtueMart 2.5..........

As for VirtueMart 3.0.17, most here will now that odd-numbered versions are development/testing versions for use by experienced users. If you want to help with development then the latest version can be downloaded from SVN, and on http://dev.virtuemart.net/projects/virtuemart/repository you can follow ther development process.

You can support the project by purchasing membership.  http://extensions.virtuemart.net/support/virtuemart-supporter-membership-detail

[innato]

jenkinhill thanks for your reply. Well, as a newby, how am I supposed to know that odd version numbers refer to experimental releases? Maybe it's written somewhere and I missed it. Anyway I know it now.
I have supported the project recently by purchasing the 'downloadable goods' plug-in and I will consider sharing my user interface improvements with you folks, although I should have installed the latest v3.0.17 then, to easily find all differences. But first I need to get the layouts right. I have spent many many hours already and think I'm half way.