We are nearing the release of our first RC candidate for samSiteMap.  With this in mind, we realize we need to publish our current Road Map for samSiteMap so folks will know where we are headed.

Our goal is to get samSiteMap quickly to a stable release, for the benefit of users who can take advantage of the currently supported feature list.  We will release a new beta as soon as possible after the first stable release, in order to facilitate the feature additions outlined for version one below.

Current Release is .6.2.4.  First RC candidate will be version .7

Version .7 RC and first stable release:

•  samSiteMap is now feature locked for next release.  The only anticipated changes to be made from the .6 beta strain will be incorporation of bug fixes and some small interface changes to the admin utilities. 
• Add links to other samSiteMap admin functions in the form of a portable menu that can be attached to the top of each admin screen.  We are looking at doing something similar to Mambo Xplorer.
• More meaningful, and easier to understand menu item lists for selection of single menu item Root Items.

Version 1.0

• Addition of API for 3PD's of components.  This will allow 3PD's to include scripts with their components that will give them a way to include their own indexing in samSiteMap.  These scripts will have to be enabled, or "turned on" by site admins from the configuration tools for samSiteMap, they will not be automatically included until the admins turn them on.
• XML output capability will be added for the benefit of creating Google site maps, or exporting maps to other websites.  This is still in planning, and we invite input.
• Better language based sorting for lists created by samSiteMap.  samSiteMap's current sorting methodology for Alpha lists is based on PHP's ASCII sorting capabilities.  We need to incorporate methods that can sort based on local language (which often exceeds the normal ASCII character set).
• Ability to include 3rd party rendering scripts.  samSiteMap will create the Indexes, and with admin inclusion hand over the sorted list to a 3rd party script to be rendered.  This open a world of possibilities with respect to page styling and types of displays.
• CSS edibility.  samSiteMap currently uses standard Joomla!/Mambo CSS for rendering.  Although consistent with what other components and content may look like, this does not allow for easy changes to rendering style by site administrators.  The existing CSS will continue to be used as a default, with some selective edibility for CSS tags.
• We are exploring abandonment of table formatting for samSiteMap.  Certain types of displays are inherently tabular, we we have not yet decided how to start this, but are exploring possibilities.

Any questions or comments should be posted in our forum.