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Configuring Random Images

In static websites, you assign fixed images to each page on the site. The same image loads on that page every time you view it, unless you change the site.

One of the fun features of a content management system like Joomla is the capability for easy, random image-loading on your website. The images are chosen from a folder of images in the Media Manager. Every time you visit or reload the web page, a different image is displayed.

Random images, by their nature, are “eye candy.” They add a bit of fun and sizzle to the website, and the pictures are exciting to view. The photos are not specific to the page you're currently visiting. For the Fictitious Elementary School website, we'd probably want to gather some general photos of students in class, on the playground, doing art projects, and working with teachers, photos of the school itself, and so forth.

These images do not fade in and out, like a slide show. Joomla's random image module chooses an image from a specified folder and displays it every time a page is visited or refreshed. A slide show shows multiple images sequentially, usually with a fade in/fade out effect or other effect, and rotates through several images without revisiting or reloading the web page. There are many slide shows available for Joomla. My favorites are FrontPage SlideShow from JoomlaWorks, and RokSlideShow from RocketTheme. ...