Submitted by Keyz (not verified) on Tue, 2008/09/30 - 13:07.
I decided today to create an outline of the CentOS.org current Information Architecture, and note with each page how it could be implemented using Drupal.
Also I've compiled a listing (or "recipe") of which modules it would require to build the CentOS.org website using Drupal (not including those required for the forum, which could be added if you decide to go that route versus a 3rd party forum). It's an estimate and might take a few more or a few less modules depending on the actual requirements of the site.
I have included information about the Maintainers of each contributed module, so their record can be assessed. There are some modules out there that should be avoided, but all I will list here are considered of excellent quality, and are by long-term, serious, quality Drupal contributors, many of which contribute to Drupal core.
Also I didn't yet have a chance to include the Drupal core modules in my "recipe system" (which I built tonight using CCK, Views, and Nodequeue), so here are my thoughts on the Core modules that might be needed:
Definitely
Content translation
Forum (unless using a 3rd party forum)
Help
Locale
Menu
Path
Poll
Profile
Search
Taxonomy
Throttle
Tracker (seamlessly switch to efficient Tracker 2 when released)
Update status
Upload
Maybe
Aggregator
Blog
Book
Contact (might use Webform instead)
OpenID
Statistics
Drupal does have a lot of modules, however they are much easier (due to the reasons/tools I mentioned in my last post) to actually keep up to date in reality (e.g. central download location, security bulletins, update status module, etc). I work with other systems as well as Drupal (for instance Joomla), and Drupal has ended up being substantially easier to manage in the long run. I always advise using only precisely as many modules as you actually "need" (which goes for any CMS), and preferably only reputable modules, like the ones I've mentioned, unless you have a programmer on staff to check their security out. The advent of CCK and Views modules in the last few years has been rapidly decreasing the need for as many "self-contained" modules that do too much on their own (now when you build up similar functionality with CCK and Views, you rely less on other modules, and also get to customize things closer to how you want, rather than being stuck with what the all-in-one modules offer).
Personally I update Drupal and modules using SSH (wrote this guide on how to do it), and it is very fast.
Anyhow, I noticed in the mailing list that a custom demo of Drupal might be desired. If you'd like I will set up a copy on my local server tailored for your needs, and send you a tar.gz of the files and a database dump, so you can set it up on your server. If you want to grant any access I will be happy to set it up that way.
Hope to hear from you. Keep up the great work on CentOS! :)
Sample of CentOS.org implementation using Drupal
I decided today to create an outline of the CentOS.org current Information Architecture, and note with each page how it could be implemented using Drupal.
IA and implementation of CentOS.org with Drupal:
http://www.davidnewkerk.com/book/52
Also I've compiled a listing (or "recipe") of which modules it would require to build the CentOS.org website using Drupal (not including those required for the forum, which could be added if you decide to go that route versus a 3rd party forum). It's an estimate and might take a few more or a few less modules depending on the actual requirements of the site.
http://www.davidnewkerk.com/module-recipes/r-centos
I have included information about the Maintainers of each contributed module, so their record can be assessed. There are some modules out there that should be avoided, but all I will list here are considered of excellent quality, and are by long-term, serious, quality Drupal contributors, many of which contribute to Drupal core.
Also I didn't yet have a chance to include the Drupal core modules in my "recipe system" (which I built tonight using CCK, Views, and Nodequeue), so here are my thoughts on the Core modules that might be needed:
Definitely
Content translation
Forum (unless using a 3rd party forum)
Help
Locale
Menu
Path
Poll
Profile
Search
Taxonomy
Throttle
Tracker (seamlessly switch to efficient Tracker 2 when released)
Update status
Upload
Maybe
Aggregator
Blog
Book
Contact (might use Webform instead)
OpenID
Statistics
Drupal does have a lot of modules, however they are much easier (due to the reasons/tools I mentioned in my last post) to actually keep up to date in reality (e.g. central download location, security bulletins, update status module, etc). I work with other systems as well as Drupal (for instance Joomla), and Drupal has ended up being substantially easier to manage in the long run. I always advise using only precisely as many modules as you actually "need" (which goes for any CMS), and preferably only reputable modules, like the ones I've mentioned, unless you have a programmer on staff to check their security out. The advent of CCK and Views modules in the last few years has been rapidly decreasing the need for as many "self-contained" modules that do too much on their own (now when you build up similar functionality with CCK and Views, you rely less on other modules, and also get to customize things closer to how you want, rather than being stuck with what the all-in-one modules offer).
Personally I update Drupal and modules using SSH (wrote this guide on how to do it), and it is very fast.
Anyhow, I noticed in the mailing list that a custom demo of Drupal might be desired. If you'd like I will set up a copy on my local server tailored for your needs, and send you a tar.gz of the files and a database dump, so you can set it up on your server. If you want to grant any access I will be happy to set it up that way.
Hope to hear from you. Keep up the great work on CentOS! :)