Drupal NYC August Meetup
Start:
2009-08-12 18:30 - 21:00 America/New_York DrupalCon Paris is coming up quickly, so August's Drupal NYC meet will consist of mental (and physical) preparations for DrupalCon through a discussion of our favorite Modules For That, and a performance tuning discussion with litwol.
- When?
- August 12th, 2009, 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
- Where?
- 7 World Trade Center, 29th Floor (Mansueto Ventures)
- Directions?
- http://tinyurl.com/mansuetoventuresdirections
- Plans?
-
- Who are you? What do you want to get out of this?
- Case Study: Poverty's Demise by Darryl Penrice (details)
- There's a Module for That: discussion of the little known module gems.
- Advanced Performance Tuning discussion with litwol - Click for more info (anchor)
- Drupal Drinks and Drupal Fun at the classic Dakota Roadhouse
- Homework?
- Create a list of all your favorite modules and be prepared to talk about its use. Rules people, we expect a demonstration!
SIGN UP CLOSED: If you'd like to attend, contact Oleg asking him to add you to the guest list so that you can get into the building. Thanks!
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Ical feed
Could anyone please video
Could anyone please video tape "Advanced Performance Tuning with litwol"? I won't be there, but I know he will do something amazing and crazy that will make me regret that I can't be there.
I Second Video Taping
I also probably won't be able to make it. Would greatly appreciate someone video taping the meetup. Or maybe moving it to an alternate date (wishful thinking?).
Something that I've been
Something that I've been interested/obsessed with for some time is the poor performance of rarely used sites. I noticed, especially when a site is under development and not being visited by anybody but the client and I, that the site is very slow on the initial load if I haven't visited it in a while. The page will will take 8 to 15 seconds to load. The client is not impressed and I hate the idea of a visitor having that experience.
Yes, I have caching, compression, CSS, JS turned on. (I don't cache blocks as I have noticed that does very funny things to my sites.)
I learned that when cron runs, it will clear the cache tables which has caused me to reevaluate whether I need to run cron every 15 minutes, but I also have this performance problem when visiting sites first thing in the morning that aren't running cron (dev environment).
I thought it might be a module that I am using, but just this morning I saw that a freshly installed version of Open Atrium was loading slowly on my initial visit.
I'm hoping that the issue of very low volume sites can also be addressed? I would like to come to a better understanding of how the caching layer works, how Drupal knows when to regenerate cache and how using Views (with it's own caching layer) might complicate things.
I should also point out that I've discovered that Boost is trying to address this issue by implementing "pre-caching" [1]. There is a patch that allows an admin to manually invoke a crawler (using the batch API) to hit every node -- no, not the best solution for big sites, but it will work for me with sites under several hundred nodes. There is mention of prioritizing nodes, by only hitting ones in menus, or specific URLs, etc. There is also discussion of putting this on cron, which is the only real solution to me since cron's cache clearing step is what's causing my problem in the first place. (Or is my solution easier -- like overriding the call in cron that clears the cache?)
[1] http://drupal.org/node/337391
Since I posted the above,
Since I posted the above, I've come up with a decent solution. I wrote a module that allows users to designate specific URLs for pre-caching. This module will call these URLs when cron is called, so important pages are cached immediately after the cron flushes the cache. There is more here: http://capellic.com/blog/pre-caching-low-volume-website
There's a Module for That!
We could talk about all our favourite non-popular modules and send some of them over to There's A Module For That at @drupalmods.
Awesome idea!
Awesome idea!
I like this
I like this idea.
Video...
happy to bring my video camera and take care of this or use one that others may have...
What would be really cool is
What would be really cool is if we had the means of setting up a camera on a mini tripod in the middle of the table, pointed at the presenter/screen, plug it into a laptop and then streamed it over livestream.com so people can watch in real time and it's archived. I recall litwol filming some of the meetups -- but the process of getting those up on the web is so time consuming.
NYC Drupal Meetups On The Web
I would be more than willing to do some editing, transcode, post and host these videos and put them together. I'd love to attend these meetups, but can't since I'm about 45 minutes outside the city via LIRR and will never be able to get there on time for these evening meets unless I start arranging time off, which I can't do for the next few months. If I could watch them afterwards, I would be really happy so I'd love to do whatever work is needed to get these edited and up online where people can watch them and subscribe to them as a video podcast.
Rules Module
I am wondering if anybody is using the Rules module and if they could explain how it is used with or as a replacement of Triggers/Actions. Demo is extra credit!
rules
I'm using rules for some work I'm doing at Sony, but I won't be at this month's meetup. I'd be happy to present on it next month though.
where I recently used rules module
on http://opengreenmap.org I am using the Rules module in a few places where I need more control than is given by only triggers and actions.
For example, using only triggers and actions, I can set something to happen when nodes are updated, but I can't have that happen only when a certain node type is updated or even only when a certain field in that type changes. With rules I can.
On that site, a point on a map (called a "green site") can be added by a user that is a member of that map/group or by someone that is not. If you are not a member of that group, the site you add remains viewable only to group members until a group admin marks it as approved. I want to send an email to the user when the site they suggested is approved.
With rules I was able to set it so that when a node of type "green site" is updated and the value of the field "awaiting_approval" changes from NULL to 1, an email is sent to the user that had submitted the node that contains links back to the map and to the site they added.
here is the export of that rule, import this into your dev site to see how it is setup
array (
'rules' =>
array (
'rules_3' =>
array (
'#type' => 'rule',
'#set' => 'event_node_update',
'#label' => 'send email to user that suggested a site upon approval',
'#active' => 1,
'#weight' => '0',
'#categories' =>
array (
),
'#status' => 'custom',
'#conditions' =>
array (
0 =>
array (
'#weight' => 0,
'#info' =>
array (
'label' => 'Updated content is Green Site',
'arguments' =>
array (
'node' =>
array (
'type' => 'node',
'label' => 'Content',
),
),
'module' => 'Node',
),
'#name' => 'rules_condition_content_is_type',
'#settings' =>
array (
'type' =>
array (
'green_site' => 'green_site',
),
'#argument map' =>
array (
'node' => 'node',
),
),
'#type' => 'condition',
),
1 =>
array (
'#type' => 'condition',
'#settings' =>
array (
'field_name' => 'field_awaiting_approval',
'#argument map' =>
array (
'node' => 'node',
'node_unchanged' => 'node_unchanged',
),
),
'#name' => 'content_rules_field_changed',
'#info' =>
array (
'label' => 'Updated content\'s field \'field_awaiting_approval\' has been changed',
'arguments' =>
array (
'node' =>
array (
'type' => 'node',
'label' => 'Content containing changes',
),
'node_unchanged' =>
array (
'type' => 'node',
'label' => 'Content not containing changes',
),
),
'module' => 'CCK',
),
'#weight' => 0,
),
2 =>
array (
'#type' => 'condition',
'#settings' =>
array (
'code' => 'return $author->uid > 0;
',
'vars' =>
array (
0 => 'author',
),
),
'#name' => 'rules_condition_custom_php',
'#info' =>
array (
'label' => 'Execute custom PHP code',
'module' => 'PHP',
'eval input' =>
array (
0 => 'code',
),
),
'#weight' => 0,
),
),
'#actions' =>
array (
0 =>
array (
'#weight' => 0,
'#info' =>
array (
'label' => 'Send a mail to a user',
'arguments' =>
array (
'user' =>
array (
'type' => 'user',
'label' => 'Recipient',
),
),
'module' => 'System',
'eval input' =>
array (
0 => 'subject',
1 => 'message',
2 => 'from',
),
),
'#name' => 'rules_action_mail_to_user',
'#settings' =>
array (
'from' => '[author:site-mail]',
'subject' => 'Your suggested Green Site has been approved',
'message' => 'Your Green Site suggestion, [node:title], has been approved by the Mapmaker
you can see your site on the map, [node:ogname], at
http://opengreenmap.org/node/[node:og-id]',
'#argument map' =>
array (
'user' => 'author',
),
'#eval input' =>
array (
'token_rules_input_evaluator' =>
array (
'message' =>
array (
0 => 'node',
),
'from' =>
array (
0 => 'author',
),
),
),
),
'#type' => 'action',
),
),
),
),
'rule_sets' =>
array (
),
)
Paradigm Shifter
Hi fellas,
I'm the newest of newbies to drupal, but I am writing to see if I can present my Open Source Initiative at the next Drupal meetup in NYC... 20 minutes max... there's a live prototype at www.povertysdemise.org (Note: Folks rarely understand the prototype without me guiding them through how it works, so everyone feel free to contact me for a guided tour.)
In short I designed a website that can feed, clothe, and house every poor person on the planet... (I know sounds nuts..) The project has been officially endorsed by MIT and I have been an invited guest speaker and presenter at MIT and Princeton University because of the work...
MIT is literally putting up MIT money for paid fellowships to any MIT students that wish to work on this project...
http://web.mit.edu/mitpsc/resources/fellowships/involved/summer/selectin...
I have my CTO and my lead developer (who happens to be a drupal guru), however given the scale of the project we will definitely be needing more hands... on the 12th, I like to pass out a project plan as well for interested developers to become a part of a pretty cool project.. if there are logistical steps I am missing on idea submission, please let me know.
Darryl
"The world changes when one believes it can be changed. The depth of the change is only limited by one's own belief."
Ummm, wow.
That sounds nothing less than amazing. Looks like a rather profound AND ambitious project. All the best of luck to you and your team.
~
AshokanKid
Lower Hudson Vally, New York
Not another anon caching technique
There are too many solutions available to optimizing anonymous user performance experience. My discussion will focus on how you can achieve the same level performance for authenticated users. Being a New Yorker i hate having my time wasted on big over the top theories, so instead i will focus on practical solutions that are flexible enough to adapt to other sites' needs.
I will present with a healthy balance of theory behind this architecture and practical examples how to achieve it.
Sometimes it is more important to be able to ask correct questions of your infrastructure to identify where you can optimize things rather than being told a one off solution, so i will focus a little on how to take a look at YOUR infrastructure and optimize it to YOUR client's needs (as well as what tools to use).
Who is this for?: Not beginners, not themers. Developers, performance tuners and business owners that can hire developers/performance tuners but need convincing what I'll be showing actually works.
Why the Drupal Community should care about PDO?
In this age of idea theft, as everyone can imagine, not only do I have copycats, but I also have millionaires and billionaires trying to stop the development of a project that can literally feed millions of impoverished children… more on that later.
I am looking for open-source programming ninja heroes that want to protect the rights of the general public and actually change the world (sounds corny, I know, but wait until you see the work, the project is globally applicable).
What I will demo for your group is 40% of my Stage One design work… I still have not published the other 60% of Stage One (poverty focused) and still have 3 complete stages of design that have not been published. The other 3 Stages are as follows:
Stage 2: Education
Stage 3: Homelessness (related to poverty, but i have a separate plan)
Stage 4: Environmental
(Note: I only released 40% of stage one to protect against the copycats ;-)
In a nutshell, if Drupal NYC likes what you see on the 12th, this project literally has the potential to become the largest open-source web development project on the planet… Apache Server development will look small by comparison.
Not that there was any doubt over drupal’s status as #1 CMS ;-), but this project will literally attract every programmer under the sun and grow the size of your community exponentially, in a fairly short period of time.
Bring your hardest questions on the 12th and I’ll bring $20, the first person to “break” the system and prove we, working together, can –not- feed, clothe, and house the world with a website… I’ll buy you dinner ;-)
Darryl
"The world changes when one believes it can be changed. The depth of the change is only limited by one's own belief."
Your presentation at the August 12 meetup
Darryl,
I am not an admin for the Drupal NYC meetup, but I have presented there a number of times, and I think you can count on being able to give a 20-30 minute presentation (or longer, if you want) to a very interested and enthusiastic audience. The Drupal community in general is very politically progressive, and the NY group perhaps even more so.
This sounds like a fantastic use case for Drupal, and I am very interested in learning more, and possibly in getting involved. I have read some of your other online material, and will be interested in hearing more about your plans for Education, in Stage 2 of your plan.
Welcome to the Drupal NY community.
Michael Caudy
Slotted!
Hi Darryl,
I've slotted you in for a case study of PDO at the August 12th meet! Looking forward to hearing about it.
Thanks, Rob
Drupal Guild will meet at the small tables
bring your questions
as always for n00bies
johnvsc@gmail.com
917.676.0677
I'd be happy to help out
I'd be happy to help out with the Guild at the small tables.
There sounds like a few really interesting things going in the main room, but I'm sure I can get notes from someone.
Guild Modules?
Although it's great to get different discussions going, I'd love to hear what everyone's favourite modules and solutions are! :-) ...... Oleg asked for the small tables for the performance tuning talk because he didn't want the projector. Anyway we could use that for the Guild talk?
Lucky we have many small
Lucky we have many small tables :)
Whatever works best
I think that the introductions as a whole group are best... and we can break off into smaller groups for economy sake.
I don't mind being out near oleg if he wears some cologne ... or brings some vodka
8)~
johnvsc@gmail.com
917.676.0677
I agree. And this is why I
I agree. And this is why I think that sharing modules/recipes/solutions should happen when we're all together. Not sure how it should work in the agenda, though. If we do it first, then new folks aren't getting as much out of it because they haven't been able to yet ask their burning questions to get that initial foundation.
Underdog Tactics… Take the High Road
Hi Michael, thanks Rob… and greetings everyone. On Aug. 12th I’ll prove the system simply works. After questions have been answered, we should collectively consider the ramifications of our forward actions… So let me brief you all on a key decision moment in the development of PDO.
When I designed the overall system I knew that as the “smart, poor guy” with no lawyer that only two things would happen if I published the complete PDO system at once: a.) no one would understand it and the project would go nowhere or b.) someone with deeper pockets would understand it and simply take it from me.
So as you already know, I broke the work into pieces and stages, but even this strategy leaves a flaw.
What if someone took the first 40% and made up their own versions of the rest…? (great, no problem, more people feeding poor, more people trying to change the world ;-) …
However realizing that not all people are genuine in their public posturing in altruistic deeds, how do I ensure that a knock-off of the PDO system isn’t built that allows the rich to simply enslave the poor?
Three Founding Principles:
Founding Principle One:
NONPROFIT
Strategic value:
a.) Tax deductions for donors
b.) 24/7 “Public Eye” Financial Transparency (More Info: http://www.povertysdemise.org/Disclosure.php)
Founding Principle Two:
OPEN-SOURCE
Strategic Value:
a.) Keeps PDO operating costs very low over time
b.) Protects the Privacy Rights of donors & recipients (ZERO DATA MINING ALLOWED)
Founding Principle Three:
PACIFISM
Strategic Value:
a.) PDO social incentives will -never- favor military service.
b.) Military service is an individual's choice, but it should never be the only option for the poor to survive.
The founding principles essentially prevent anyone from extracting personal wealth (beyond salaries) from the system… knock-off’s without real altruistic goals will not spend the money to screen & certify folks as being in poverty, if they can not extract a return on investment.
Even if they spend the money, to screen & certify…they might be able to siphon money through accounting tricks… hence PDO internal books & contracts will be posted to the web at all times with PDO easy-to-use public interpretation tools. And, the no data mining policy means we don’t end up helping McDonald’s sell more Big Macs to the poor.
Finally, some around the world might just spend the money to increase their own military ranks… and/or political favor… I don’t need to explain this much to a progressive group of folks like yourselves… violence is never an answer.
Darryl
"The world changes when one believes it can be changed. The depth of the change is only limited by one's own belief."
Your presentation was very down to earth and encouranging
Thanks Darryl for giving your presentation on your PDO project. I look forward to watching it grow and also contributing to the project. Also it was fun drinking and talking to you about your pass experiences and as well as your future expectations for PDO. I believe your project will see plenty of interest from people like me and others who want to help the feed the hungry and end poverty which shouldn't be a part of the world we live in now. Anyways, thanks and see you at the next meet-up. 1<3
Non-Profit By The People for the People!!! FTW
Fernando a.k.a likewhoa
bending technology to fit businesses.
Great meetup everyone
As always thanks to everyone. Darryl, your presentation was awesome!
Thanks Everyone!
Last night was definitely cool...
I appreciate everyone's understanding and the offers of helping hands. This is indeed a paradigm shift and a chance for all of us to look back 30 years from now and honestly say... we did something that made a positive impact on the lives of millions of people.
And to quote Nando....PDO..... A Non-Profit By The People for the People!!!
Darryl
"The world changes when one believes it can be changed. The depth of the change is only limited by one's own belief."