Drupal Tank - January 13, 2009 Minutes

Here are the minutes we said we would post. Review them and let us know if there are any suggestions and things on top of what we discussed that you would like to add to the conversation. We'll be posting some stuff at DrupalTank.org also.

Got to thank Curtis Jensen for taking these minutes.

Attendees:

Brandon Buttars, Jeff Beck, JC, Jeff Sly, Kyle Mathews, Craig Jackson, Chuck Crandal, Kevin Millecam, Curtis Jensen, Gary Norton

Books/Resources Discussion:

• Pro Drupal Development - well layed out.
• Drupal Handbook
• Books in General - books are better if you are learning it for the first time.
• Online Resources
  • Good for quick answers
  • Good for expanding knowledge.
• API Documentation - http://api.drupal.org
• Lullabot - http://lullabot.com
• Google Search Quicker than searching Drupal.org - "site:drupal.org topic"
• Good Module Research Tips:
• Open issues in the specific modules themselves.
  • 90% of bugs aren't really bugs, but are misunderstandings of how the module works.
• Drupal Planet - http://drupal.org/planet
• Drupal Modules - http://drupalmodules.com
• Disambiguity - http://disambiguity.com
• Use your contacts and im to get help and find answers.
• Drupal Therapy - http://drupaltherapy.com
• Got Drupal - http://gotdrupal.com (good podcasts and videos)
• 2Bits - http://2bits.com

Organizing Drupal Tank:

• Work out an agenda.
• 10 minutes trainings - 3-5 ideas or techniques to showcase.
• Mini trainings may spill into bigger future trainings.
• Howto's and Showcases
• 1 Tutorial that lasts 20 - 30 minutes
• 2-3 Showcases
• Lightning/Ignite Sessions - 5 minute presentations

Drupal Tank Website:

• Create content on groups.drupal.org/utah but then only reference it on drupaltank.org.
• Post showcases.
• Poll on showcases.
• Used for advanced features and communication not allowed but Drupal Groups.
• Try and reclaim management of Drupal Groups so we can have an active member managing the Group.

For future meetings:

• Setup a wiki page that we can put what topics to present and where people can volunteer their contributions.
• Meet in different locations every so often to try and attract more users in.
• Plan out two meetings at a time.
• Meet February 17th next.
• Theming Next Topic
  • Basic Theme - Chuck
  • Zen Theme - Brandon
• Performance - compression, caching, etc.
• SEO
• Module Overviews
  • Validation API
  • Organic Groups
  • WebFM
  • Formbuilder
  • TinyTinyMCE
  • Panels
• Showcase Sites:
  • quazifish.com
• Module Combinations - synergy
• Social Networking
• Multisite
• WYSIWYG's
• Images
• Gallery
• Combatting Spam
• Come up with a Specific Agenda Format that can be duplicated.
• Hosting Locations:
  • ODIN
  • Nuskin
  • BYU Conference: Late February early March
• Length of meeting should be planned for 1 to 1.5 hours but not limiting it if there are some good discussions going on.
• People are free to come and go as they need to.
• Interested in seeing implementations of specific techniques or modules. SHOWCASES
• Showcases shouldn't just be a look at the website I did but more of a "LOOK HOW WE DID THIS WEBSITE".

Showcase: http://island.byu.edu - OG/CCK/Views/Panels

Kyle Mathews

• Drupal 5
• Has wiki section.
• Uses FeedAPI to bring in blog content.
• Uses Views for Group Wiki
• Uses Node Factory
• All run through Panels
• Whomever creates the Group becomes an admin.
• Uses Front Page Panel
• Can define specific node panels by using "node/%" (node override). Specify content types that take the panels and create custom panels per content type.

Next Meeting:

• Focus on theming.
• WOW the Group with Theming

Update Group Weekly on Status of Next Meeting