Welcome to the new Print Media group!

Welcome to this group! I'd like to start with an exposition why we need this group and what it is for...

What's so special about print media?

Ain't it just easier to develop a website for print media than for an ezine? Don't print magazines just need less CMS functionality than online media?

Nope. As online publication is obviously not the main channel for print media, a cross media redaction system must meet special requirements that substantially differ from a sheer online media website. These requirements include:

• Full integration with the workflows the redaction uses for the print channel.
• Cross media XML support to reliably interact with word processors (like MS Word), DTP programmes (like InDesign).
• Fully customizable and easy-to-use front- and backends (because editors are no IT geeks).
• Online publication is just a by-product and may therefore not pose extra work on editors, but must be maintainable on-the-fly.
• WYSIWYG may not only be restricted to the online channel - users also need to get a clue how this will look in print edition.
• ...

So why do we need this group?

Today, meeting all these requirements on a cross media redaction system is not easy, which is why most print media redactions use specialized commercial software. On Drupal dozens of existing modules are needed as well as extensive custom development.

I expect from this group to collectively:

1. collect and discuss the needs of print media for a powerful redaction system (Right now we are here!)
2. collect and discuss ideas and find out how to realize them best
3. collect existing code (contrib modules as well as custom code)
4. develop a timeframe on implementing the features
5. add some functionality to existing contrib modules
6. create new modules to add the rest of the functionality needed
7. eventually develop a specialized "Drupal for Print media" distribution (or install profile).

Let's get started!!!