Posted by robeano on December 18, 2009 at 1:33am
Start:
2010-01-21 18:00 - 20:00 America/Los_Angeles Organizers:
Event type:
User group meeting
Learn about Drupal and meet local Drupal enthusiasts. We meet from 6 pm until 7:30 pm, then reserve the last half-hour for proper socializing, snacking, and further discussion at the Owl N' Thistle around the corner from StartPad.
Date and Time: January 21, 6 - 8 pm PST
Location:
StartPad (6 pm - 7:30 pm)
811 First Avenue, Suite 480
Seattle, WA 98104
Owl N' Thistle (7:30 - 8 pm)
808 Post Ave
--
Coworking from 3 - 6 pm will be at the same location as the meeting.
Agenda
- Speed Introductions
- Proposing Sessions for DrupalCon San Francisco (just 3 months away!)
- Deployable (using Aegir) install profile
- meeting location
- Announcement from RockSoup
- Lightning Talks
You get 5 minutes and 20 slides or less to show the group anything Drupal related. Could be a project you just finished, or a new module you love, or a new module you hate. Sign up by leaving a comment. Lightning talks can be as short and easy as "I found this really cool module..." or "I can't figure out how to get this module working...".
If you want to add items to the agenda, please leave a comment.
Comments
5 minute install profiles
I'd like to spend a few minutes talking about how I built a deployable (using Aegir) install profile(although very basic) in about 5 minutes.
For those who can't wait, the blog post is http://www.hazelconsulting.com/blog/leveraging-features-and-spaces-drupa...
if there's enough interest I
if there's enough interest I could expand this into a larger talk about using Aegir to quickly deploy custom install profiles.
+1 on aegir
I just installed aegir on a new server and would like to see how you use it to deploy and manage your sites.
-jared
DCSF
I'm wondering whether I should present something at DrupalCon San Francisco in April - maybe we can brainstorm ideas for a few minutes, and discuss what others are thinking of presenting?
Drupal programmer - http://poplarware.com
Drupal author - http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920034612.do
Drupal contributor - https://www.drupal.org/u/jhodgdon
drupal con presentation
Hey Jennifer,
I was wondering that my self. Was thinking about talking about how to use Aegir/Drush/Features/Install Profiles to build repeatable, easily deployable websites. Maybe something along the lines of how small shops (freelancers) can take advantage of these modules to jump start development and save costs on projects.
I have some reservations though as I'm not really an expert in Aegir/Drush/Features so would have trouble fielding more difficult questions about one of those modules in particular as the focus would really be on leveraging existing tools to deliver better value to your clients.
There's at least one Install Profile Sess Proposed for Drupalcon
Looks like theres a very similiar talk to the one I was going to propose, so looks like I'm off the hook on this idea.
http://sf2010.drupal.org/conference/sessions/automating-site-configurati...
I think brainstorming about
I think brainstorming about dcon sessions is great. I added it to the agenda along with kanani's aegir demo.
Robin
Spam-Stomping Report
Here's the update/results of my spam-stomping after the Nov. meeting.
Problem:
WeaveZine.com was built with the usual spam-bot protections (Mollum, email verification, etc.) For nearly a year it ran blissfully spam-free. Then I started seeing SEO-style spam showing up in my user profile fields. (I was running Core profiles.)
Investigation and analysis of the spammer’s behavior led me to believe that the site was being targeted by human spammers, not bots (ie: adaptive, returned multiple times to the site, passing CAPTCHA, etc.)
What Worked: (Thanks SeaDugs, for many of these suggestions)
Installing Advanced User, to identify and bulk-block spammers
Installed the Flag module (Site now has favorites functionality, FTW!)
Installing the Abuse module, so users can help flag spam (and I can insta-ban)
Moving profile fields from the Core profile to nodes (more tools to moderate and manage.)
Moved “User Tips” to a Workflow-moderated node type.
Deleted “User URL” for now, will likely return (along with rich profile) for contributors and paying “pro-account” subscribers, ie: trusted users.
Installed LoginToboggan (no direct log-in) and created a “pending” user role, to help identify folks who create accounts and never verify them. Plus better log-in functionality for real users, too.
What Didn’t Work:
Flag Abuse module (couldn’t get this one figured out, admin UI not intuitive)
Blocking IP regions (I have an international audience, and legit users were blocked.)
Blocking individual IPs (they were legion, and probably fake.)
Banning users (because they can always create another account.)
Results:
From a high of about 70 new spam accounts a day (with attendant spam-profiles) now down to a single case of Forum-spam a day, easily stomped with the Abuse module.
(PS. Typing “Die, spam, die!” into the explanation field of the Abuse module is pretty darn therapeutic, too.)
Conclusions:
Dealing with spam requires vigilance, especially if you’re unlucky enough to get targeted by human spammers.
The best way to deal with it is to make it impossible to achieve what they want: their links on your site.
I chose to moderate and/or edit everything on the site except comments and forum postings (which are managed by users and me flagging abuse.) Since I run a online magazine, editing nearly everything before posting is in the theme of the site, and has the side benefit of eliminating typos and such in user-submitted stories. YMMV.
Wow!
It would be great if you could write this up into a narrative and put it on drupal.org.
If you're willing to do this, I think the best place would be as a child page of http://drupal.org/node/206787
Drupal programmer - http://poplarware.com
Drupal author - http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920034612.do
Drupal contributor - https://www.drupal.org/u/jhodgdon
A Noob Can Contribute to Drupal Documentation?
Really? I hadn't thought about that. But sure, if you think my tale of exploration and woe would be useful to others, I'd be happy to re-write it as a post for Drupal docs.
(I'm new to Drupal, but have been writing for 20+ years, published some novels and like that.)
Anyone can contribute.
To add new pages to drupal.org doc and to edit many/most existing pages, all you need is an account and the willingness to contribute. See http://drupal.org/contribute/documentation to get started.
Drupal programmer - http://poplarware.com
Drupal author - http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920034612.do
Drupal contributor - https://www.drupal.org/u/jhodgdon
could I please have 5 mins?
for a quick announcement?
-jared
Yes. You are on the agenda.
Yes. You are on the agenda. You'll be our first lightning talk.
Robin
No can come tonight
I am not coming tonight :-(
Looks like a great agenda :-)
Be sure to put a message on the entrance door for late comers.
I am helping a group to get CrisisWiki.org up and running for the Haiti relief effort.
http://groups.google.com/group/crisiswiki
I need to get some stuff ready for the next Crisis Camp.
Crisis Camps are announced here
http://crisiscommons.org/
If you spot any Drupal for Good sites helping the Haiti effort, add them to the list
http://groups.drupal.org/node/44964
I will be monitoring the #drupal-seattle irc channel.
Cheers,
- John Walling