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By selym on
I was wondering if a few of the Drupal vets out there will be able to tell me if Drupal will work for me based on my needs below. I have no experience with Drupal, and have searched around the site for so far only a day now. I *think* I have found answers to everything I need, but I'd really like to hear confirmation from others who have used it extensively. Here's what I would like included in my next site:
-I'd like users to be able to submit articles/news stories very simply.
-I would like users to have the option to submit pictures (at least one) with each story, and the picture would show as a thumbnail with the summary of the article, but it would be bigger on the actual news page.
-I need the ability to (eventually) create massive amounts of categories (about 100), subcategories (Approx 3,000), subsubs (up to 10,000), and subsubsubs (up to 10,000). This would of course be done over time, but there's no time like the present to plan for the future. It would be nice if there's a neat and organized way of displaying such categories like a drop down or seaparate page of links.
-Users should be able to rate/vote for articles.
-Users should be able to comment on articles.
-Would need forums with the ability to grow with all the categories as well.
-I would prefer some sort of tiered permissions for article/news submission. For example, writer, editor, admin....or something similar)
That's about it for my core needs. I believe I found some info on most of the above, but I'd really like to hear from others about these options and modules needed, if it's all possible, tips or hints to the best route to accomplishment for these needs, etc.
Thank you all for taking the time to read...and hopefully comment.
Selym
Comments
Yes, if Drupal were a
Yes, if Drupal were a person, he/she would be able to do that with his/her eyes closed. Its basic stuff that you require, which can be easily accomplished.
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Handbook page: http://drupal.org/handbook/is-drupal-right-for-you
This can be done with the CCK.module. Create a new content type called news or articles.
This can also be done adding an imagefield.module field to your news/article content type. You will also need the imagecache.module to create the thumbnail.
This is a core function called taxonomy. For more informtaion on how to organize your content with vocabulary and terms using taxonomy see: http://drupal.org/handbook/modules/taxonomy
There are many review/rating/voting/evaluation mechanisms in the downloads area. see: http://drupal.org/project/Modules/category/60
This is a core feature that can be turned on or off for each content type that comes with core, or that is created with the CCK.module.
This is also a core function with the core forum.module all that needs to be done, is to enable the forum modules and set up your containers. see: http://drupal.org/handbook/modules/forum
if you add them, they will be there
Again, a core function. Drupal has the ability to create "user roles" beyond those of anonymous (not logged in) and authenticated (logged in) users. see: http://drupal.org/handbook/modules/user
Drupal can be tested (without contrib modules) here: http://opensourcecms.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=132 admin panel is available for you to get your feet wet on the admin site.
The best place to test run Drupal is on your local machine. where you can then also test the contrib modules spoken about in this reply and others you may choose to test.
I'd also higly suggest purchasing the Pro Drupal Development Book from http://www.drupalbook.com to help you better understand how Drupal works , how to manipulate Drupal and realize your ideas.
What an incredibly helpful
What an incredibly helpful post. Thank you so much. I can't wait to start testing. I appreciate the time you spent to inform me of all these mods/resources, etc. Looks like I have some reading to do. Thanks again!
While that was a helpful
While that was a helpful post, let me just throw out a word of caution: Depending on how technical you are and how much you can do on your own, you might want to compare other products to drupal.
I'd been interested in drupal for over 2 years and we finally switched over. The software in itself I like, it's extendable and well made out of the box. But the problem is, nobody uses anything out of the box.
As you can see there are some very helpful people here in the forums, but the problem is they are spread too thin. I've grown a bit tired of posting and getting little or no response. Searching on the site is sometimes helpful, but often not. We had a major problem two weeks ago, and after reposting our problem a second way and getting a grand total of one response, I finally had to hire someone to help sort out the issues, which cost us hundreds of dollars.
(Side note - using MediaTemple grid server? I suggest a mySQL container if you want decent page load times... that's an extra $20/month minimum).
Again, it all depends on how capable you are. Now I'm pretty capable, but still I don't have the internal knowledge of drupal to figure some things out. If I had enough time, I could spend a couple months really getting familiar with it - but I don't have that kind of time.
So, I'm not trying to slam drupal - lots of things I like about it. But do your diligence, really test it out. Load it up with stuff. See what you can do on your own, because help can be slow in coming if at all with certain things, because this is pretty much a volunteer forum. Drupal is getting more popular, so there's lots more posts with lots of questions, and as I said, fewer people to - or want to - answer them.
Good luck whichever way you go!
patterns and responses
I will also add. After a while people who ask questions and don't answer them get remembered.
If those answering questions are spread very thin, it makes sense to invest time in those who return to pass on help and assistance to others.
Open Source software costs different. Investing in building your reputation in the community is often worth it.
-Steven Peck
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Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide -|- Black Mountain
-Steven Peck
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Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide
"After a while people who
"After a while people who ask questions and don't answer them get remembered."
Except in extreme cases, I wonder how this is even possible with the high number of users on these forums. Speaking only for myself, I wish I could help out, but I don't have the time to really be in these forums answering questions when I am trying to figure out my own problems with what is essentially a second job. I do actually have a family and life I need to attend to as well.
If while I am here I can see something I can answer, I will, and have on the rare occasion.
But as you said, it costs different. Not everyone can invest in building that kind of reputation - and not everyone has the skill to do so.
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Very possible. Checking the tracker of a user helps also.
I for one tend to help answer 1 - 2 questions every time I stop by Drupal.org and I work two jobs with a family while trying to learn Drupal. Thus I too have a life. People who take without giving do indeed get noticed, and when their questions stop getting answered, in the end they have noone to blame but themeselves.
one click to check
Click on a persons username and check their tracker. http://drupal.org/user/49899/track
I, myself, tend to do this for lower number user accounts who I don't recognize once or twice then just remember them. I know others do that as well. I thought it only fair to mention it in context to your post.
-Steven Peck
---------
Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide -|- Black Mountain
-Steven Peck
---------
Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide
Not much to add...
...but this Lullabot article is a good resource in comparing the main approaches to image handling and provides examples for them. It is for 4.7, but should easily make sense for 5.x. I agree with VeryMisunderstood that imagecache is the most fexible way to handle images, but it also tends to confuse people initially...so there's a primer.
As stated before, most of your needs are covered out of the box and the rest with modules. I just don't get what sort of content could be possibly categorized with tens of thousands of categories (except for bugs, the real kind, perhaps) and how useful such a categorization would be (both from an interface and a semantic point of view).
I think it's a lot easier to over-categorize than keeping a healthy balance between amount of content and number of categories.
ourbrisbane.com
I'd just like to thank
I'd just like to thank everyone for taking the time to post.
I will have to test the heck out of this thing to make sure it's something I'm comfortable managing. Although I'm not a programmer, I'd like to think I am capable in seeking out and implementing changes with proper guidance, but ultimately I will probably have to utilize a programmer for any major issues that could come up down the road. I think this part is inevitable, but the more matches I can get out of the box, the better.
I do understand that this OS community is a give and take kind of thing, but I hope I have an ample grace period to just ask questions for awhile....because I'm still brand new. ;)
As far as over-categorization, I'd really like to find a way to not have that many categories...but I've yet to figure out how to give an area their own "space" while keeping with fewer categories. An example of what I need might be like Classmates, which basically gives each school in the US its own area, or like Weather, giving a particular zip code its own area for forecast information. It might be hard to under-categorize in those types of sites, and mine is similar, but I'm always open to suggestions.
Thanks again to everyone. I appreciate you stopping by this thread and sharing.
selym