On the skill levels

Makes sense. I'll change that in profile.

I would like to see some guidelines as to what skill levels people should have to use the modules in Easy, Moderate, or Difficult kits.

This came up in #1567874: Delta / Context / CSS Injector - Theming Related modules

So one skill level I think we've defined is that Easy should NOT require FTP/SSH for adding CSS, JS, or tpls or changing themes. So is it that users of the Moderate kit should know all of that, or is it...

Moderate - understands changing themes, context (can place blocks so they show up in a specific path/type/role), understands how to move changes from a dev -> live using features, etc

Difficult - Can override a default tpl with a custom version, can apply a patch, etc

If we can define the skills expected for the different levels, it will be easier to figure out which kit a module belongs in. Obviously a user can add any of the modules from Moderate to Easy or Difficult to Moderate, but this would be a starting point for the kits.

Glad to see the CM_theme as the default theme! (Does that mean it still has the channelAustin logo? - of minor importance)

To respond to Kevin's thoughts on skill levels. I had originally though that the skill levels had to do with the degree of difficulty of the module configuration. This might still be the case, but I guess I wasn't broadening my perspective enough to encompass the range of web development skills needed to move from kit to kit.

In this case the Easy kit means knowledge of html, css, Basic drupal site install (Users, Permissions - basically all the way to CCK & Views)

The Moderate kit may be the need to understand a LAMP environment (which would lead to the dev -> live workflow); familiarity php; advanced drupal site maintenance and module configuration (organic groups, custom content, fields, entities, relationships in views

The Difficult would be thorough pHp knowledge, understanding API, command line control over a site, ability to contribute back into the project in the form of patchs

RE: the channelAustin logo, I don't really have an issue with including it as the default because...

1. cA funded the development of the theme
2. having a logo of another station should motivate stations to change the logo
3. the steps for changing to logo are documented

Now if someone created an animated gif of all the stations contributing to replace the cA logo, I'd gladly use that :)

Ah, I didn't see this issue before I opened the other one about cm_theme as the default. I agree with the above on that.

As for the logo, we could either include the cA logo for the reason Kevin mentions, or create a simple Community Media logo that can also be used in ither circumstances. If anyone is up to creating something like that... :)

On the skills levels, I'm not sure understanding of a LAMP environment should be required for Moderate. It's a good workflow, but not necessary to make good use of the modules in that kit, and could put people off if they think they are required to set up a LAMP environment to use/configure those modules. But then again, stations in Sweden have different requirements from those in the US (we don't need PBCore, Crew Connect or CiviCRM for example and I'd rather see those as opt-ins from our point-of-view).

Also, for Difficult, I think basic understanding of PHP and API is enough (with more skills "good" rather than "required"). Command like control is again "good", but not "required", just as patches. For me, I only have basic PHP and API skills and rarely use CLI and only recently started to learn how to use git. Still the module(s) in that kit are necessary for the workflow at Öppna Kanalen Växjö (Open Channel Vaxjo). But indeed it's necessary to know how to override & edit tpl's. What other modules could be added to that kit later anyway?

I added a few more modules and links to the Starter Kit Wiki. While the Easy configuration is more about enabling a module that does X and documenting steps 1-5 to achieve that, the Difficult will be more about concepts with multiple modules that can be used to add a feature.

The modules would ALWAYS be opt in and there is nothing stopping someone who starts with the Easy version to add just a few modules from the Moderate, the Difficult, or modules not included in any kit. One reason for creating these kits that has already been discussed is to make it easier to get started without being overwhelmed, but another reason I think is just as important is to give station staff some warning/realistic expectations.

At the Easy level, you are building a site with core Drupal concepts and popular modules, but in a way your work will be compatible with additional features in the future. We are trying to avoid people moving to WordPress to build a "brochureware" site, then once the understand WordPress wanting to add the Reservations API. Instead we want them to build a site and learn the fundamentals that will be building blocks for the Moderate and Advanced modules.

The reason for including Crew Connect at the easy level is it an activity that a station's members/Drupal users can do themselves. If a station can't master managing permission to allow members to interact at a basic level, it is unlikely they will be able to master users signing up for events or paying for their memberships themselves.

You have to walk before you can run.

In the Moderate level, I expect someone to understand how to populate Airings from a feed. The difficult level is where you start directly integrating with other services... playback servers, social networks, vod services. Almost everyone involved in developing the Easy kit has already implemented or is using some modules we've deemed Difficult, but in many cases I've configured these modules for them.

Currently we can't include CiviCRM in the the actual download because Drupal's whitelist rules currently limit packaging of external files to < 10MB. CiviCRM 4.1.2 is currently 11MB.

Just because a module is included in the initial download, doesn't mean you have to use it... nor does the lack of a module mean you can't add it.

I'm glad this discussion is opening up.

For a point of clarification. Are these kits meant to be installed in sequence? Once you have Easy all set, do you then install Moderate? Or, does moderate include everything underneath it?

I'd put features / views importing and exporting as a highly desirable Moderate skill. That will really up your stations "game" to be able to work at a higher level of collaboration and knowledge exchange.

CiviCRM is it's own animal and I'm still unsure of how to handle that. It requires so much of its own configuration. (Could we even estimate the hours needed or a ration or station size to config hours?)

Are these kits meant to be installed in sequence? Once you have Easy all set, do you then install Moderate? Or, does moderate include everything underneath it?

The most likely workflow is probably people starting with the kit of the skill level they are currently at, then manually adding a few modules from the next kit. There will be an optional download of just the modules like you already have the Easy version of the kit (http://drupal.org/node/1537260). So someone wanting all the modules in moderate kit could download those and replace their profile/cm_starterkit_easy/module directory with the modules directory from moderate.

No ideal, but still a time saver.

CiviCRM is it's own animal and I'm still unsure of how to handle that. It requires so much of its own configuration. (Could we even estimate the hours needed or a ration or station size to config hours?)

No. This depends entirely on the features you are using, how clean the data you are importing is, and how technical you are. It looks like we will be able to include CiviCRM in the packaged version of the Community Media Starter Kit - Moderate.

Valuable discussion but not worth keeping open as a bug.