Hitchhiker's guide to the Drupal community
So you've decided to hitch a ride with Drupal? That's great! The Drupal community welcomes everyone who uses this application for their own needs, be they personal, corporate, community-based, or otherwise.
Whether you contribute back to Drupal or not, the Crew enjoys having your company: after all, it is a very long journey. They also know that many of you do your bit by recommending Drupal to others. All of you count, because you all contribute to the size of the Drupal community - and the more people there are, the bigger Drupal is, and the better it becomes.
What's more, it is understood that you have to be a user before you can become a contributor, and that many of you have the potential to contribute your own valuable skills to Drupal, once you've learned a bit more about how it all works. However, you should realize that you're benefiting, at no cost to yourself, from the generosity of hundreds of other Crew Members who have made Drupal the great platform that it is.
All that is asked of you during the voyage is that you appreciate the time and effort that others have put into Drupal on your behalf, and that you abide by one basic rule of etiquette:
Don't start making demands!
Drupal is a volunteer effort. You're welcome to suggest features. You're welcome to point out bugs or usability problems. You're welcome to politely ask for help. But do not angrily rant about the features that Drupal lacks and that you require of it, and then demand that "the developers" address said shortcomings as soon as possible.
This is a good way to annoy the rest of the Crew, who do not deserve to have their countless unpaid hours of service rewarded in this manner. You may also find yourself without any further support. The Crew does not like to spend their off-hours helping out complainers. They'd rather throw you out the airlock.
As a member of this ship, you have no obligations to any other member. Conversely, the other members have no obligations to you. Remember this rule, and the trip will be shorter and more pleasant.
Even if you don't code, there are many ways to contribute to Drupal, participate in the community and influence development. A good place to start is to read these pages:
The Welcome README
HOWTO: Enact change within the Drupal community