Drupal 6 Site BlueprintsPackt Publishing is pleased to announce the release of a new Drupal book called Drupal 6 Site Blueprints authored by Timi Ogunjobi. This is a project-oriented book that provides readers with a starting foundation for 12 powerful Drupal Web site projects that can be tailored to their needs, including community functionality, blog networks, e-commerce stores, photo sharing, Google mashups, and so on..

Packt Publishing is also pleased to offer a 15% discount to any Drupal.org user. To purchase this book with this discount, simply purchase Drupal 6 Site Blueprints through Packt Publishing, and provide the code Dru6SBto. Also, keep in mind that Packt contributes a portion of every book sale right back to Drupal!

This book is aimed at Drupal users in the following categories:

  • Students seeking hands-on experience building useful PHP-based Web projects using a rapid development environment.
  • Hobbyists looking to build rich Web applications for personal and business use or for their clubs or society.
  • Business owners who would like to test the Drupal platform and to see if it meets their immediate and future business needs for a Web application.
  • Professionals who like to quickly present prototypes of new Web projects to their clients.

About the book:

Drupal 6 Site Blueprints, is a project-based guide to developing Web applications with Drupal. It should enable you to take full advantage of the powerful core features offered by the Drupal framework together with the many available contributed modules and themes to develop killer applications within hours. You will learn, by means of illustrated hands-on example projects, all that you need to start building with Drupal. Containing 12 exciting and simple Web projects, this book will enable you to rapidly implement Web projects for personal and business use - without having to pay a developer to do it for you. If you want to develop exciting Web applications for profit or pleasure this book is for you. With this book almost anyone with just a bit of Drupal knowledge can build a complicated web site by mixing the individual projects together. Instant Drupal!!

All the other hands-on example projects in this book are also based on fictitious Web site development briefs, but they illustrate practical ways of applying Drupal. The projects in the book include:

  1. Building a Personal Web Site
  2. Building a School Web Site
  3. Building an Aficionados’ Site
  4. Building an Events Site
  5. Building a Community Portal
  6. Building a Newspaper Site
  7. Building a Directory
  8. Building a Photo sharing Site
  9. Building a Hotel and Conference Facilities Booking Site
  10. Building a Google Maps Site
  11. Building a News Aggregating Site

If you are new to building Web sites with Drupal and you consequently imagine that Drupal is difficult to use, this book should make you rethink those assumptions. The briefs are wickedly humorous, the tutorials are quite concise and lavishly illustrated with screen shots and the projects are very useful day-to-day applications.

This book is for anybody who wants to build a range of Drupal sites, and see how to apply the many available Drupal plugins and features in different scenarios. If you develop Drupal sites professionally, or would like to try building Web sites as a freelancer, this is a great book to help you get started. Drupal 6 Site Blueprints has just been published, and is available direct from the publishers.

Want a Sample?

To help promote the content provided within this book, Packt is generous enough to provide sample content of what you can expect from reading this book. Below is a list of articles and chapters from this book.

About the author

Timi Ogunjobi is a Technical Writer, Web Developer and Open Source evangelist. Trained as an engineer, Timi has been developing Web applications in several frameworks for more than 7 years and has also been writing for more than a decade on a wide variety of topics. Timi is the principal of Websesame, a software development and technical writing company. Timi’s other Drupal books include Adventures in Drupal and Drupal Website Models. Timi balances his time between programming, reviewing, writing, and contributing to interesting Web-based projects and also community projects in Africa. When he isn't working (which isn't that often) he enjoys playing jazz guitar and getting involved in outdoor activities, principally cricket, golf, and swimming.

Comments

electronicmonkey’s picture

I think this is a fantastic book. It has saved me hundreds of dollars within a few days . It is really not for absolute beginners but as a web project manager with just a bit of knowledge about Drupal it was a dream come true for me . My freelance designer is going to hate this book I suppose :)

VenDG’s picture

This book was immediately useful to me. I picked it up because it coincidentally had a chapter explaining how to setup google maps and the project I am currently working on requires that. It was setup in no time at all. There are also other good projects in the book that I never worked on before but I feel confident about tackling after reading the examples.

johnhanley’s picture

Sounds like an interesting read, but the caption "Professionals who like to quickly present prototypes of new Web projects to their clients" is inherently bad practice and should be avoided. Then again most professionals already know this.

adetoyan’s picture

Mr Ogunjobi I don't know if you intentionally left the "ti ile wa" out of the book description but all the same I am proud. It's good to see people writing books to help the community.I wish you all the best

bolaowoade’s picture

Nice work Timi. It's great to see Nigerians in the software arena. Keep up the great work.

attila_fabian’s picture

Great book. Good projects. Not for designers.

jggarley’s picture

This is another great drupal book. This book is full of good stuff. One good thing about the book is the 12 exciting and simple Web projects that target 12 different fictional websites. I will recommend this book to anyone who want to build robust dynamic database driven website. Good job Timi Ogunjobi and keep up the good work for the Drupal community.

OnkelTem’s picture

*THUMBS DOWN*

15% are not applied to eBook - the only option for me.

Steady’s picture

Just because you can't get your 15%, does that really merit giving the book a "thumbs down" ?????

webdesigncapetown’s picture

Looks like some interesting projects in the book. Looks like a good book to add to the collection.

drupallogic’s picture

I had a look at to book. I'm afraid it's a waste of time for an experienced Drupal user. I can advice only for beginners. Actually there are better books for beginners.

electronicmonkey’s picture

It is obviously a "waste of time for an experienced developer". The author did say so himself . Are there better books for beginners ? How would you know since you are not a beginner ? I doubt if you had any "look" at the book at all as it was very useful to me. I did mention that my developer is likely to be angry with the book and the author. Good work I say !

drupallogic’s picture

I'm not a developer just a Drupal user. I read a Drupal look (Using Drupal) and begun to use Drupal a few months ago. so I know what a good Drupal book is.

How did you get the idea of I didn't read the book, I read a few chapters (let's say have a looked at) and I believe it's a waste of time. sorry, man.

websesame’s picture

Good point drupallogic and I read that as a personal observation. However it is really impossible to write a book that is useful to"everybody". Perhaps you don't fall into the book's target group then. So sorry but that can't be helped sir.

PS : I also still think Mein Kampf and War and Peace are a complete waste of time; if that helps

electronicmonkey’s picture

I am quite appalled . To call any book at all a waste of time is not a display of wisdom but of sheer ignorance. You may love, hate or be indifferent to a book , but it is never a waste of time.

johnhanley’s picture

...and greatly admire those who have.

Learning Drupal is very daunting and a book like this could fast-track a newcomer. It might also serve as a great refresher and/or provide new ideas for those of us who have been around for awhile.

To the author: please ignore the dismissive comments and congratulations on accomplishing what many of us wish we had the time and gumption to do.

Cheers,
John

electronicmonkey’s picture

I think this is cowardice and an act of gross mischief. Drupallogic initially says (he has since edited "3 months" to "a few months") :

I'm not a developer just a Drupal user. I read a Drupal look (Using Drupal) and begun to use Drupal 3 months ago.

However the record of his registration on this site drupal.org shows that he was registered 1 year an 11 weeks ago !! And has been posting on this site for 36 weeks !! even though he only started using Drupal 3 months ago and he is not even a developer yet !!

Anyone can hide under a fake name and carry out evil deeds on the internet and get away with it but drupal.org must bring this person to order. The author has assisted me a few times with my projects (at no charge) even though I have never met him and neither do I know him personally and so I feel sufficiently moved to support him at this . As an editor I have assisted several authors to create books and I know that it is a painful process rather like childbirth. People who publicly destroy what other people (authors, editors,publishers) have labored for months and perhaps years to create at much expenses ought to be ashamed of themselves. I wish this person drupallogic luck with whatever his ultimate aim is and to the author and publisher I am sure you are experienced enough to handle faceless criticsm with the silent contempt it deserves.

drupallogic’s picture

electronik monkey you are really getting rude.

I'm indeed using Drupal for a few months for my sites. but this doesn't mean that I know Drupal for last a few months. I know Drupal for 2 years. But didnt use it actively for my web sites but just did trials. The time when I decided to really use Drupal was 8 months ago. That time I got a book and learned deeply to use it instead of trying to figure out how things work.

So clear for you ?

I'm waiting an apologise from you. Triying to blame people with some guesses is the thing you need to be blamed for.

anyway, I still think you book is a waste of time. You may not like my idea but you can't blame for it. Try to be honest first instead of blaming people.

electronicmonkey’s picture

Okay I apologize , but you certainly look exactly like the sort of person who likes to sit on the fence watching others work and just complaining about how badly (or well) they are doing the work and just sitting on the fence watching others work.
Actually if there is anyone who needs apologies it is the author and publishers and they will need the apologies from you.

simeonabiola’s picture

I don't think we should condemn Mr Timi. His book might not be useful to professional drupal users but i think somebody out there will still need it. We should commend him for his efforts and initiative to write and contribute to the ever growing Drupal community.
Mr Timi, We thank you for your work. Don't be discourage, Keep writing, we are ready to read.
Good books are like Lighthouse on the sea for ships.

Simeon Abiola Tawose
www.mathsvillage.com

nickbits’s picture

Hi,

I have had a good look at this book, which I got last week. I have put a review up on http://nickbits.co.uk/blog/2009/09/book-review-drupal-6-site-blueprints .

Nick

------------oOo----------------------
Nick Young (www.nickbits.co.uk)

janglebeezz’s picture

Cool, about time someone did this. I'm surprised the "[insert software here] for dummies" guy didn't do this sooner TBH. Or maybe he did and I just don't know about it. Regardless, awesome book!

adetoyan’s picture

I'll be frank! I took a couple of hours to skim through the book and sincerely I would probably rate your book a 5 out 10. In terms of carrying out common projects it's really useful as it gets you there quickly. No frills and straight to the point. PLAN, CONFIGURE EXECUTE. But I must say that some of Drupal's concepts go far above the realm of just installing modules and themes and if you are looking for a book to get a good foundation in Drupal then I don't think it's for you. Having said that, it takes a lot of courage to write a book. Timi I would encourage you to put up some extra material on your blog or something to make up for some of the lapses.

websesame’s picture

That is exactly what the book is about -no frills and straight to the point (I am glad you concede that it does this appreciably well) : get your first Drupal site up and running without having to learn how the software functions, then you can backtrack at leisure to have another look at the logic . There is no better way to learn anything. The book is not an "all about Drupal" book , which should certainly take a couple of thousand pages or more - and unfortunately still alienate some users. The book is also not about "courage" it is about users' need.Use the book as you would your high school science projects book - and if you want in-depth concepts buy some more textbooks. If only you had enough patience to read the introduction first and match it with the book title "site blueprints" (not Drupal Bible) , before skimming through you will be OK with the content of the book. Thank you sir.

[From book Preface]

This book will not make you an expert in developing with Drupal. It will not even bring you close. However it should help you get your feet wet and make you unafraid to plunge deeper into the wonders of creating killer sites with a truly amazing framework

devicehandler’s picture

Okay, I have been eyeing this book and salivating at somehow owning it, now after reading this post and its mixed bag of reviews. Whats recommended in in learning the overall system, I would like to think that if you have a good overall understanding of the software then blueprints can be churned out as per project. It seems like the pro's know more than they ever what to tell and yet a minority seems to say alot of negative about those that do tell, it also baffles me that from the time I have used drupal, I have seen a book every second month but the documentation is shoddy. Just a thought.

websesame’s picture

1. No medicine cures all illnesses
- BEFORE you buy ANY book determine what you will want to get out of it else you will always buy the wrong book.
- AFTER you've bought any book always read the preface first to determine how it will work for you else it will always feel like you've bought the wrong book.
- NEVER start to read a book from the middle - start from the beginning ; else you will always have problems with determining what the book is about. It is like buying some medicine and not bothering to read the instructions; it is unlikely to work well for you !!

2. Chicken and egg ?
Is it better to learn the concepts first before building your Drupal site ? This depends on what you do for a living . If you are a didgeridoo salesman for example with no time to waste on any other thing other than the pub and all you want to do is to set up a website to help your business what would you do ? Who you gonna call , Ghostbusters ? To compound your problem you are faced with making a choice between Drupal, Joomla, Modx, Wordpress, PHPNuke, Typo and God knows how many others . Would you honestly be concerned about learning concepts behind all of them ? It will certainly make more sense to me to grab one that does the job for me in a jiffy and then worry about concepts later; and that is why this book is important to ENLARGING THE DRUPAL COMMUNITY.

3 Recommendation
The book editors were quite excited about this book. They thought it made them "feel" like Drupal experts already. The technical reviewers thought it seemed annoyingly like "performing magic tricks" and would not recommend it for experienced developers. So my recommendation is purchase a copy and see what the fuss/buzz is all about.
Gracias !

adetoyan’s picture

My comments are in no way meant to run down your book and should not be construed as such. How do you define an expert? A great themer, a module developer, someone who can manage huge performance tweaks on the whole project? The concept seems relative to me; that being said, I admitted that the book is good if you have a couple of ideas you want to throw out quickly but what happens if you want to change the color of the logo text or find out why that annoying link is always on that page since you it doesn't fit in your plan? I am intentionally not mentioning other Drupal books here because this is not about them. I haven't asked you to rewrite your book, all I'm saying is take some time out on your blog if you're not doing so already to help people get a little extra out of it

websesame’s picture

Thanks. My door is always open to anybody who want assistance in improving their Drupal experience. I have been offering free advice for years and I still do. In fact the answer to many of the challenges that new users face can be found by simply searching the forums on this site. However for anyone whodoes not have that patience, just email me your questions. Cheers

Steady’s picture

It always amazes me that some people have such a small minded attitude.

When I am learning something, I don't hesitate to buy, read and use any and all books about a subject I can get my hands on.

One of the big lessons in life I have learned is that no one book or source has all the answers.

By getting a few books on a subject there is far more chance that you will get the data you need.

For those that moan and groan about a book such as the one in this thread not being "perfect", then get a life or stick with you small minded mentality.

What's $20 or $30 when just one item in the book could pay for itself?

websesame’s picture

This book is the first Drupal book and in fact the first technology title to be accepted for listing as a "fave" on the new social networking site superfan.com . See page http://superfan.com/fave/Drupal_6_Site_Blueprints

websesame’s picture

Please see author's interview to get a better feel of the book's content at
http://drupaleasy.com/blogs/ultimike/2009/10/book-interview-drupal-6-sit...