[theforum] Challenging Drupal: Put up or shut up

Erika ekm at seastorm.com
Sun Oct 12 11:01:03 CDT 2008


Oh Martin Burns, you have such a way with subject lines.

1. I want to make it really clear, I am not trying to derail the 
Drupal-based CMS.

I have worked in CMS-land enough to know that people, especially 
technically adept people, tend to chafe at change when they feel that 
the change gives them less control of their work. (Don't studies show 
that 99.9% of web developers are total control freaks?) It's a give and 
take and some people feel they are being asked to give (or take) too 
much.  So it goes in CMS-land. I also know that it's generally better to 
suck it up and focus on what you CAN immediately change (content, theme, 
etc) rather than what you can't.

Around our CMS, there have been specific issues coming up such as:
- look and feel of current w.e.o is too generic-seeming
- not enough developers are interested in working with Drupal
- our content is out-of-date, general malaise/loss of interest

I don't think these are in and of themselves reasons to abandon a CMS, 
but they are issues that need to be evaluated and if necessary, addressed.

Regarding "off list sniping"

You know, I was not active in evolt for a very long time.  I would 
sub/unsub from thelist, I would check in on the chat, and sometimes the 
forum archives.  I do recall checking in during some kind of flamewar 
and checking right back out again, for obvious reasons.

But recently, after having some changes in my professional life, and 
realizing we are turning 10, etc etc, I've sought to reach out to my old 
friends from evolt.  Some of it has been onlist, some of it offlist.

In the course of it, and before this push, part of what came up (from 
me) was "what is up with evolt?" This was entirely based on the state of 
w.e.o. and the quiet of theforum.

And the answer, from disparate corners of the globe was something along 
the lines of "evolt is dead." Or "weo is dead."  And secondarily, "I 
don't like the CMS" or "There aren't enough people interested in Drupal."

I think it's entirely valid for me to be concerned by that, and to take 
it back to theforum.  I am sorry if by doing so, I opened up unhealed 
wounds. It simply created concerns for me that needed to be addressed.

And to make it entirely clear, I am TOTALLY on board with using our 
chosen CMS, Drupal, and also with allowing the idea of a different long 
term solution to be a different long term discussion.  IMO, that is an 
entirely reasonable way to go about things.

I'm personally looking forward to the Drupal experience. FWIW.

Erika













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