<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">I have spent the better part of 4 days now reading through the Drupal documentation, participating in IRC chats, reading forums and hunting the web for Drupal related sites. During this time I have met and spoke with some wonderful people, learned A LOT about Drupal and its capabilities, and discovered that communities can do more than any one person ever can.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">After having experience all of these things, I am left with one thought:</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><B>A Training System Is Needed</B></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">As explained my earlier post today, I have been a software trainer for almost 10 years now. And if there is one thing I have learned, it is that books and words (of which Drupal has a great resource of) will only help a certain percentage of people reach full competency with any software package or skill set. Many, if not most, need interactive, step by step teaching to fully grasp an idea or develop a set of skills. Additionally, that teaching has to be tailored to the different types of individuals and their needs.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">As I recently discussed with a new user to Drupal, user documentation has to be structured as if you were feeding a baby. </DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">There are three essential things you have to have:</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">1) A baby (more than we can count)</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">2) A spoon (I always loved the Tigger spoon)</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">3) Food that tastes good (no creamed peas please)</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">4) A method for feeding (complete with buzzing sounds and moving arms)</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">In the case of Drupal there are plenty of babies (newbies) and the spoon is very nice (Drupal.org). The food is very healthy and nourishing (Current Documentation) but many would say it does not taste real good (Lack of User Friendliness). And as far as I can tell, the methods for feeding (Training) are limited or scattered.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">For the sake of not delving into the marketing aspects of Drupal I will preface the next section with the assumption that the user has decided to use Drupal for building their site.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><B>The Baby</B></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Our baby is 8 months <I>(knows what FTP is but not MYSQL)</I> old and has bright green hair and is generally a wild an woolly type <I>(jumps into things head first without reading the instructions)</I>. He likes to throw food and loves to laugh (not good at listening to advice). Though he is not keen on eating carrots <I>(Intro Documentation)</I>, he will eat it if it is served with a bright red spoon <I>(Special Section for Green Hair Kids)</I> while having "The Barney Song" sang to him <I>(Interactive Intro Documentation Video)</I>.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><B>The Spoon</B></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The spoon is that aspect of feeding time that every baby sees and associates with the food. It is important that it not be too big or too small. It has to be attractive but not too shinny <I>(shinny things can scare some babies)</I>. It should be friendly and fun.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Now some will say, "We cannot build special Spoons for every Baby", and I would agree. But I do think that a certain effort can be made to identify the what kinds of babies we have and what kinds of spoons the majority of them will eat from and with what method. </DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><B>The Food</B></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Unfortunately the food is something that is less flexible, but is certainly something that we can easily separate into certain classifications based on the age of the baby. No steak for those under 1 year, bologna is ok for those 6 months to one year <I>(so long as they are watched and don't choke)</I>, and everything that comes in a jar for those under 6 months.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Some babies will be older and they maybe able to handle a pizza crust or two ... but others will need everything pureed before they can eat it. </DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The idea of categorizing training content based on complexity is something that software companies and technical sources have been doing for ages. Even the modern education system is set up this way. Easy stuff at first and build up through training/education as the user grows in age.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><B>The Method</B></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Now comes the method, buzzing sounds, weird faces and sing songs that all make eating the food so much more fun. Maybe that is part of the issue, lack of fun. Though eating is not always something babies want to do, it is essential for growth and energy.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The method will be the hardest part within the Drupal community as it will require lots of planning and a very defined methodology. It will require a lot of energy for all that arm flying <I>(recording screenshot tutorials with Audio)</I> and funny face making <I>(creating attractive graphics and user friendly copy)</I>. At first we may only need to try and take on caring the youngest babies. Heck we may find that those over 6 months can goto the store, buy their own food and cook eggs on the stove while changing their own diaper.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">But first we have to get them there. I am more than willing to help make this happen.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">themacgeek</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Trebuchet MS; min-height: 16px; "><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV></BODY></HTML>