[documentation] Hitchhikers guide to Drupal

[Jeremy Epstein]

I really like the title, "Hitchhiker's guide to Drupal". I think it's
a Good Thing (tm) that Drupal is getting a page in the handbook that
alludes to the illustrious works of the great master of satirical
fiction, Douglas Adams. ;-)

Just a pity that the majority of new users reading the body text will
be put off Drupal forever, before they even start using it.

>From the text: "Users who don't contribute to Drupal are hitchhikers.
Nobody needs them onboard, Drupal will get from A to B fine with or
without them..."

This is basically saying: "Drupal is a community of inhospitable,
bad-tempered geeks, who aim to welcome as many new contributors as
possible into their ranks, and to have as few as possible 'mere users'
hanging around and asking stupid questions. If you fall in the latter
category, don't worry about the big green 'Download Drupal' link on
the front page: it's just there to make it easier for developers to
grab hold of a copy, users aren't actually allowed to click that link
(didn't you read the fine print?)".

Don't get me wrong, I think this page should exist. But you're right
about it needing to be carefully worded, Robert - it should be much
more carefully worded than it is currently. I give a big +1 to Laura's
suggested changes. Here's my attempt at a more diplomatic version,
that tries to keep the 'hitchhiker' metaphor in place, but with a more
happy-smiley-friendly tone:

So you've decided to jump in and hitch a ride with Drupal? That's
great! Drupal hitchhikers are regular users: that is, people who use
Drupal for their own needs, whether they be personal, corporate,
community-based, or otherwise.

Hitchhikers don't contribute back to Drupal, in the way that
developers and documentation writers do, but that doesn't mean you're
not welcome here. 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 learnt a
bit more about how it all works.

However, as a hitchhiker, you're taking advantage of the generosity of
hundreds of other people who have made Drupal the great platform that
it is, and you're doing it at no cost. As such, there is one basic
rule of etiquette that you should abide by, in order to avoid getting
your legs bitten off by the lions at the back of the van:

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 top brass in Drupal, who do not deserve to
have their countless unpaid hours of service rewarded in this manner.

In the Drupal world - unlike in the world of commercial software -
there are no 'customers' and 'vendors'. You do not have to choose
between 'giving' or 'taking'. Everyone is part of the same big group:
the community. Everyone is free to give, and to take, as little or as
much as they want. This may at first be a difficult concept for you to
accept, but as a hitchhiker, it is vital that you recognise it.

Hitchhikers have no obligations, but as they say in the world of
taxi-driving, gratuities are appreciated. Here's some handy hints for
how to be a generous hitchhiker, and for how to start being more than
someone who's just getting a free ride:

[insert list of links here - perhaps sepeck's list?]

Just my $0.02,

Jaza.