[documentation] A New Approach to Drupal Tutorials

[Nick Lewis]

Charlie Lowe wrote:

>
>
> Nick Lewis wrote:
>
>> Charlie, you must be pretty far ahead of your time. So what's a good 
>> next step? I could setup a proof of concept site today on my server, 
>> so that we're all on the same page in so far as what we're building 
>> and how it would work.
>
>
> Adding something like aggregator2 to drupal.org involves persuading 
> Dries and the infracture list that this a good idea. Probably a more 
> developed proposal would be the first step so that it could be shared 
> on drupal.org and receive feedback. Once feedback is given on that, 
> then see what Dries thinks.

That's what I figured. I wish aggregator2 wasn't a necessary component 
for this reason. However, it is simply the only existing module that 
could do this in a way that would be worth doing (IMHO).

> This also depends, of course, on whether aggregator2 is up to the task 
> (I have not tried it) or whether it needs any new features to 
> implement this.

It will need new features -- however, I've already developed the 
majority of them. I need to go back over the way I did it, and make it 
more pretty (the code is a bit inefficent, I wrote a lot of sql queries 
where I should have used functions that already exist in the drupal API.).

I used aggregator2 for an experimental project which involved 75 feeds, 
a moderation queue, and a taxonomy menu. What I've learned:

--It needs custom extensions and templates in most cases. Its handling 
of links to sources, and original articles isn't really sufficent out of 
the box. In lots of cases, its default handling of attributions probably 
wouldn't pass as fair use.

 However, its database tables are easily accessed, and well designed. 
With a simple extension module, its perfectly stable and up to the task 
(but this unfortunately only applies to 4.6  -- I'm considering 
attempting to port it to 4.7 myself.).

--Its core function,  which is creating nodes from from RSS feed items, 
works great. I have yet to run into any bugs.  In cases like this 
proposal, the feed items really need to be nodes so they can take full 
advantage of taxonomies, comments, ratings, and all that other stuff 
that works with nodes, but not aggregator items.

>
>>
>> I think moderation of the posts that come through would serve less as 
>> a protectionary measure, and more as a way to keep the info well 
>> organized. THe big weekness of feeding in posts, usually, is that it 
>> gets thrown together in a page of "blog barf"(as one of my clients 
>> called).
>
>
> True, but adding in moderation increases the maintenance role of 
> someone. Do we have volunteers to take on that role? In the meantime, 
> simply having them display on a blog style listing still makes them 
> available on drupal.org (moderated posts are hidden from regular 
> users, aren't they). Also, if an imcoming tutorial gets lots of good 
> comments from regular site users, that should tell handbook 
> maintainers that it should be added to the handbooks. Regular site 
> users become the moderators.

You're right. There is no reason to prevent them from appearing. We can 
always file them after they are published. My experience with this sort 
of stuff is that categories will *emerge* as the content arrives . I'd 
be happy to take on the role of categorizing entries -- especially since 
I already sort through and read just about every mention of drupal on 
the web everyday. Not to mention, one of my resolutions in the coming 
months is to help out more with docs, and bugs.

I think a rating system, as well as open comments would be a great idea. 
I love your concept of using regular site users as moderaters. I think 
the end result would be tutorial writers gaining a better understanding 
of "beginner mind", and weak points in their tutorials; its almost like 
peer reviews in freshman rhetoric!

I think I'll build a prototype, and write a proposal from the working 
version. Also, I'm relatively new to this community, so if you don't 
mind I'd like to send it to you for feedback.

Best,
Nick

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