[documentation] [Documentation task] Rewrite of Mission Statement to be more clear and well-defined

[cel4145]

Issue status update for 
http://drupal.org/node/83301
Post a follow up: 
http://drupal.org/project/comments/add/83301

 Project:      Documentation
 Version:      <none>
 Component:    Marketing
 Category:     tasks
 Priority:     normal
 Assigned to:  Anonymous
 Reported by:  webchick
 Updated by:   cel4145
 Status:       active

sepeck also has some previously posted thoughts [1]
[1] http://www.blkmtn.org/node/371




cel4145



Previous comments:
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Sat, 09 Sep 2006 21:21:28 +0000 : webchick

Charlie Lowe raised a great idea to clarify the existing mission
statement [2] to help people better understand the "Drupal philosophy."


I've created an issue for this here because issues tend to be where we
do most of our "back and forth," and also so it will hopefully get some
attention from developers, too.
[2]
http://lists.drupal.org/archives/documentation/2006-09/msg00048.html




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Sat, 09 Sep 2006 21:22:26 +0000 : webchick

For reference, the existing mission statement:


"
By building on relevant standards and open source technologies, Drupal
supports and enhances the potential of the Internet as a medium where
diverse and geographically-separated individuals and groups can
collectively produce, discuss, and share information and ideas. With a
central interest in and focus on communities and collaboration, Drupal's
flexibility allows the collaborative production of online information
systems and communities.


"


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Sat, 09 Sep 2006 21:38:20 +0000 : cel4145

I'd suggest that the best way to start would be to collect lists of
points that people believe should be in the mission statement.  Then
once we sort of agree on a list, start writing the mission statement.


I'll get some things started. In a recent comment [3], I wrote thing
such as


* emphasis on software for building communities with roots in social
software experimentation
* clean, effecient code in Drupal core
* Drupal as a flexible development platform as opposed to do it all CMS
* minimal core download (e.g., many modules are contrib instead of in
core)
* database abstraction layer based on node and taxonomy system


I'd also add


* GPL philosophy of open source


[3] http://drupal.org/node/81053#comment-152614




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Sat, 09 Sep 2006 21:39:00 +0000 : webchick

Here's a stab at a rewrite. I imagine it needs lots of work. ;)


--


Drupal is a content-management framework built to enable website
architects to rapidly develop full-featured, community-based sites.  It
supports many powerful features including a database abstraction layer,
a taxonomy categorization system, search-engine optimization, and more.


Some of the things the Drupal community has come to value through the
process of developing this application are:



* *No hacking required.* Drupal strives to be extensible in every
possible way, from plugging in additional functionality to changing the
look and feel of the site.
* *Drupal can do it.* Whether it's a small brochure-ware site or
personal blog, or a full-blown e-commerce site with thousands of users
and interactive features, Drupal is built to be able to handle any task
placed before it.
* *Standards support.* Drupal prides itself on generating clean,
standards-compliant output.
* *A small, powerful core.* While contributed modules allow the
addition of almost limitless functionality, our focus is to keep Drupal
core as light-weight and flexible as possible, while delivering critical
features of use to site builders.
* *No roadmap.* Drupal is an organic, individual-driven project where
people are free to drive its development direction.
* *Anyone can help.* Whether you're a hard-core hacker, someone with an
eye for design, or a new user capable of providing feedback on
usability, literally anyone can help move the project forward.