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A Feature List for Drupal

Listed below is a Before and After feature list for the Drupal project.  All that I did was this:

  • Break the features into categorical groups
  • Arrange the elements within the groups so that the most interesting features are at the top
  • Eliminate / diminish "geek speak" in favor of "human speak"
  • Expand on the features (I definitely did add text). 

DISCLAIMER: I wrote this to help out the Drupal project but I'm not one of the code authors of the Drupal project and there might well be inaccuracies in what I wrote.  Please keep that in mind.

– Scott

Before

Feature overview

Apache and IIS support Drupal is multi-platform software that is easy to deploy on either Apache or Microsoft IIS webserver.

Caching The caching mechanism eliminates database queries increasing performance and reducing the server's load. (more information)

Content syndication Drupal exports your site's content in RDF/RSS format for others to gather. Furthermore, you can subscribe to other news sites and have their news delivered to you; Drupal will act as a news aggregator integrating syndicated content in your website. (more information)

Database abstraction layer Drupal runs on both Apache and IIS, and uses a database abstraction layer that allows Drupal to run on top of different database backends such as MySQL and PostgreSQL (more information)

Multi-language Drupal is designed to meet the requirements of an international audience and provides a framework to setup a multi-lingual website. All text can be translated using a graphical user interface, by importing existing translations, or by integrating with other translation tools such as gettext. (more information)

Open source The source code of Drupal is freely available under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL). (more information)

Personalization To provide users a customized experience, both the content and its presentation can be individualized based on user-definied preferences.

Reporting All important activities and system events are captured in a log to be reviewed by an authorized individual at a later time. (more information)

Statistics Drupal can print browser-based reports with information about referrals, content popularity, and the navigational behavior of your visitors. (more information)

Templating Drupal's theme system separates content from its presentation making it possible to control the look and feel of your Drupal site. (more information)

User management Administer your users using a web interface, use user roles, user permissions and access rules to control their access and capabilities. (more information)

Version control Drupal's version control system tracks the date and time of changes made to your content, provides an option to keep a comment log, and enables you to roll-back to an earlier version.

Web based administration Drupal can be administered entirely using a web browser, making it possible to access it from around the world and requires no additional software to be installed on your computer.

After

Overview

[You'll change this but it's a start; Always begin a feature list with a product overview.  Bear in mind that users will print something and take it with them to read.  This type of document needs to stand alone]

Drupal is a powerful platform for building web community applications. With integral features such as a multiple user blog engine, discussion forums, RSS support, polls, X, Y, Z and more.  In short, Drupal provides a solution for all your community needs.  Drupal, now that it has reached version 4.x status, is a very full featured product.  Listed below are some of Drupal's key features.  Use the "more information" links to get further details.

  • Display and Themes (each of these would be hyperlinked to the sections below)
  • Security
  • Blogging
  • </ul>

     

     

     

     

    </font> ### Display and Themes > #### Templating > >
    >

    Drupal's theme system separates content from its presentation making it possible to control the look and feel of your Drupal site.The

    >
    #### Theme Development

    Themes are developed using a combination of HTML, images and PHP code. This allows truly dynamic themes tailored for any presentation you choose.

     #### Standard Themes

    Four standard themes are included with other themes available for download.

    We're always looking for more great themes to bundle with Drupal. If you're a web designer and looking to get some exposure for your work, consider building custom Drupal themes. Not only will we bundle the theme with Drupal but feature it in our theme gallery.

    Content Management

    Templating

    Drupal's theme system separates content from its presentation making it possible to control the look and feel of your Drupal site.The

    The

    Security Features

    User management

    Administer your users using a web interface, use user roles, user permissions and access rules to control their access and capabilities.

     

     

     ### Compatibility

    We know that you may have started with one of those other community platforms (nuke, anyone?) so we made it easy to bring your Nuke content directly into Drupal. By just dumping your Nuke database and then making a few small changes, you can use your existing content with Drupal.

    [not sure if this is still true but isn't your db structure still the same?]

     

     

    Community Features

     

     

     ### Blogging Features

    Powerful multiple user, multiple blog support available with every copy of Drupal.

    RSS Support

    Fully integrated, web based News Aggregator for reading feeds.

     

     

     

     ### Platform Features ### Apache and IIS support

    Drupal is multi-platform software that is easy to deploy on either Apache or Microsoft IIS webserver.

    Database independent

    While many of our users run Drupal with MySQL, we knew that MySQL wasn't the solution for everyone. Drupal is built on top of a database abstraction layer that allows Drupal with MySQL, PostgreSQL and other SQL databases.

    Caching

    Drupal's caching mechanism improves performance by eliminating database queries. This dramatically improves performance by reducing the server load.

    Multi-language

    Drupal is designed to meet the requirements of an international audience and provides a framework to setup a multi-lingual website. All text can be translated using a graphical user interface, by importing existing translations, or by integrating with other translation tools such as gettext.

    Open source

    The source code of Drupal is freely available under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL).

     

     

     ### Content Management Features

    Custom content types

    Version control

    Drupal's version control system tracks the date and time of changes made to your content, provides an option to keep a comment log, and enables you to roll-back to an earlier version.

     

    Content syndication

    Drupal exports your site's content in RDF/RSS format for others to gather. Furthermore, you can subscribe to other news sites and have their news delivered to you; Drupal will act as a news aggregator integrating syndicated content in your website.

     

     

    Environment Features (not sure about this heading)

    Personalization

    To provide users a customized experience, both the content and its presentation can be individualized based on user-definied preferences.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     ### Administration and Analysis ## Web based administration

    Drupal can be administered entirely using a web browser, making it possible to access it from around the world and requires no additional software to be installed on your computer.

    Reporting

    All important activities and system events are captured in a log to be reviewed by an authorized individual at a later time.

    Statistics

    Drupal can print browser-based reports with information about referrals, content popularity, and the navigational behavior of your visitors.

     

     

    -----Original Message-----

    From: Dries Buytaert [mailto:dries@buytaert.net]

    Sent: Monday, November 04, 2002 5:06 AM

    To: J. Scott Johnson

    Subject: Re: Confidential

     

    Hey Scott,

    > Just a heads up that I'm trying to pitch Drupal as the back end for the new

    > PHP Journal (same folks as phpcon) web site. Please keep this off list as

    > it's too early to say but I worked very hard on getting a relationship built

    > with them out in San Francisco last week. I think that this would be very

    > good for Drupal and I may ask some dumb questions in the near term based on

    > their interest.

    I just added some more feature to the feature list at

    http://drupal.org/node.php?id=2. It is just a start; there is many more

    items to add but I wonder if you could help with the wording/formulation

    such that (a) it is correct/quality English and (b) it "sells". ;-)

    Of course, you don't have to help but I figured I would ask as I'm sure

    the Drupal project could greatly benefit from your experience.

    I'm going to add a "screenshots"-link later on, as well as worry about the

    presentation as soon I have an idea of what exactly will be on that page.

    Thanks,

    --

    Dries Buytaert :: http://www.buytaert.net/

     

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