Drupal 7: Visual QuickStart Guide

Introduction

With version 7, the web-publishing system Drupal stands at that frightening moment when it either enters the mainstream or falls into the abyss of niche enthusiasts. Until now its complexity has kept it mostly in the province of technology professionals, but I believe Drupal 7 will succeed for two reasons: The public is ready for it, and it’s ready for the public.

First, the average web site builder understands—and demands—features that plain old HTML can’t offer without extensive programming, such as user management and form processing. Drupal provides those features. Its architecture is elegant, its features broad and varied, and its community base unparalleled in the open-source software world (except by Linux, whose lead Drupal ...