The Drop Times: A Name of Purpose and Clarity

Dear Readers, <a href=”https://www.thedroptimes.com/42282/drupal-starshot-initiative-now-officially-drupal-cms”>The official naming of “Drupal CMS” marks a significant step in the evolution of the product initially developed under the Drupal Starshot Initiative</a>. The name was chosen for its clarity and simplicity, with “CMS” explicitly conveying the product’s core function as a content management system. This approach addresses a common issue where users, particularly those unfamiliar with Drupal, often need clarification on what Drupal represents. Incorporating “CMS” into the name immediately defines the product’s purpose, aligning it more closely with industry norms and expectations.The selection of “Drupal CMS” also reflects a broader strategy to make Drupal more accessible and understandable to various user groups. Participants in the testing process, especially marketers and designers, appreciated the inclusion of “CMS” in the name. For marketers unfamiliar with Drupal, the new name offered immediate recognition of the product’s capabilities. Designers and other industry professionals echoed this sentiment, noting that “CMS” is a widely recognized term that accurately describes the product’s function.In contrast to Drupal CMS, Drupal Core continues to serve as the foundational framework for Drupal, offering a minimalist approach that is highly customizable but requires more technical expertise to implement fully. While Drupal Core provides the essential building blocks for creating custom web applications, Drupal CMS is designed to be more user-friendly and ready to use out-of-the-box. This distinction is crucial for users choosing between the two, as Drupal CMS comes with pre-configured modules, themes, and settings that streamline the development process, making it an ideal choice for less technical users or those needing rapid deployment.The reception of the new name has been positive, particularly because it brings a level of clarity and accessibility that was previously lacking. By deciding to retire the internal code name “Drupal Starshot” after the first official release of Drupal CMS, the community is signaling a shift toward a more transparent and user-centered approach. This renaming simplifies the branding and helps position Drupal more effectively in a competitive market, ensuring that users immediately understand what the product offers and how it can meet their needs.With that, let’s move on to the important stories from the past week.<a href=”https://www.thedroptimes.com/42278/drupal-association-board-election-2024-voting-now-open”>Voting for the 2024 Drupal Association At-Large Board Member election has officially begun</a> as of August 15, 00:00 UTC. Eligible members of the Drupal community can cast their votes until the polls close on September 5 at 23:59 UTC. In relation to the election and thoroughly acquainting the candidates to the Drupal Community, The DropTimes began the ”Meet the Candidate” campaign. This initiative features a series of interviews with each candidate, delving into their motives, expertise, and reasons for running in this election. So far, The DropTimes has featured three candidates vying for the Drupal Association Board position. <a href=”https://www.thedroptimes.com/interview/42166/elevating-drupal-beyond-cms-dominique-de-cooman”>Dominique De Cooman</a> believes his advice can help the DA make better decisions on how to market Drupal to the midmarket and bring Drupal to market as a part of the DXP. <a href=”https://www.thedroptimes.com/interview/42239/steering-drupals-potential-in-academia-janna-malikova”>Janna Malikova</a>, a Senior Software Engineer at <a href=”/organization/23133/tomato-elephant-studio” data-entity-type=”node” data-entity-uuid=”e140de54-1e29-4cf3-9d22-cc0c4909e30c” data-entity-substitution=”canonical”>Tomato Elephant Studio,</a> feels passionate about Drupal’s potential in academia (schools, colleges, and universities). By teaching Drupal early on par with better advertised and competing technologies, the community has a chance to foster Drupal’s recognition and improve awareness among graduates, teachers, and novice users. <a href=”https://www.thedroptimes.com/interview/42122/bold-changes-propel-drupal-forward-will-huggins”>Will Huggins</a>, the CEO and co-founder of <a href=”/organization/8854/zoocha” data-entity-type=”node” data-entity-uuid=”286bb19b-bd4d-4979-90ba-be7617ae2bef” data-entity-substitution=”canonical”>Zoocha</a>, running in this election because he wants to contribute to the strategic direction of Drupal and the governance of the Drupal Association. Stay tuned for more.<a href=”https://www.thedroptimes.com/42195/drupal-govcon-2024-heartbeat-dc-drupal-community”>The premiere event of the DC Drupal Community, Drupal GovCon 2024</a><a href=”https://www.thedroptimes.com/42195/drupal-govcon-2024-heartbeat-dc-drupal-community” target=”_blank”>,</a> concluded successfully. As the official media partner of the event, The DropTimes had the privilege of speaking with the organizers to gather their insights and expectations for this year’s conference. The event gathered more than 800 participants, who primarily discussed government applications. <a href=”https://www.thedroptimes.com/42243/key-rebuilding-drupal-communities-what-will-be-revealed-at-govcon-2024″>A session of the Drupal GovCon 2024 featured prominent voices from the Drupal ecosystem</a>, including <a href=”/people/26956/anoopjohn” data-entity-type=”node” data-entity-uuid=”740348ee-847a-4ca4-9357-46ce19ec9d71″ data-entity-substitution=”canonical”>Anoop John</a>, <a href=”/people/42242/amy-swackhamer” data-entity-type=”node” data-entity-uuid=”32b34c8a-79d6-44df-b303-972c74a0974f” data-entity-substitution=”canonical”>Amy Swackhamer</a>, <a href=”/people/34722/ninaogor” data-entity-type=”node” data-entity-uuid=”4b378f54-29fe-4102-8e0b-5b541ecb42e8″ data-entity-substitution=”canonical”>Nina Ogor</a>, and <a href=”/people/9466/doyle” data-entity-type=”node” data-entity-uuid=”56419b1d-51a1-44d8-a407-495ac24b0efe” data-entity-substitution=”canonical”>John Doyle</a>. The panelists brought a wealth of experience in community building and revitalization, offering a roadmap for reconnecting Drupal enthusiasts and newcomers alike.<a href=”https://www.thedroptimes.com/42277/pacific-northwest-drupal-summit-2024-sponsorship-opportunities-now-open”>The Pacific Northwest Drupal Summit (PNWDS) 2024 invites companies and individuals to sponsor</a> the region’s leading event for Drupal professionals. <a href=”/organization/10395/droptica” data-entity-type=”node” data-entity-uuid=”1a3dfede-eafe-421d-8c2a-841bbdaf44c3″ data-entity-substitution=”canonical”>Droptica </a>is hosting a free webinar titled <a href=”https://www.thedroptimes.com/42220/droptica-webinar-navigating-end-drupal-7-support”>”The Future After Drupal 7″</a> on August 27, 2024, at 3:00 PM CEST. This online event, organized by <a href=”/people/32079/maciej-lukianski” data-entity-type=”node” data-entity-uuid=”5a16eb75-368b-4095-ad32-86d6e4f64e74″ data-entity-substitution=”canonical”>Maciej Łukiański</a> and <a href=”/people/32080/grzegorzbartman” data-entity-type=”node” data-entity-uuid=”6aa41a60-4108-4c9f-bed6-479ed05745dc” data-entity-substitution=”canonical”>Grzegorz Bartman</a>, will explore the options available for managing Drupal 7 websites after the official support ends. <a href=”https://www.thedroptimes.com/42225/civicrm-hosts-session-drupal-7-end-life-and-civicrm-impact”>CiviCRM will hold an online session on September 10, 2024</a>, at 4:00 PM BST to discuss the upcoming End of Life for Drupal 7, scheduled for January 5, 2025. This week, <a href=”/events/drupalcamps/drupalcamp-wolfsburg” data-entity-type=”node” data-entity-uuid=”022869b3-0085-404c-89db-0815d2a23f61″ data-entity-substitution=”canonical”>DrupalCamping returns to Wolfsburg from August 22nd to 25th, 2024</a>, offering four days of camping, swimming, barbecuing, and Drupal discussions at the Allersee campsite. This event combines a relaxed, barcamp-style atmosphere with opportunities to learn, network, and enjoy outdoor activities with Drupal enthusiasts from across Germany and beyond. Tickets are now available.<a href=”https://www.thedroptimes.com/42229/drupal-gutenberg-303-and-210-released”>Drupal Gutenberg has released versions 3.0.3 and 2.10</a>, both of which are now fully compatible with Drupal 11. <a href=”https://www.thedroptimes.com/42246/adci-solutions-launches-bibcite-demo-drupal-based-bibliographic-management”>ADCI Solutions has newly launched BibCite demo</a>, an innovative module designed to streamline bibliographic data management for institutions using Drupal-based websites. Originally created years ago, BibCite has been a trusted tool for universities, research centers, and libraries. Now it offers a new demo version that allows users to experience its full functionality before installation.Finally, <a href=”https://www.thedroptimes.com/42222/dries-buytaert-present-40th-driesnote-at-drupalcon-barcelona-2024″>Dries Buytaert, the founder of Drupal, will deliver his 40th Driesnote on September 24, 2024 during DrupalCon Barcelona</a>. The presentation will take place in the Auditorium at the CCIB, where Buytaert will provide an update on the current state of Drupal.We acknowledge that there are more stories to share. However, due to selection constraints, we must pause further exploration for now.To get timely updates, follow us on <a href=”https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-drop-times/”>LinkedIn</a>, <a href=”https://twitter.com/thedroptimes”>Twitter</a> and <a href=”https://www.facebook.com/thedroptimes”>Facebook</a>. You can also, join us on Drupal Slack at <a href=”https://drupal.slack.com/archives/C04A6AZGYF6″>#thedroptimes</a>.Thank you, Sincerely Alka Elizabeth Sub-editor, The DropTimes.