How To Become A Drupal Ninja With The Lullabot DVD Series

Seriously....
I run into people all the time who want to learn how to leverage the awesome power of Drupal. Often, they want to learn as much as they can AND as quickly as possible. There's NO reason why any one can't get exactly what they want out of Drupal. The abundance of resources is OVERWHELMING.
There is NO SHORTAGE of free screencasts and podcasts and tutorials and online recipes, etc. Most of them are good and many are even great! However...
If you really want to get wet, you need to jump in the deep-end! My next few blogs are going to spotlight some of the NONFREE resources for Drupal learning.
I am on NO ONES PAYROLL so anything I say is my own opinion unencumbered by greedy capitalistic influences which have no place in my blog. :-) [note: I'm ALL about capitalism!]

Today's post will spotlight the Lullabot DVD Series. More Lullabot offerings, including Workshops are available at The Lullabot Store.Here is the break down of the 5 videos:

  • Understanding Drupal -- This video spends OVER AN HOUR explaining the broad concepts of Drupal. I've always thought of it as a tool to win over the DOUBTERS. You know who they are. That boss, IT Director, or coworker of yours who thinks any web application that's free must be unsecure and poorly developed. Show them otherwise with this video!
  • Theming Basics for Drupal -- 2 HOURS & 44 MINUTES! The title is obvious but what may surprise you is the wealth of instruction they pack in this DVD. You'll play parts of it over and over to catch ALL the detals.
  • Advanced Theming for Drupal 2 HOURS 5 MINUTES-- Theming is so important and Drupal theming is so dynamic that it definitely takes 2 disks for this one. I know I didn't know it all when I started this disk, but MAN I feel like I do now.
  • Learning CCK -- Many methods exist to learn CCK. What Lullabot did here was take nearly TWO HOURS to walk you step by step through one of the most useful modules of them all. Again, I picked up quite a few valuable configuration tricks that I had not previously been aware of. This is a disk you'll refer back to again and again
  • Learning VIEWS -- And here it is again. Another nearly TWO HOURS of the other most incredible module. Again... Step by step.... and again.. You'll be hitting this disk again and again when you have some crazy VIEWS config to set up. I've presented many many sessions on VIEWS but after watching this video I discovered a handful of features and tricks that I hadn't come across before!

We didn't have these videos when I started out. If we had, I would have eaten them up. It was a slower and harder hill to climb back in those days. But now that we do have these videos, I can't think of any good reason why they shouldn't be in the hands of all the people who say they want to learn Drupal! Buy the whole bundle of all 5 disks for a discount. Either get them for your self, OR tell your boss to buy them as a company asset. What ever you do, JUST GET THEM INTO YOUR HANDS!
Next Post will be about the 6 week Drupal Fundamentals Online Workshop which starts 9/9 and runs for 2 hours every Wednesday. http://www.lullabot.com/workshop/drupal-fundamentals-online-workshop/onl... The material covered here is QUITE DIFFERENT from the videos. More about this... Next Time!

Comments

Hi Doug,

It was clear that your comment was tongue in cheek, while at the same time hitting a very raw nerve, as the many millions (or is it now billions) of victims of brutal capitalist market expansion can testify.

Here in the heart of the capitalist empire, we are encouraged to value capitalism above all other economic systems. Our marketing machine tells us to equate our system of corporate-welfare-capitalism (a form of fascism) with "freedom," i.e., "the freedom to shop."

One minor example: A current California high school history textbook being foisted upon unsuspecting students asks them to describe the differences between "communism and the free world".

For more on that see the book, "Lies My Teacher Told Me."
http://sundown.afro.illinois.edu/

Meanwhile we're, "Rockin' In The Free World," or what's left of it.
http://www.thrasherswheat.org/fot/ritfw.htm

Thanks Doug, for calling it as you see it. Here's hoping we don't lose that right completely.

Why not just "greedy influences:?

Doesn't capitalistic describe what you are doing? i.e. promoting and selling a service in the hopes of earning a living. I think the capitalist system is a wonderful thing. In my mind, capitalism is synonymous with freedom. Equating the word "capital" with "greed" is a destructive thing. Such talk has led to the ongoing fascist takeover of the united states by smooth talking people with no agenda other than enhancing their own power.

Greg,
Capitalism is a wonderful thing. A variety of entities providing goods and services and fighting for the consumer's dollar... Does it get any better?
When I used the word "greedy" I was committing an action of hyperbole. Capitalism, in its essence, is certainly not greedy, does not foster greed, nor does it require greed. I did wish to be clear that I, myself, was NOT taking capitalism to the greedy extent by accepting money or gifts in return for a positive review or endorsement.
As for your comment? THANK YOU! My blog is not a place where I typically get to fight the good fight of current national events. In this case we seized an opportunity to point out that capitalism IS under attack and that the repercussions of such are not good.
:-)

Imagine that... Doug is not a greedy Capitalist. Read: Not taking money from the 'Bot to give an honest review of their products. Not sure how that turns into anything political, but it was fun to read anyway.

FWIW: If I could find a way for vendors to pay me to say nice things about them, I'd be able to pay off my student loans :-) Alas, other than the products (most of which can't be returned after reviews), I have nothing to show for the work but lost time and a few pats on the back.

Sheesh! You'd think there would at least be a government program for reviewers.