[Web4lib] FW: Drupal for library staff intranet?

[VanderHart, Robert]

Much of my concern is that I've already developed several
ColdFusion-based tools and applications for our current staff intranet.
What we're investigating for our intranet redesign/reorganization are
other tools to handle our photo collection and also provide a
collaborative environment to produce documentation.  Is there some sort
of intranet security solution that would allow a PHP-based application
like Drupal to live along side of the CF-based applications that I've
already developed?  

Or, if we went with Drupal, would I have to [shudder] look to retool the
existing apps into PHP, so that intranet security could be all
PHP-based?  Right now I'm using the Application.cfm file as well as a
login form to provide a secure environment for our intranet.

Thanks for all the comments so far!

Robert Vander Hart
Electronic Resources Librarian
Lamar Soutter Library
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Worcester  MA  01655

Voice: 508-856-3290
Email: Robert.VanderHart at umassmed.edu
Web: http://library.umassmed.edu 

-----Original Message-----
From: Cary Gordon [mailto:listuser at chillco.com] 
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 4:12 PM
To: VanderHart, Robert
Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] FW: Drupal for library staff intranet?

Please see the quote...

Cary Gordon, MLS
The Cherry Hill Company
http://www.chillco.com

I'm riding my bicycle 545 miles from June 1-7, 2008 to end AIDS.
Find out how you can help at http://www.aidslifecycle.org/5312




On May 19, 2008, at 7:26 AM, VanderHart, Robert wrote:

> 1) Would Drupal be "overkill" for our needs that I've expressed above,

> especially for an intranet used by 40 people?

Drupal would be a great fit for that application.
>
> 2) Would there be a huge need for me, as the admin, to be up to snuff 
> on PHP to even consider deploying Drupal?

You don't need to know any PHP, unless you are developing your own
functionality. To develop themes, you might need a little PHP. To
develop an original module to interact with with your ILS, say, you will
need a pretty good handle on PHP as well as an understanding of the
Drupal development approach.
>
> 3) Are there other software solutions you might suggest?  I know about

> FarCry, an open-source CF-based CMS; has anyone used that?

I have used FarCry, and it really isn't in the same category. FarCry
might be appropriate if you have a lot of resources in ColdFusion, and
were willing to build your CMS using their toolkit. Drupal lets you get
started with a simple site OOTB. You can then build on that by using
some of the three thousand contributed modules. Then, if that doesn't
get you what you need, you can add in your own tools.

Like FarCry, and unlike Joomla, Drupal is a developer friendly
framework. Unlike FarCry (and like Joomla) Drupal gives you something
OOTB.