Note: The store closed in October 2009, so this program is no longer active. I’m leaving the blog post up for historical reasons.
I recently posted about my new store for Drupal-related items, which gives 10% of the price of all purchases to Drupal Assocation. Here’s why I think it’s important to support DA:
- To continue — and improve — Drupal’s infrastructure. The Drupal.org site gets millions of hits per year, and that number is growing. Drupalcon likewise gets bigger every year, as do demands on volunteers like you and me. By supporting Drupal Association, you help the project grow to accommodate these pressures.
- To enable new initiatives. Would you like to help talented Drupal developers attend Drupalcon? Accelerate funding of a much-needed (but commercially uninteresting) module? Have Drupal representatives acting as media and industry liaisons full-time? While Drupal Association doesn’t currently do these things, it could — with your support.
- To fulfill functions best served by a non-profit authority. While I find commercial interest in Drupal exciting and encouraging, some functions — such as certification and trademark protection — are best served by a neutral party with interests beyond the purely financial. Drupal Association is that authority.
- To provide continuity to the Drupal project. Drupal’s growing popularity means that long-time contributors will be an ever-shrinking percentage of the community. Drupal Association serves as an institutional memory to help us stay true to Drupal’s design and avoid repeating past mistakes.
- Because it’s time to give back. Many of us — me included — have Drupal to thank not only for the software, but also for the opportunity to learn career-enriching skills in CSS, HTML, PHP, design, social media, and many other areas. As with other free and open-source software, Drupal democratizes such education. All you need is time, interest, and a way to download the code.
Regardless of whether you visit the store, I encourage you to learn more about Drupal Association and become a member today to help further these goals.
— Tom Geller, Drupal Association member #898
One reply on “Why support Drupal Association?”
Definitely yes
100% agree with you. One must support Drupal Association as it continues to work to improve Drupal.org infrastructure and so far has been able to do a fair job.