• First-off, we’re going to be talking about both the MailChimp and Mandrill modules. So, before we get into the modules, can you explain the difference between the two services?
• Unique relationship with MailChimp and how they’re sponsoring development, etc.
• What do you see as the benefit of using an external service like MailChimp as compared to a “Drupal” specific setup like using Simplenews or Message notify?
• And for the sake of argument, what would you see as a benefit of using a “Drupal” setup over an external service?

Mail Chimp

• How much integration is there between the module and the service?
• Can you create new lists from the Drupal interface? How many lists?
• Can you create the newsletters in the Drupal interface?
• How do you work with templates? Do you configure them on the MailChimp side, and then select them in the Drupal interface?
• MailChimp has a “drag and drop editor”, is that functionality carried over to the Drupal interface?
• How do you include site content?
• How does it deal with images in a newsletter?
• How can you add site content into a newsletter?
• Can you setup autoresponders?
• Can you setup split tests in the Drupal interface?
  • LT: MailChimp handles this with it’s email optimizer
• Can you view reports and analytics in Drupal?
• How do users subscribe and unsubscribe from a newsletter?

Mandrill

• What is Mandrill?
• How does the Module integrate with the service?

Use Cases

• MailChimp
• Mandrill
• When would you use both?
• Documentation? Screencasts?

Have you heard of Drupal Core Office Hours? Do you know what they are? How about the fact that you, yes YOU can help make Drupal better every week?!

Listen in as I talk with Jess about what Drupal core office hours are, who can get involved, and what they can do to make Drupal a better CMS for everyone. Below you'll find a rather detailed outline that Jess put together.

About Jess

• xjm on drupal.org (http://drupal.org/user/65776)
• Community Spotlight: Jess (xjm) (http://drupal.org/node/1390816)
• Drupal 8 core commit mentions (http://ericduran.co/drupalcores/)

Resources for the Drupal core office hours

• Drupal core office hours (http://drupal.org/core-office-hours)
• Denver core office day (http://xjm.drupalgardens.com/blog/core-office-hours)
• @drupalcore (https://twitter.com/#!/drupalcore)
• Drupal IRC handbook (http://drupal.org/irc)
• Setting up a development environment (http://drupal.org/node/28245)

Resources for contributing to Drupal core

• Core and you! (http://xjm.drupalgardens.com/blog/core-and-you)
• Drupal core issue queue (http://drupal.org/project/issues/drupal?categories=All)
• Novice issues (http://drupal.org/project/issues/search?status[0]=1&status[1]=8&status[2]=13&status[3]=14&status[4]=15&issue_tags_op=or&issue_tags=Novice)
• API Documentation issues (http://drupal.org/project/issues/drupal?component=documentation)
• Drupal coding standards (http://drupal.org/coding-standards)

Configuration management Initiative

• Drupal core initiatives (http://drupal.org/community-initiatives/drupal-core)

Office hours outline

Purpose of office hours

1. Help people work on the Drupal core issue queue
2. Onramp new contributors to core
3. Encourage experienced developers to devote time to the core queue periodically

Where and when

• #drupal IRC (irc://irc.freenode.net/drupal)
• Tuesdays, 0400 UTC (http://www.worldtimeserver.com/convert_time_in_UTC.aspx?y=2011&mo=8&d=9&h=4&mn=0) (Note: This is Monday night in the Americas)
• Wednesdays, 1600 UTC (http://www.worldtimeserver.com/convert_time_in_UTC.aspx?y=2011&mo=8&d=10&h=16&mn=0)

Why

1. Drupal core developers are all volunteers (and you can be one too!)
2. There are currently over 9300 open issues filed against Drupal core, many of which need basic handling
3. Getting involved in Drupal core development can be intimidating

How

• If possible, set up a sandbox Drupal site, preferably with git (http://drupal.org/node/28245)
• Join Drupal IRC during one of the timeslots above
• Say that you’re interested in participating in office hours
• Work on one or more issues

Ways a non-developer can help

1. Get steps to reproduce
2. Triage potential contributed module issues and move to correct queues
3. Look for duplicates of issues and related issues
4. Handle or refer support requests
5. Write issue summaries

Ways to help with git

1. Help test patches
2. Improve patch code style or documentation
3. Patch novice issues