Creative and Strategy Services for Progressive Organizations
Welcome to Vernal.
It’s On: A site conversion from Drupal 4.7 to WordPress 2.0
Trading bulk for simplicity
I have begun work converting an existing Drupal site to WordPress in the name of simplicity, sustainability, and cost savings.
I’ve long preached the content-management power of WordPress as an effective and sustainable solution for small to mid-sized organizations. This should be a good demonstration of what it can do.
- The project aims to:
- Make it easier for CERF staff to manage content (using either the web interface or a desktop client)
- Reduce hosting and maintenance costs (no nasty plugin incompatibilities and core hacking to make things work here…)
- Increase the semantics and accessibility of the XHTML (I’ll be saying goodbye to wrestling html that is embedded within core php code)
- Allow for easier image management (Say hello to drag-and-drop ajaxed-out image placement and manipulation…. nothing i’ve seen for Drupal can hold a torch to this stuff)
- Create a platform for future growth at a fraction of the costs of previous development cycles
Well, this is going to be fun.
Over the next few weeks I’ll be documenting the process, pros, and pitfalls of the whole experience. It should be hot.
Some Past Projects:
- Network of Ensemble Theaters
A dynamic community of independent Ensemble Theaters in the US. This WordPress site features autonomous theater profile, image, and event management as well as some nice google maps mashing and social networking. Design by Design for Social Impact and tech by Vernal.
- Freedom to Roam
A broad initiative to enhance and protect wildlife corridors and landscape connectivity in North America. Created in WordPress.
- RSF Social Finance
An interesting example of using WordPress as a content management system. This collaboration between Vernal and Free Range Studios features highly advanced mapping and dead simple content management.
- Crazy Sexy Life
Design by Free Range Studios and WordPress programming by Vernal. A great project for some wonderful people.
- Timber Frames by Collin Beggs
Wacky design meets high functionality. Check out this WordPress marvel.
- Center for Justice
The Center came to us for a redesign and CMS solution for their advocacy work in Spokane, Washington. It has some nice flash video worked in, lots of interesting publishing features, and a squeaky design.
- Saving Paradise
A small WordPress powered site for our friends at Beacon Press. Features some interesting gallery functionality.
- Furthur Foundation
A quick one-pager for a good friend.
- MaintainIT Project
A collaboration with our good friends at Floatleft. We did the design and they did the Drupal backend.
- Ada Kay Lemieux
A certain kind of magical project. Baby pushing and pre-natal by Denise. Postpartum joy with Vernal.
- Voices for Vermont’s Children
A nice WordPress based site for some good folks here in Vermont. Simple, clean, quick.
- ZeroDivide
Another joint project with Floatleft. Design by Vernal.
- Ringtones08
Post and share ringtones about the 2008 US election – for FREE. Oh wait, that’s over with and it went beautifully.
- Community Partners
Branding by Matthew, Drupal coding by Johanna, design by Vernal.
- Stories for Change
Our first project with Floatleft. They took care of the Drupal implemenation, we handled the branding and design. A very nice community driven video site.
- River Arts of Vermont
A simple WordPress site for one of the best arts organizations in Vermont.
Some New Projects:
- California Faith for Equality
California Faith for Equality is the leading organization working at the intersection of faith and LGBT equality in California and the largest interfaith network of its kind in the nation. And now they have a really nice WordPress based campaign site! Design by Freerange.
- We Are America
A WordPress 3.0 site featuring user-submitted video testimonies of everyday immigrants. Give it a try. You can even record one with your webcam directly in your browser.
- Act-o-matic
Just launched as a cross-promotion with Free Range Graphics, this flash/wordpress mashup provides inspiration and plenty of cool technology.
- Square Deal Farm
Good syrup from some great folks. This is another simple one-page WordPress site.. modeled after the previous for Cleary Family Farm.
- Cleary Family Farm
Ah, finally something close to home. So close, in fact, I can see it from my window! This was a quick exercise in using WordPress as a CMS for a one-pager website. It worked wonderfully.
- Population Justice Project
Another collaboration with Free Range Studios. The heavy lifting is done by WordPress. I really love it as a CMS.
- It’s Game Time, Obama
A quickie campaign site (built in WordPress) to encourage the Obama administration to take more action on climate change.
- Earthfire Institute
Another large WordPress managed site featuring plenty of fanciness. As and organization Earthfire is doing very interesting work in offering profound interactions between people and wild animals.
- Covering Copenhagen
A WordPress-powered information clearinghouse to assist journalists covering the Copenhagen climate talks.
- No Impact Project
A beautiful and truly fun project done in tandem with Free Range Studios. WordPress, of course. The site features geographic event management (by the amazing Dylan Kuhn), inline ajax-based content management, and user-contributed content.