If you currently have or are considering a website built with the Drupal content management framework, you may know or have heard that there are different versions of Drupal but aren't sure what the version numbers mean or which is best for your website.

Like most software applications, Drupal uses a numbering system to designate the versions of the software. A simplified explanation of the numbering is that major versions of Drupal that significantly change how Drupal is structured are designated by numbers like 6, 7, and 8. Within those major versions are many minor version changes that can include security updates, bug fixes, and some new functionality are designated by numbers such as 7.43 or 8.1. 

Drupal policy is that the two most current versions of Drupal are supported, meaning that they undergo security reviews, bug fixes are released regularly, and they are in active development. When a new major version is released, such as when Drupal 8 was released in late 2015, the oldest supported version (in this case Drupal 6) then reaches end-of-life. 

So, what does that mean for your current website or for a website project you might be considering?

That doesn't mean a website built with an older version stops working, but it does mean that owners and maintainers of older version websites should strongly consider updating their websites to a newer version that is supported. Without security reviews, software is more susceptible to hacking and without active development it will be much more difficult to add features to your website as your needs change.

Whether you choose to upgrade your current site or build your new site in Drupal 7 or 8 really depends on a number of factors. Most important is what functionality or features you need on your site. Drupal 7, released in 2011, is stable and mature with hundreds of contributed modules to extend core functions and build complex functionality. Drupal 8, while stable, has not reached the same level of contributed modules as Drupal 7 and does not yet have some of the more complex functionality available.

However, Drupal 8 is perfectly viable and a good option for many websites. This and many other websites have been built on Drupal 8, with new functionality being added every day. If you are in the planning stages for a website upgrade or build, Drupal 8 may be right for you.

DSquaredB Consulting can analyze your website needs and help you determine what is best for you. If you are ready to get started, contact us today.

When designing a website or a social media strategy, it's best to start with the end in mind. What are the goals for your website? What do you hope to gain for your business by having a Facebook page?

Business owners and organizations often feel pressured to get a website or Facebook page up and running immediately because everyone else has one and they think they will be at a disadvantage if the don't compete. It's true that having an Internet presence is important, but it is more important to have a website or social media strategy that is designed to meet your overall goals today and is flexible enough to change as your business or organization grows and changes.

So what if you don't know what you want your website or Facebook to do for your business or organization? That's where the "consulting" in DSquaredB Consulting LLC comes in. Part of designing a website or social media strategy is helping you define your goals. Before we begin designing your website or putting together a social media strategy, we will get to know you and your business. Then, we will work with you to determine where you want to go and how we can help you get there.

Give us a call or send us an email to set up a consultation.

Like many businesses and organizations, DSquaredB Consulting realized recently that our focus has shifted somewhat from when we first began. As our client list has grown, the majority of our work has been building and managing custom Drupal websites, with less emphasis on managing social media accounts. So while we will continue to assist our website clients with their total online presence, including social media, we will no longer offer just social media management as a service.

With the decision to move away from social media management, we knew our branding needed to be updated. Since we are no longer "distributing digital buzz" through social media, our logo needed an overhaul. So, today we unveil our new logo. It is still a work in progress and may undergo a few minor tweaks, but we will begin using the logo below immediately.

We may be updating our focus and our branding, but DSquaredB Consulting hasn't changed our commitment to our clients. We will continue to provide personal attention to all our clients' website needs.

Considering a website project? Let DSquaredB Consulting tell you how we can help. Contact us today.

Where do you do your best work? Do you need the structure of reporting to an office each day? Or are you at your best with your laptop sitting on the couch in your family room?

More and more employees have the option of working remotely. For some it’s a day or two a month or a day each week. For others, it’s a full-time arrangement. Technologies such as Skype and email and cloud file storage remove many of the obstacles to working outside the office that existed just a few short years ago.

But if you have the option of working remotely, should you? There are definitely some pros and cons to both working in an office environment and in working remotely.

The office environment provides structure to your day and allows for quick and easy exchange of ideas and information. Your working hours are usually pretty well defined and are easily separated from your leisure hours (unless you often bring work home with you). It’s easy to pop in to your co-workers office or cubicle to bounce around an idea. Those are a few pros.

But they can also be the cons. Who hasn’t felt constrained by a 9-to-5 workday? And have you ever been trying to concentrate on a project with a deadline when a co-worker stops by to chat about nothing in particular?

Working from home can provide the flexibility to work on a schedule that fits your lifestyle and family obligations. (Your work schedule, of course, is something that needs to a mutual agreement between you and your employer.) And unless you have a house full of toddlers, your home office can be free of many of the “water-cooler” distractions of the office.

Again, the pros can also be the cons. If you aren’t self-disciplined, not having to punch a time clock can lead to irregular work habits or blurring the lines between work and leisure time. And if you don’t make an attempt to stay connected to co-workers, you can end up feeling isolated.

And then there’s the coffee shop option. I recently read an article by Wesley Verhoeve entitled “Why You Should Work From a Coffee shop, Even When You Have An Office.” Due to an office move he was forced to work remotely (he chose to work in local coffee shops) for a short period of time. For Verhoeve, the “experience of working out of coffee shops was so positive that even after we moved into our new home, I made sure to get in a few 'coffee shop days' each month.”

Was it just the coffee that made the experience so positive? Not exactly. It was the combination of a change of environment, less distractions, and interaction with people. Maybe the answer to the cubicle or couch question can be partially answered by coffee.

What do you see as the pros and cons of working remotely? If you have the choice, which do you prefer?