The reason I came to Drupal a few years back was that I wanted to build my first production site, as a Drupal site. Unfortunately, I still have not found the right combination to make it happen. Actually part of that not happening was just life interfering. And that is pretty much my bio. Perhaps you might consider this a user experience persona case of a would be Drupal user, someone who desperately wants/wanted to use Drupal, and gave it a good fight, but who, for what ever reason, be that mine or Drupals or just the connection, just is not finding what they need to build that first production site. Perhaps I represent a whole segment of people who come to Drupal looking for something they never find. Perhaps this segment represents an opportunity for Drupal.

I love Drupal or the ideal, and it has much, though at the moment, apparently, not all, of what I need. As much as I wish it were, I am feeling Drupal 8 is not there yet, for what I need, and I am not capable of doing it otherwise, unless I have missed something in my research.

I need 1) Groups, Subgroups, (which we do have in Drupal 8. Yeahy!) 2) I need multi-vendor capabilities that let groups sell digital and physical properties. This is the part that is breaking my heart. I don't think it is here and can't wait long for it ... if it ever comes. 3) I need a way for groups to create and manage their events. I don't think this is available either.

4) It needs to be scalable. Pretty sure we are good here. 5) I need to be able to bootstap this as a non programmer, and at least at first, just use free modules (or a few inexpensive pieces). I just don't have money but hope if I build a proof of concept product I will.

I have had concepts for sites I've wanted to build for years. I am not a programmer, though over the years, trying to follow the bread crumbs to lead me to this ideal, I have read a number of books on LAMP and Drupal 7 and 8, web design and protocols, Linux, php, MYSQL, Vagrant, Virtualbox, developement environments, etc. At least I gained knowledge "of" these things, though am no professional. I did this, or still am doing this, because Drupal offered the promise I could build sites without programming.

So, I truly want to believe. But all this effort just has not added up to the site I came here for. I have yet to see the planets align for this. I have this recurring cycle were I go crazy reading books and researching, looking for Eldorado, that Eureeka moment, that silver bullet combination that would open the door, and then burn out after not finiding it. Thus discouraged again, I have to give up ... for awhile ... and this time I have to look somewhere else.

Maybe someone will fill in the missing pieces for me, and give me the assurance and confidence I need to stay, and make me believe again. I love the idea of Drupal but alas ... as far as I can tell, ... it has not so far, for me.

I do believe I did miss a window with Drupal 7, OG Subgroups, and Commerce as the one thing I needed, but missed, was multi-vendor capability. I had other things going on at the time. Ubercart may likely have worked as they had multi-vendor capabilities, though I hear it is for smaller sites than I hope my concept would prove to be. Maybe dreaming. But at that "surge or push" I had not fully conceived of that in my concept yet. Now I see multi-vendors as essential. The site concept grows and changes in iterative spurts. I think the concept is pretty solid now but the tech I need from Drupal does not seem to be there. I'm not passing blame. I just can't find what I need now. Could be my fault as I am not that tech minded. Or it is not a matter of fault but of finding the right connection at the right time. I guess that's it ... timing is not lining up.

I do believe that Drupal 8 with its incorporation of Groups and Subgroups module, or the new Groups module with built in subgroups, is likely perfect for what I need. I hope it is the case that unlimited groups capabilities is a required. I may be dreaming again. It should be scalable too. I might even be able to use Social, as I believe it has events, which I need. I don't know if it is scalable as I need it.

Anyway, I will check back and hopefully eventually all the planets will align. I appreciate what you do. Maybe later I can try again.