Into the Void

Flush with my recent success running Tiki Wiki under Windows XP SP2, I thought it might be fun to try Subdreamer, too. Subdreamer is a Content Management System and is different from a Wiki mainly in the way it organizes and presents data. Subdreamer has the advantage of allowing me to integrate my phpBB forum into it so that my current users have the same user id and password on the new CMS.
In case anyone else wants to smear Linux web apps all over their harddrive, it’s not very hard to do. In this article I’ll walk you through the four main tasks required to evaluate the Subdreamer CMS on a Windows XP box.
You will be using an application called PhpTriad. PhpTriad contains Windows versions of the ubiquitous Apache server with PHP support, MySQL database software, and phpMyadmin. You’ll have no trouble at all getting PhpTriad running.
Next you’ll get the free version of Subdreamer and unzip it onto your hard drive. If you want more functionality when you take your CMS on-line you can buy the full version later.
Then you’ll run the MySQL software and use phpmyadmin to set up the MySql database where the Subdreamer CMS will store the contents of your web site.
Finally, you’ll open the Subdreamer installation file in your browser, work a little magic, and there you’ll be. It’s a little tricky, but I’ve made the mistakes several times so I’ll try to point out the gotchas before you make them.

Ok, let’s do it.

Download and install PhpTriad.

1. Download and save phptriad r2.2 from the project pages at http://www.sourceforge.net/phptriad/ on SourceForge.
2. Run phptriad2-2-1.exe.
3. When the install is done, run PHPTriad -> Apache Console -> Start Apache from the start menu like any other Windows app. A command window named “Start
   Apache” opens. Minimize the Apache window, but don’t exit the program. Apache is now listening on port 80 for browser requests.
4. Open your browser to http://localhost/ and you’ll see the PhpTriad welcome screen. Great!

Download Subdreamer Light.

1. Register on the Subdreamer site at http://www.subdreamer.com/, then log in. Go to http://www.subdreamer.com/light/, download the Subdreamer Light .zip file
2. Extract it into C:\apache\htdocs\. This will create directory C:\apache\htdocs\Subdreamer_Light_2202. Go into this directory, find the directory named upload and move it up to C:\apache\htdocs.
3. In directory C:\apache\htdocs\subdreamer\includes\, make a copy of the file config.php.new. Rename this file config.php.
4. Important! Check the properties of folder subdreamer and uncheck Read-only if it’s checked.

Configure a database for Subdreamer.

1. From the start menu run PHPTriad -> MySQL -> MYSQL-D-NT.
2. When you point your browser to http://localhost/phpmyadmin you’ll see the phpMyAdmin welcome page. It’s pretty much self-explanatory.
3. Point your browser to http://localhost/phpmyadmin and create a new database named sdcms.
4. Point your browser to http://localhost/phpmyadmin and Reload MySQL. It is very important to reload the SQL by revisiting http://localhost/phpmyadmin after every command, so check that out if things don’t work.
5. Point your browser to http://localhost/phpmyadmin and go to Users.
6. Select database scms in the pulldown menu Check Database Privileges. Now add a new user sdadmin and with password sdpasswd. Give the user all privileges. Don’t forget to write down that password!

Install Subdreamer Light.

1. Run the Subdreamer installer by pointing your browser to http://localhost/subdreamer/install/install.php. Fill in the requested data:
      Database server hostname: localhost
   Database name: sdcms
   Database username: sduser
   Database password: sdpw
   Table Prefix: sd_
   Username: admin
   Password: changeme
   Confirm Password: changeme
   Email: you@your.com
   When you click “Install Subdreamer” it should take you to the “Installation Successfull!” page. Hooray!
2. Now delete the install directory and you’re ready to create your web site.
3. Go to the subdreamer admin panel at http://localhost/subdreamer/admin/ and log in as user admin with password changeme. You will be prompted (via a pink error message) to enter the full URL for your Subdreamer installation. It is http://localhost/subdreamer/

And that’s it! Experiment with settings, post entries, create and delete users. Subdreamer is suitable for a small to medium website, and that is why it is so easy to use. If you like Subdreamer, by all means buy the full version.
Just remember to periodically export the sdcms database via http://localhost/phpmyadmin. Not only does it protect your data from late-night errors, and there will be errors, but when you decide to go live with Subdreamer you can reuse your local data on-line. Your web host will likely also use phpMyAdmin and you can follow the same steps to create the database, and then import the file.

I recently decided to migrate the main web page to a Wiki. I’ve messed around with a couple of CMSs – Mambo and subDreamer – and decided that the format and size of the site really don’t require that kind of power. A quick look at the features of some popular wiki software led me to choose TikiWiki for the site upgrade. It will be no tour-de-force to convert the database later.
Rather than playing with the wiki software online, using up bandwidth and taking the risk of hosing my WordPress database or forums, I decided to evaluate TikiWiki locally under Windows XP SP2.
Accomplishing this doesn’t require any programming experience or expertise in using *ix, web servers, MySQL, or phpMyAdmin.
This is how to do it:

1. Get PhpTriad
   1. Download PhpTriad from SourceForge. PhpTriad contains Windows versions of the ubiquitous Apache server, MySQL database software, and PHP support.
   2. PhpTriad’s Windows installer unpacks the whole mess under c:\apache. When the install is done, run Apache like any other Windows app. In the version I’m using, a command window named “Start Apache” opens. Minimize the Apache window, but don’t shut it down. Apache is now listening on port 80 for browser requests..
   3. Open your browser to http://127.0.0.1/ and you’ll see the PhpTriad welcome screen.
      Great!
2. Configure a database for TikiWiki.
   1. Updated 3/12 – thanks, Jacques! Run MySQL-D just like any other Windows app.
   2. When you point your browser to http://localhost/phpmyadmin you’ll see the phpMyAdmin welcome page. It’s pretty much self-explanatory.
      It is very important to reload the SQL by revisiting http://localhost/phpmyadmin after every command.
   3. Point your browser to http://localhost/phpmyadmin and create a new database named tiki.
   4. Point your browser to http://localhost/phpmyadmin and go to Users.
   5. In database tiki add a new user tikiadmin and a password. Give the user all privileges. Don’t forget to write down that password!
   6. Point your browser to http://localhost/phpmyadmin and Reload MySQL. It is very important to reload the SQL by revisiting http://localhost/phpmyadmin after every command, so check that out if things don’t work.
3. Get TikiWiki
   1. Download the .zip from http://tikiwiki.org/ and extract it into C:\apache\htdocs\. God, how I hate backslashes… This will create directory C:\apache\htdocs\tikiwiki-1.9.2 Rename the directory to C:\apache\tiki.
   2. Run the installer by pointing your browser to http://127.0.0.1/tiki/tiki-install.php. Make the selections – database type MySQL, server localhost, database “tiki” and enter the user name “tikiadmin” plus the password that you (hopefully) wrote down earlier. When you click Submit Query it should task you to another install page.
   3. Create the BasicEnabled profile in the pulldown menu. You’ll be taken to yet another install page that shows database print operations. Ignore the verbiage in the boxes – some of the writes will fail and that’s ok. Skip down and follow the link that disables the install script.
4. Create your TikiWiki
   1. Login to http://localhost/tiki as admin with password admin. You will be prompted to change the password. This is not the same as the database password above.
   2. Experiment with settings, post entries, create and delete users. TikiWiki is a simple application, suitable for a small to medium wiki, and that is why it is so easy to use.
5. Go back to the TikiWiki project page and donate!
6. Have Fun!

And that’s it. Just remember to periodically export the tiki database via phpMyAdmin. Not only does it protect your data from beginner’s errors, and there will be errors, but when you decide to go live with TikiWiki you can reuse your local data. Your web host has the same phpMyAdmin and you can follow the same steps to create the database, and then import the file.

In a previous article I was babbling about subscribing to RSS feeds in order to reduce information overload. But let’s look at it from the other side now. Webmasters use RSS feeds to keep customers up-to-date. Customers use a feed reader to grab the raw XML from their favorite sites, and the feed reader formats it so that it is easy to skim.

How does that work? Do I have to remember to update the RSS feed everytime I update my site? Well, yes! That’s the point! However, it doesn’t have to be that difficult. Nobody has to hand-code web sites any more, though some of us still do. As a hobby. Yes, I know, geekess. Read on…

So now you’ve decided you want to be on that web thing too. There are lots of ways to share your information on the web. I’m going to talk about four of them: blogs, content-management systems (CMS), bulletin boards (BBS, “board,’” or forum), and wikis.

A blog is a web-log, a sort of a diary or journal. The software has a web-based interface and is pretty much transparent to the user. The user logs in to a regular web page and types what she wants to say. The blog software formats her Pearls of Wisdom and presents them to the reader in a pleasing format. Very nice. The blog software also creates an RSS feed automatically.
Whether you use a blogging site or maintain your own page depends on your technical level and how much mojo you’ll get from hosting it on your own domain. Hosted blogging accounts can be set up quickly and require no maintenance. The data can be hosted on their site or it can be published on yours via File Transfer Protocol (FTP). This is a quick-and-easy way to find out whether you get what you want out of blogging.
Blogger is a popular general-purpose blogging host, now owned by Google. It gives you the option of exporting your blog to your own web page if you have one.
LiveJournal is probably the most popular host. It is centered around personal diaries, and is used to create a community.
TypePad is another popular hosted weblogging service.
If you are technically inclined, you may decide to use blogging software. This also allows you greater control over the look-and-feel of your blog, and gives you the ability to customize.
WordPress is a free, state-of-the-art personal blogging tool. It is easy-to-use. Themes and plugins are available to customize WordPress and give it more features.
Moveable Type is another popular weblog platform for businesses and organizations.

A CMS is similar to blog software, except that it manages entire web sites rather than just your Dear Diary. It offers more features and better flexibility in formatting the pages. Again, data entry is web-based: authors log in to the software and start typing. CMS software also creates RSS feeds. If you’re interested in creating a web site or portal rather than just an online diary, a CMS may be the way to go.
SubDreamer is an easy-to-use CMS. It has a WYSIWIG editor and also provides an image manager. The best part for me is that it will integrate an existing forum, preserving membership information and re-skinning the forum to match. The only drawback is that it costs money.
Mambo is a free CMS. It’s more feature-rich but consequentially slightly more difficult to use. Skins and plugins are available. Did I mention that it’s free?
Joomla is a spin-off of Mambo. They are still almost identical.
PHP-Nuke is another CMS, an oldie-but-goodie. Because it has been around a while, there are many, many addons available. The latest version costs a nominal fee of $10 but I believe you can get a previous version for free. Heck, I donate at least that much for free software if they have a PayPal button and I use the software a lot.

A BBS or Forum is just what you’d think it is, a CMS of sorts that helps to create an on-line community. Members log in, find a topic or conversation that interests them, and leave messages.
Again, you can choose between using on-line forum site or using forum software. The forum software takes care of registration, private messages between members, and permissions. A BBS requires a bit more maintenance because access is usually more public.
Delphi Forums is a popular on-line forum host.
Again, if you are technically inclined, there are many forum software packages available.
phpBB is totally free. It is easy-to-install, easy-to-use, and requires little maintenance.
Invision Power Board is another popular forum application. Themes and plugins are available. However, it is rather expensive at $70 per year or $185 for a perpetual license.
VBulletin is a popular forums package suitable for medium-to-large size sites. The price includes tech support including installation.

I’m still trying to get my brain around the concept of a wiki. A Wiki is a collaborative system. Multiple authors contribute information, which is categorized and cross-referenced. The presentation is clean and simple, and it is waaaaaaay to easy to get lost surfing in one. The cross-referencing makes it fairly easy to find exactly what you are looking for, assuming you came in on a related topic. It also frees you from the site authors’ internal concept of how the information should be organized.
If you’d like to participate, find one of the many Wikis in your field of interest and try it out. I’m rather partial to the humorous Encyclopedia Dramatica.
WikiPedia is a great general-purpose encyclopedia site.
If you have the technical knowledge to start a wiki on a specialized topic, there are several easy-to-install, easy-to-maintain applications.
MediaWiki is the engine behind WikiPedia. It is free, and is licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). MediaWiki is an extremely powerful, feature-rich wiki implementation. It requires PHP and a MySQL database.
TikiWiki is another free wiki system. It has many excellent features and is easy to use.
Apache::MiniWiki is a small wiki implementation that doesn’t require MySQL. It isn’t as full-featured at MediaWiki or TikiWiki, but you can run it on any Apache server with mod_perl.

If you have something – anything – to say, by all means start a web site. It doesn’t have to be momentous or earth-shattering, but it’s a good idea to write things that others are likely to read. (I don’t follow my own advice.) You don’t have to get a domain name and servers and expensive software, at least not to start out, as there are a number of excellent free services.

So what are you waiting for?