· February 25, 2008 at 9:00 am · Web Development
Tags: after install, blogs, guide, help, plugins, tips, WordPress
It isn’t a big secret that I love WordPress and feel like it could be used for just about any project out there, blog or not. There are a lot of guides out there on how to install WordPress, but not many tell you what to do after you get it on the server. Now everybody has their own methods after a WordPress install of how to configure things but this is what I do.
Configure the Basic Options
First, login to your WordPress admin interface and click on Options > General and setup the General Options. Need to check and make sure your blog title and your addresses are correct. Next go to Options > Discussions and edit your comment and trackback settings. I like to make sure I get e-mailed when anybody leaves a comments, and I like for comments to be filtered through me before they get posted. With the plugins I’ll give you in a few hopefully we will get rid of the need for you to moderate too many.
Grab Your “Must Have” WordPress Plugins
Here are the WordPress plugins I like to use on the basic install of any WordPress powered site:
Update Your Permalinks for SEO Friendliness
Now you need to go back into Options > Permalinks and choose the Date and name based option then hit the Update Permalink Structure button. If your .htaccess file is set to be writable, then it should update it automatically. If not, then you can copy and paste the permalink code from WordPress into your .htaccess file.
Past this point, you may want to go check the rest of your settings, add a blogroll and configure your theme. I think I have gotten most of the important steps out of the way. If you stumble into any problems always remember to go check WordPress.org. They have tons of information on installs, backing up, upgrading and more.
· September 3, 2007 at 5:00 am · Hot Web Topics
Tags: free, guide, iso, open-source, partition, switch, tutorial, Ubuntu, Windows
Hi again. Hope you all had a great holiday weekend. Hopefully, you’re getting over the last blast of the summer without too much pain. What do you say we pick up where we left off last week on the installation of the Feisty Fawn (Ubuntu 7.04)?
Running from Live CD or Full Install
Last week, I had downloaded the ISO file, burned it to a CD with DeepBurner and was preparing to install Ubuntu on my hard drive. Before we go much further, let me tell you that you can run Ubuntu right from the CD. That’s right! You can run it and all it’s programs right off the CD. It’s called a Live CD and this way you can check out Ubuntu without installing it. Now, you won’t be able to save anything as it’s a live CD and is read only. You would have to install it to do any of that but, the Live CD will give you the opportunity to see what all Ubuntu has to offer. It tends to run quite a bit slower than an actual installation so don’t let that influence your decision.
My installation went so smooth that I was left wondering why I hadn’t tried this before. As Ubuntu runs through the pre-installation process, it asks you questions like what time zone you’re in (it does this in a general way as my time zone was selected by way of Mexico which is CDT), keyboard preferences, language, and eventually, you get to the part where you get to decide where to install Ubuntu and how.
This can be frustrating to some as your average user (like me) normally wouldn’t have a clue as to what partition to install Ubuntu to. This is easily overcome because Ubuntu gives you several choices on how to install it. I chose to install it to my second hard drive and clicked next. The next screen allows you to review your choices and if they’re good to go, click install.
Taking Your First Steps Into Ubuntu
Now, because I still wanted to keep Windows due to the many apps/programs/files/junk that I had accumulated over the years I was a bit nervous by this point. Remember, I was a first-timer at this too at this point. Well, my fears were totally unfounded as Ubuntu recognized my other hard drive with Windows and asked for logon credentials to be able to access it. Sweet! Dual boot plus access right from the Ubuntu Desktop! Can it get any better than this? Oh yes…read on!
After the installation process completes, you remove the CD (it tells you to as it needs to reboot now) and when Ubuntu boots back up, you’re greeted by your new desktop. Right about then you’re presented by a notification that you need to update your new installation with around 148 updated files, apps and so forth. Just click the icon and follow the prompts. After it finishes you may need to reboot once more.
Now is where you see that you have a wonderful new desktop that is secure (no viruses to be concerned about, no malware), many apps to check out like Open Office (a M/S Word/Excel/Powerpoint substitute), Firefox (much better than M/S Internet Explorer), Evolution (a replacement for M/S Outlook) and many more apps and programs that are real similar to their paid for counterparts that run on Windows but are installed free on your new operating system.
Ubuntu Linux Resources
This site has an excellent tutorial on installing Ubuntu 7.04, although you don’t need to install all the apps/software that he does unless you just want to. Keep in mind that you can access your Windows drive from Ubuntu anytime you want plus having the option to boot into Windows can’t be beat.
These next sites address some neat information for those who want to know more about Ubuntu:
Now considering I was new to all this Linux stuff and was a bit unsure what to expect, I was impressed by the ease with which Ubuntu installs, updates, and operates. It’s so easy you’ll feel comfortable in no time. As a matter of fact, I’ve rarely booted into Windows at all in weeks! That’s just how impressed and at ease I am with Ubuntu now. That speaks volumes!
Next week I’ll go over some neat apps that Ubuntu has to offer that Windows also has. Call it a comparison or battle royale between the two operating systems. Either way, I think you’ll find it interesting.
Article by Scott Wilson - Scott has been involved with PC’s, operating systems and web development for around 6 years. Once he figured out how to turn a computer on he’s never been quite able to turn it back off again. He’s been continually adding to a weblog to help pass on information relating to the world wide web. You can find out more about Scott and his work at MerlinsMinute.com.
· May 28, 2007 at 11:00 am · Web Development, Web Hosting
Tags: guide, help, hosting, links, mp3, Resources, setup, WordPress
Last week on the Web Hosting Show we covered the world of setting up your own blog from head to toe. From picking out the right Web host to getting your blog configured - it is all there. There was little surprise that for the “cooking show example” I used WordPress, since it is a personal favorite of mine.
With that said - I figured I’d share with the masses the week long guide that we got published over there in hopes that it helps somebody else out there with getting WordPress installed and configured right.
If you want to listen to the entire show or save the mp3 to listen to later - you can download it and listen to it over at WebHostingShow.com.
· May 26, 2007 at 5:00 am · Personal, Web Hosting
Tags: archives, eBook, guide, help, hosting, links, vault
I was just looking at some classic posts of mine from back in 2004 here.
I don’t know by how much I have grown as a writer in that time - I like to think there has been a little leap in quality and class. I’ll let you be the judge of that though. Still relevant even after all these years - here are a few of my very first posts for this blog right here.
Many of these made there way in one way, shape or form into Lockergnome’s Guide to Web Hosting. I’m really starting to get the itch to do another self-help book about the hosting industry - just need to find the time to get it all written.
In comparison with what I know now with what I knew then I think I could help even more people out. What do you think?
Greasemonkey Scripts for Google Calendar
I have been working hard at building up a better “