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  • From: Jameson Lopp <fusion AT ibiblio.org>
  • To: lyceum-users AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Lyceum-users] frustrated newbie asking for installation help
  • Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 16:01:53 -0400

You have some valid points that the installation document is rather 'bare bones' and could be more detailed. As it stands, the manual assumes that Lyceum will be installed by a server administrator who is experienced in the configuration of their own system. The instructions can be somewhat vague simply because of the variety of systems on which Lyceum may be installed. It would, of course, be better if we had a variety of manuals for say, OS X, Linux, Windows with apache, Windows with IIS, etc. Unfortunately with an entire two programmers working (part time) on the project, documentation has been on the back burner. John and I haven't discussed this issue yet but I can assure you that we would not turn down an offer for help. The goal of this project is to provide free and easy access for the public to set up blogs, thus documentation is an important issue if we are to make it more available to the average user.

- Jameson

Joe Harkins wrote:
I went further and encountered an error message that did not surprise me but then, I probably have no idea what's supposed to happen.

I edited the wp-config.php per my previous email and decided that the other issues could be resolved later since they deal with the options of how the program treats subdomains.

So I pointed my browser at: http://mydomain.com/wp-admin/install.php

Which, of course, produced the error message that there is no such file. I say,
"of course" because there really isn't such a file as that string defines.

The path to the install.php file is:

/public_html/src/lyceum/wp-admin/install.php

So I tried: http://epluriblogs.com/src/lyceum/wp-admin/install.php

Which, of course (again) worked - or at least has brought me to the installation setup.

At this point I must pause and say, with respect but without apology, these so-called installation instructions are not very well written. They suffer from a problem I have often seen in 25 years of fooling around with computers, under which instructions are written for those who really don't need them - and are a serious hurdle for those who do.

This current issue - and the previous ones where assumptions are made and inaccurate advice is given ("set" for "create") - are examples of that. They are not recognized as problems because the only people who see them at this stage of product development and distribution, are those who already know what is intended - and then along comes a newbie like me who takes words literally and immediately is lost.

To show my sincerity, and speaking as a professional writer, I'm offering to work with someone to do a makeover of the installation instructions, "for the rest of us."

Takers? Would the effort be accepted by Lyceum? Or am I just being a pest with good intentions (as in, the paving on the road to youknowhwere.)

Sincerely, Joe


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