Posts tagged with "Joomla"

Tim Hall was right. I can resist everything except temptation.

Install Apache 1.3.2 for Windows. Very quick and easy. Slight feeling of version envy. The latest version is 2.x. Will upgrade later. Install mySQL 5.0 for Windows. Very quick and easy. Install mySQL Administration Tools 1.1. Very quick and easy. Install mySQL QueryBrowser 1.1.9. Very quick and easy.

Login to mySQL database. Create a table. Insert a record. Select the record. All seems fine.

Install PHP 5.12 for Windows. Very quick and easy.

But wait, what's that ? I actually have to do some work and edit Apache 'httpd.conf' because that code hasn't been written yet. Read 'install.txt' for details. Oh no. Make the necessary changes. Now the Apache service doesn't even start. No Apache error log. Have to run something called Event Viewer. Investigate for 3 minutes. Get bored. Consider reformatting disk, installing Linux and using

$ ./configure
$ make
$ make test
$ make install

Kids want to use computer. I want to watch the football. I need to get a move on. I haven't got all day.

Stumble across Wamp (Apache 2.0.55, mySQL 5.0.18, PHP 5.12 bundle). Phew. Version envy dissolves.

Wamp (Apache) doesn't install cleanly due to conflict with existing installed programs. Uninstall everything. Reboot. Reinstall wamp which is successful. Nice dashboard with phpMyAdmin and mySQL interface (SQLiteManager).

Download Joomla. Use browser based installation which runs perfectly. Run Joomla. Looks nice.

Download gtd-php. Configure. Create a GTD database and tables. Run gtd-php. Looks nice.

Try to create a project. Get '403 Forbidden' error. Ask politely for help. Google points me at a similar issue in Wamp. Make the suggested edits. Adding items now works ! Add the following 'Next Actions'

Install Apache Install PHP Install mySQL Install Joomla Install GTD-PHP Add mySQL to CV

Mark all actions as done. How very satisfying. Turn computer off.

Joomla, Chumbawamba, Oompa Loompa

I really like the presentation of Howard Rogers site (and the integration of Forums, Blog and now an Oracle Wiki) and have followed, with interest, the evolution of the site in different formats, and enjoyed Howard's thoughts on various content management technologies over recent months before he finally settled on Joomla.

I am also very impressed by the new look of Niall Litchfield's orawin.info site which also uses Joomla and is a marked contrast (and improvement) from its predecessor. In fact, I just find myself gazing at the desert landscape for minutes on end.

I now find myself struggling to resist a very strong temptation to install Apache, PHP, mySQL and then Joomla on my PC at home just because it would be an interesting exercise.

This activity would also satisfy all the necessary pre-requisites for installing and playing with WordPress.org which is also very tempting.

However, I must be strong and resist. I know what will happen. I will encounter a few problems, solve them by reading the documentation, FAQ, finally get it all working and enjoy a brief period of satisfaction.

Then, knowing that I was able to do it and it worked, I will almost immediately lose interest and fail to really experiment with Joomla and WordPress at all.

I know this because last year, I thought it would be a brilliant idea to get all my vinyl records out of the loft, transfer them to digital format and then dispose of them.

I bought a cable from Tandy to hook up my record player to the PC. I connected it incorrectly and nearly blew my tiny, tinny PC speakers. I then investigated what software packages I would need to convert the large WAV files to MP3 format and label each individual track in ID3 format.

I settled on Audacity which did the job perfectly well and was another high quality, free, OpenSource software package.

Then I converted just one side of one LP - The Wonderful and Frightening World by The Fall. In fact, I didn't even do one side. I just did one song (Lay of the Land) which took a few iterations but finally, I had an MP3 version of the song.

Then, as soon as I knew it could be done, despite investing all this time, I almost instantly lost complete interest in the whole exercise.

I never even converted another song, let alone attacked the pile of singles and LP's. I am slightly worried that this indicates a personality trait that is a cause for concern (i.e. I am a perpetual starter but not a finisher).

The downloads are underway...