Question regarding getting a CMS hosted

McGintyMcGoo

Greetings

With there being so many different CMS systems out there, PHP ones in particular, can you just upload and install them onto your personal directory if you have renting space on a webserver from an ISP?

For example, if I pay for a hosting package that gives me one or more MySQL databases and uses PHP, do I need the webmaster to install a CMS for me or can I install and run it myself?

Cheers

McGintyMcGoo

seamus

You should be able to upload it and install it yourself. Some Hosts will install forum and e-commerce software automatically through your account interface.
Either way, it's not like installing software on a computer. Generally you just upload all the files, run the install script, give it the info it asks for, and it does the rest of the work.

It's unlikely that your ISP will provide the necessary facilities to install a CMS on personal webspace.

mneylon

Some hosts include pre-installed CMS with their hosting packages.

Depending on the CMS you want to use some extra libraries maybe required, but it should not be complicated to get setup

SouperComputer

what CMS did you have in mind?

damalo

Mambo is the business - see mamboserver.com. Loads of addons and PHP based

Only problem is with some hosts you have to pay them silly money for using a database or 2 which all CMS software requires. Shop around and you'll get someone offering fantastico (1 click install for your cms) which allows you to install a CMS with databases etc for less than €100.

mneylon

Fantastico is not the only solution.
There are other options out there.

damalo

Of course there is - its just that ive used fantastico and its quite good. What ones do you recommend?

mneylon

damalo wrote:

Of course there is - its just that ive used fantastico and its quite good. What ones do you recommend?

Fantastico is cpanel specific ie. it is only available with hosts who use cpanel. Those of us who do not use Fantastico offer other installers, such as installatron. They do the same thing.

FreeHost

Although installers through the control panel are easy / instant and have you up and running immediately, I would recommend not using them for the following reasons;

When you install a CMS manually you learn a little about the file structure of the programme and what makes it work, this is handy for modifications, editing the template structure etc.

Most popular CMS systems are upgraded every 8 to 10 months or so, with patches released nearly every 6 weeks which will need to be applied manually; again a fundamental knowledge of the file system and the database is essential.

As your site grows “bone up on phpmyadmin and back up your database regularly”

Basically if you invest a bit of time in how your CMS “ticks” it will pay off in long run.

mneylon

Damien

Although I agree with you up to a point, the reality is that a lot of people are not comfortable digging into the code.

They like being able to install scripts and extend their site's functionality without having to know how it all works.

Michele

damalo

True blacknight - There is nothing like knowing how your system fits together but in reality the majority of people who use CMSs may not know PHP for example. Gone is the day when you needed to be a programming/design expert to publish a website.

The very nature of CMS software is for people who arent totally up to speed with coding etc

FreeHost

The very nature of CMS software is for people who arent totally up to speed with coding etc

Yes, quite correct, however, to expand the on the idea of a CMS would be that many people or staff could work on the building of the site with basic skill set of MS Word but at least one person who acts as the administrator should have the ability to know what’s happening in the background and troubleshoot if necessary.

Only my two cents worth.

rsynnott

I think we all know where this thread is heading. Stop it now.

FreeHost

rsynnott wrote:

I think we all know where this thread is heading. Stop it now.

I must be missing something, I think this thread is very constructive for the original poster. What are you talking about ????

rsynnott

FreeHost wrote:

I must be missing something, I think this thread is very constructive for the original poster. What are you talking about ????

The web-hosters' cold war seems to be developing a CMS gap

FreeHost

"CMS gap" hmmm "I like that expression, I must use it."

All the hosts who post here have some kind of installer software. All the major control panel software has an installer of some description built in as standard.

The question posed, is it a good idea, most people think it’s a good addon for the convenience to their clients. Personally, I don’t really like them (installers “not the clients”), but if other people like them that’s OK.

On the subject of CMS’s , the way thing are going lately I would say in a year or two nearly every website will be a CMS of some description, so it’s good to get every point of view.

rsynnott

FreeHost wrote:

On the subject of CMS’s , the way thing are going lately I would say in a year or two nearly every website will be a CMS of some description, so it’s good to get every point of view.

I certainly hope not; they get depressingly generic and are usually security-hole-tastic.

flamegrill

McGintyMcGoo wrote:

Greetings

With there being so many different CMS systems out there, PHP ones in particular, can you just upload and install them onto your personal directory if you have renting space on a webserver from an ISP?

Yup its pretty simple, most of them have an install directory. For example, you upload the content to your web dir, you then go to www.somedomain.ie/cms/install/ and from there it gets all the db details etc inputted by you.

McGintyMcGoo wrote:

For example, if I pay for a hosting package that gives me one or more MySQL databases and uses PHP, do I need the webmaster to install a CMS for me or can I install and run it myself?

McGintyMcGoo

Nope as I said above, you should have no problem getting it going. But beaware they can be daunting to get setup - most of them require a fair amount of reading etc to learn how to use them.

Paul

McGintyMcGoo

Cheers!