New Users: Home: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 02:16, 27 January 2010

New Users: Home | Quick Install | Problems | Security | Information Snippets

Welcome

Welcome to the new users section. I have pulled in material from the Wiki, Forum and UniCenter. With the release of Uniform server 3.5-Apollo, installation is painless. New users and complete novices should feel at home. All I assume is that you can use Windows explorer to create folders, files, move them around and how to unzip files. Yep, it’s that basic, if you are an expert you can push off now.

Experts

Well no one is an expert. We all learn something new every day. Some just know a little more than others. I hope to drag you up to my level of incompetence; if I seem patronising then you are already way beyond my expertise and have reached your own level of incompetence!

Audience

I trust the experts have moved on; they know how to find the switch. But for use mere mortals, how the hell do we find it? That’s the whole point of the new user section. I assume all you want to do is use Uniform Server as a tool, either for learning programming languages such as Perl and PHP, or perhaps you are more interested in MySQL databases. Maybe you have third party programs, or those cut and paste scripts you would like to check out? Well let’s get on with it.

Installing

Installing is easy: follow the quick install guide. However like a new car driver expect a few minor bumps. We do not want any major crashes, so avoid this by first looking at the problems page.

Don’t be overly concerned about problems. Installing and running the servers normally goes without a hitch.

The information is there should you need it for reference.

Note: Both the Wiki and Forum are valuable sources for support information.

Security

Did you know you there are two ways to have 100% security?

Keep your PC in bubble wrap and never switch it on
Never install programs on your machine

OK, so you want to put UniServer on-line. After all, it is a production server and must be safe!

That’s the problem. The above two methods are the only way that I know of to be 100% safe.

Uniform Server Security

The above comment is intended to make you think seriously about security and not be complacent. UniServer is inherently secure. By default it has been locked down to local user access only, meaning you can use the servers while connected to the internet and no outsider will have access to them.

It is extremely easy to put your servers on-line. However before you do, first run through the Security Checklist accessible from apanel.

When you run the servers, your browser will be started (if not already running) and redirected to display apanel automatically. Apanel’s home page is displayed by default. It allows you to set various security features. Optionally you only need to change the MySQL password. I would recommend this as the first task, and then you can then safely forget about it. Refer to the Quick Install Guide for details.

Structure

I have tried to reduce the amount of link hopping. Consequently there are many long pages, in general one page per topic. External links are confined to additional information worth reading if you want to. One page you may find intimidating is New Users Security. This is not intended to be read from top to bottom. It’s purely a reference page which I link into and then only refer to certain sections. If you are an insomniac I am sure reading this page will be beneficial.

Quick Guides

The quick guides are intended to provide enough information to get you up and running as quickly as possible. They are not intended to teach you programming. My aim is to provide enough information to access the MySQL database using PHP within the framework of Uniform Server.

Quick PHP CGI - Web pages. Note: Not actually CGI. It uses CLI module
Quick PHP CLI - Command line interface - Very portable
Quick PHP Info - Information snippets

Quick Perl CGI - Web pages
Quick Perl CLI - Command line interface - Very portable
Quick Perl Info - Information snippets

Quick MySQL - General and PHP access
Quick MySQL Info - Information snippets

Quick hosts file - Windows host file - Resolves URL's to IP addresses

List of Quick Guides {TO DO ongoing....}

Alternatives

I like alternatives. Take a look at the Beginner's Quick Guide. It's an excellent piece of work with more images than you can shake a steak at. It offers that extra detail and certainly helps with orientation.

Top

Ric

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 '''Welcome'''
-Welcome to the new users section, I have pulled in material from the Wiki, Forum and UniCenter with the release of Uniform server 3.5-Apollo installation is painless.
+Welcome to the new users section. I have pulled in material from the Wiki, Forum and UniCenter. With the release of Uniform server 3.5-Apollo, installation is painless.
-New users and complete novices should feel at home, all I assume is that you can use Windows explorer to create folders, files, move them around and how to unzip files.
+New users and complete novices should feel at home. All I assume is that you can use Windows explorer to create folders, files, move them around and how to unzip files.
 Yep, it’s that basic, if you are an expert you can push off now.
 ||
 '''Experts'''
-Well no one is an expert we all learn something new every day, some just know a little more than others. I hope to drag you up to my level of incompetence; if I seem patronising then you are already way beyond my expertise and have reached your own level of incompetence!
+Well no one is an expert. We all learn something new every day. Some just know a little more than others. I hope to drag you up to my level of incompetence; if I seem patronising then you are already way beyond my expertise and have reached your own level of incompetence!
 |}
 == Audience ==
-I trust the experts have moved on, they know how to find the switch. But for use mere mortals how the hell do we find it. That’s the whole point of the new user section, I assume all you want to do is use Uniform Server as a tool, for learning programming languages such as Perl and PHP or perhaps you are more interested in MySQL databases. May be you have third party programs or those cut and pate scripts you would like to check out? Well what are you waiting let’s get on with it.
+I trust the experts have moved on; they know how to find the switch. But for use mere mortals, how the hell do we find it? That’s the whole point of the new user section. I assume all you want to do is use Uniform Server as a tool, either for learning programming languages such as Perl and PHP, or perhaps you are more interested in MySQL databases. Maybe you have third party programs, or those cut and paste scripts you would like to check out? Well let’s get on with it.
 {| style="width:100%;" cellpadding="6"
 |-valign="top"
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 '''Installing'''
-Installing is easy, follow the '''[[New Users: Quick Install Guide | quick install guide]]''', however like a new car driver expect a few minor bumps, we do not want any major crashes so pre-empt this by first looking at the [[New Users: Problems Section | problems page]].
+Installing is easy: follow the '''[[New Users: Quick Install Guide | quick install guide]]'''. However like a new car driver expect a few minor bumps. We do not want any major crashes, so avoid this by first looking at the [[New Users: Problems Section | problems page]].
-Don’t be overly concerned about problems, installing and running the servers normally goes without a hitch.
+Don’t be overly concerned about problems. Installing and running the servers normally goes without a hitch.
-The information should you need it is there for reference.
+The information is there should you need it for reference.
 '''''Note:''''' Both the Wiki and Forum are valuable sources for support information.
@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 :* Never install programs on your machine
-OK so you want to put UniServer on-line, after all it is a production server and must be safe!
+OK, so you want to put UniServer on-line. After all, it is a production server and must be safe!
-That’s the problem the above two methods are the only way that I know of to be 100% safe.
+That’s the problem. The above two methods are the only way that I know of to be 100% safe.
 |}
 == Uniform Server Security ==
-The above comment is intended to make you seriously think about security and not be complacent. '''UniServer is inherently secure''', by default it has been '''locked down''' to '''local user access only''' meaning you can use the servers while connected to the internet, no outsider will have access to them.
+The above comment is intended to make you think seriously about security and not be complacent. '''UniServer is inherently secure'''. By default it has been '''locked down''' to '''local user access only''', meaning you can use the servers while connected to the internet and no outsider will have access to them.
-It is extremely easy to put your servers on-line however before you do, first run through the '''Security Checklist''' this can be found on '''apanel'''.
+It is extremely easy to put your servers on-line. However before you do, first run through the '''Security Checklist''' accessible from '''apanel'''.
-When you run the servers your browser will be started if not already running and redirected to display '''apanel''' automatically. Apanel’s home page is displayed by default this allows you to set various security features. Optionally you only need to change the '''MySQL password'''. I would recommend this as the first task, you can then safely forget about it refer to quick install guide for details.
+When you run the servers, your browser will be started (if not already running) and redirected to display '''apanel''' automatically. Apanel’s home page is displayed by default. It allows you to set various security features. Optionally you only need to change the '''MySQL password'''. I would recommend this as the first task, and then you can then safely forget about it. Refer to the Quick Install Guide for details.
 == Structure ==
-I have tried to reduce the amount of link hopping a consequence of this are long pages in general one page per topic. External links are confined to additional information worth reading if you want to. One page you may find intimidating [[New Users: Security | New Users Security]] this is not intended to be read from top to bottom it’s purely a reference page which I link into and then only refer to certain sections. If you are an insomniac I am sure reading this page will be beneficial.
+I have tried to reduce the amount of link hopping. Consequently there are many long pages, in general one page per topic. External links are confined to additional information worth reading if you want to. One page you may find intimidating is [[New Users: Security | New Users Security]]. This is not intended to be read from top to bottom. It’s purely a reference page which I link into and then only refer to certain sections. If you are an insomniac I am sure reading this page will be beneficial.
 == Quick Guides ==
-The quick guides are intended to provide enough information to get you up and running as quickly as possible. They are not intended to teach you programming, my aim is to provide enough information to access the MySQL database using PHP with reference to Uniform Server.
+The quick guides are intended to provide enough information to get you up and running as quickly as possible. They are not intended to teach you programming. My aim is to provide enough information to access the MySQL database using PHP within the framework of Uniform Server.
-*[[New Users: Quick PHP CGI | Quick PHP CGI]] - Web pages ''Note'': Not CGI it uses CLI module
+*[[New Users: Quick PHP CGI | Quick PHP CGI]] - Web pages. ''Note'': Not actually CGI. It uses CLI module
 *[[New Users: Quick PHP CLI | Quick PHP CLI]] - Command line interface - Very portable
 *[[New Users: Quick PHP Info | Quick PHP Info]] - Information snippets
@@ Line 80: / Line 80: @@
 *[[New Users: Quick hosts file | Quick hosts file]] - Windows host file - Resolves URL's to IP addresses
-'''''List of Quick Guides {TO DO on going....}'''''
+'''''List of Quick Guides {TO DO ongoing....}'''''
 == Alternatives ==
-I like alternatives take a look at the [[Beginner's Quick Guide |Beginner's Quick Guide]] its an excellent piece of work with more images than you can shake a stick at. It offers that extra detail and certainly helps with orientation.
+I like alternatives.  Take a look at the [[Beginner's Quick Guide |Beginner's Quick Guide]]. It's an excellent piece of work with more images than you can shake a steak at. It offers that extra detail and certainly helps with orientation.
 '''''[[#top | Top]]'''''