What do I NEED to know in order to use a Shared Server?

[David Lama]

what knowledge do I need?

is it hard?

http://www.projectrhyme.com/forums/index.php

^I plan on using a site such like that one.

I will be using VBulletin and I'll be using the regular stuff, whatever that is

[Gwaihir]

You need a general level of "computer savyness" matching the number of things you want to take on (install, keep up to date).

You've got a big forum, right? Was it hard on you to get used to the controls you have there (setting up your specific boards and descriptions, giving out moderator rights, moderating stuff, etc.)? If you found all that doable, I'd expect you'll find this equally doable. If on the other hand that scared the sh## out of you, then I guess you wouldn't even be here asking about this.

[David Lama]

the forum I linked isnt my site.

I have no idea how to do any of that stuff

that forum is an example of what type of site I want

I currently do have a site but its on a free host and free everything, its basically a free site, a invisionfree site.. and well, I dont have to do anything there, everythings basically done for me.

so how hard would running a site like the one I linked in the first post be on a shared server? I have NO computer knowledge, at least none on any of this stuff

[Connie]

Hi David. You don't need to know much to use a shared server. The problem is that you apparently need to use a MySql data base which is a little harder to set up.

I'm dumb as rocks when it comes to this stuff, and I have been able to set up MySql data bases, so I'm sure you can.

You will find a lot of help through this forum if you run into trouble.

[Gwaihir]

Got that; I was refering to stuff you said in other threads. The forum you do have at that free host: you did figure out what subforums it should have, you moderate it, etc., no?

It really takes a frame of reference to answer this question, so I tried to find yours. Take my dad; he'd consider himself doing just fine with a computer, but I won't even see him post on a board like this. Nevertheless, he knows what things best NOT to try without asking me first, so he indeed does get by just fine. It's not about knowledge perse, that you can learn, read up on, ask support, ask us out here. It's about being confronted with menus full of options and tutorials full of suggestions and then feeling out what one can try and what best to avoid to not screw things up too often.

Like.. when you sat down with Word and had to make some table or whatever first time. Did you end up sort of getting what you went for, with or without enlisting additional help, or did you mysteriously loose your whole document somewhere half way through the process?

JagPC manages these servers too. Boards come with installers and upgrade tools.. It's all not all that dramatic. The account also comes with a control panel that allows you to do things like delete your forums database with a few persistent clicks. Because of such we can't honestly say it's truly foolproof; you do need the common sense NOT to press that button.

[David Lama]

thanks guys

Hi David. You don't need to know much to use a shared server. The problem is that you apparently need to use a MySql data base which is a little harder to set up.

I'll be using Vbulletin though, would that make the mysql stuff easier?? how hard is it?

[David Lama]

and yea I know how to assign mods and create forums, anything that isnt script related I'm fine with.. as long as theres functions already there for it.. but when I have to make something out of nothing thats where stuff gets hard

[Connie]

David I don't think it makes any difference what software you use. There are some programs that I have used in the past that actually set up the MySql data base.

With others you have to set it up. I don't use Vbulletin so I'm not sure about the set up.

Hopefully others will give you more information.

[Mandi Apple]

The vBulletin manual is actually very good and gives you step-by-step instructions in the only bit that I found tricky doing the install, setting up the mySQL database.

I'm pretty much a complete novice as far as all that is concerned, but I've had vB running flawlessly on a shared server here for two years now with no hosting-related problems at all. As long as you've got a reasonable degree of computer savvy-ness, you'll be fine.

[Rebel007]

And dont forget once you buy your VB licence, they have their own support team always ready to help if you get stuck.

VBulletin also have their own official (vbulletin.com)and unofficial (vbulletin.org) forums with lots of help readilly available.

[David Lama]

vb support is only on the forum and emails I believe, phone cost too much lol

and that vb manual looks pretty complicated in some parts

especially the part where you have to edit some things.. wow I didnt know running a site was this hard.


is it really this hard? or am I just making it look harder than it is??

and why is mysql so hard?? what the heck is it anyways. I mean I know i need it, but I dont know what it is really

[Mandi Apple]

Once you've set up the database in cpanel (using the instructions in that manual, which are step-by-step and as clear as they can be) and then entered the db details into config.php, you're ready to go. After that point you won't really need anything to do with mySQL unless you absolutely want to.

After install, the board will be automatically configured to use the most common settings - you won't need to change much after that if you don't want to. The biggest thing after that will be creating the forums that you want.

You probably won't need half of the stuff in the manual - it's there for reference.

vB support is top-notch, and they'll often answer within the hour as long as you use a support ticket and not the forums, which can be a little slower but has the added advantage of gathering the expertise of other users.

It is daunting to start with, but it's not as hard as it looks. If anything, I had much greater hassles with phpBB (the instructions to which baffled me, to the extent I couldn't even work out how to upgrade to a new version) than I've ever had with vB.

[David Lama]

hmmm ok

but in the whole process

part of it is also that I'm moving my invisionfree site to jaguarpc with VB.

and I hear thats hard

[Mandi Apple]

Loads of people have done that - you'll need to buy a backup of the database from invisionfree as far as I know and then do the import into vB. You'll find lots of help and testemonials on www.vbulletin.com/forum and www.theadminzone.com.

[David Lama]

yea I've heard some, but from what I've heard the process is pretty hard especially for someone like me with little knowledge about stuff, from what I hear there is no if to vb converter so you have to do a bunch of things to convert it yourself