Running a DreamHost Wiki

Some beginning tips on running a wiki at DreamHost

I have figured out some stuff but not a whole lot.

What you get from dream host

• Seems basically to be a virtual Linux headless ( no graphical user interface ) server. You have a couple of ways of interacting with it:

• • Connect via ssh and use a terminal program to operate it in command mode

• • Connect via a FTP client and move files back an forth

• • Connect via a web browser and use some tools provided by Dreamhost.

My Environment

To understand my use it may help to know what my software environment is:

• Computer

• • Notebook i7 processor, 8 gig memory
  • OS: Windows 7 pro
  • Additional OS's running under Virtual Box 4.1.22 ( out of date )
    • Ubuntu 12.04 Set up with some directories shared with the Windows 7 host.

Tools On Ubuntu

SSH

You need an SSH client program on your computer to interact in the most powerful way ( but not necessarily the most friendly way ) with the Linux virtual machine at DreamHost There seem to be a lot out there, one of the most popular seems to be PuTTY, I do not particularly like it and in general decided that interactions with the Linux server is better using a Linux client, so I do most of my work in a Ubuntu machine under Virtual box. This lets me get pretty much any Linux tool that runs under Linux, and for this purpose there seem to be more:

For my ideal SSH client I want it to remember all the log on settings so that I do not have to remember and type this administrative junk. I also want full cut and paste ability either from the Ubuntu environment or the widows environment. Again there is PuTTY and for me it is still not all I want.

SecPanel

is another ssh client and seems more functional for me, it is what I use now.

FileZilla

FileZilla is a file transfer program, I have found very useful. Transfer files either way, view, edit text files all gui based.

LocalSettings.php

You will get a file from dream host, keep a copy safe some place, it has parameters including passwords you will need to know. Its name is LocalSettings.php

Other References

• Welcome to MediaWiki.org Partarticurlarly see: Developing & Extending

• the DreamHost Web Hosting manual. In particular, the MediaWiki on Dreamhost page has a lot of tips for running MediaWiki at DreamHost. (MediaWiki is the software that supports the OpenCircuits, the DreamHost Web Hosting Manual, WikiBooks, etc).