BurningbirdRecovered from the Wayback Machine.
For those of you who subscribe to my feeds, note that I’m dropping the RSS 2.0 feed starting next week.
Why? Because hosting an RSS 2.0 feed is providing indirect support for behavior that sucks the joy out of my day. Because Dave Winer is a hypocrite, and the so-called RSS 2.0 ‘advisory board’ is a mockery on true open standards efforts. More importantly, though, when I woke this morning, I said to myself:
Today is a good day to stop supporting assholes.
Recovered from the Wayback Machine.
It’s not surprising that yesterday’s unhappiness at the new pricing structure for Movable Type 3.0 has generated response from those in support of the structure, Six Apart, or both. But I am disappointed, no let’s be honest, angry at the deliberate misinterpretation and obfuscation put on our responses.
In the MetaFilter thread about this topic, Matt Haughey spins the negative reaction against the pricing structure to one where those who are unhappy are so because we don’t want to pay:
If you so despise the idea of paying someone for software, it’s pretty easy to keep using MT 2.661 free of charge, or having a few blogs to yourself with MT 3.0.
If you so despise the idea of paying someone for software… Show me the writing where the person has said they despise having to pay for software? From what I’ve read, most people’s negative reactions were due to the fact that they, like myself, run multiple weblogs for different subjects, or run weblogs with multiple authors, and the pricing structure is, indeed, prohibitively expensive. They, like myself, weren’t expecting this type of pricing structure. We have happily used the easy functionality of MT to create multiple weblogs and add authors never knowing that some day we would be penalized for doing so; that ‘cheaper by the dozen’ may apply to egg rolls, but it sure doesn’t apply to weblogs or authors.
Timothy Appnel writes on his weblog and for O’Reilly about how are poor software developers to eat:
This outcry raises a bigger more important point which is the reason for my post. As a developer and one who makes a living writing code, this reaction to Six Apart’s new licensing is really disheartening and on a certain level frustrating to see. I am a firm believer and backer of open source. I’ve personally released quite a bit of open source code myself and will continue to do so. However this apparent expectation of the vocal part of community that it is their right to have all great works of software at no cost is bothersome. If users don’t have the funds or won’t pay on principle for my time, effort or talent – how do I eat?
Oh poor Timothy, and Ben and Mena, too. They are starving while we rip the software from their hands and dance on their emaciated bodies in the street in a frenzy of open source lust.
Though I think Appnel turning around the negative reaction to Six Apart’s pricing structure as somehow originating because of open source is the biggest stretch I’ve seen since I last watched a taffy machine in operation, he doesn’t have to look beyond MySQL to see open source being profitable; or Linux (SCO problems aside) implementations created by Red Hat and others. Each of these companies makes a profit by providing value added versions of their products that have appeal for those wanting to use the product for commercial purposes; or for people who may want a simplified installation process or better help system, and support for using the product.
But Movable Type isn’t open source. That’s not the issue. What is the issue is that those few discussions about Movable Type 3.0 in the past at Six Apart gave the impression that this version, at least, would remain free. In fact I remember reading once in one of the weblogs associated with Six Apart that the reason so much support was given to TypePad (and hence the MT developers couldn’t work on the comment spam problem) was so that products like Movable Type could remain free.
There is a free version of MT, true. But there are so many caveats on its use that either there’s confusion about whether a person can legally use it–exactly what does it mean that it can only be used on a single CPU machine; exactly what does it mean that the paid version is the only one on the guaranteed upgrade path; exactly what is meant by having access to paid services– or dismay at how much it will cost if you can’t or choose not to use the free version.
Howver, rather than address these concerns directly, Appnel obfuscates them and makes this an issue of open source, and how he will starve if we don’t stop our unreasonable demand for free software, selfish gits that we are.
I particularly like Appnel’s deliberately negative spin on my writing yesterday, saying:
Many of these posts gripe that alternate server-based tools such as WordPress do not support multiple blogs and/or authors yet. What’s a bit silly about these posts is that not one so far notes that the hosted version of MT (TypePad) allows for unlimited authors and weblogs (plus many other features not available in MT) at a price that rivals basic hosting packages.
What I said yesterday was, “One of the reasons people haven’t moved to WordPress or other weblogging tools is lack of support for multiple weblogs–yet”. I wrote what I did in reference to the reason people have used Movable Type in the past instead of something like WordPress is because of the ease of creating multiple weblogs. Unfortunately, they did so not knowning that someday they’d be charged by the blog or author.
And why did Appnel introduce a hosted product into this conversation? This has nothing to do with TypePad…
…unless this all has to do with TypePad.
Dave Winer, accuses those of us who were critical of ‘being children’, a mature reaction for sure:
Six Apart announced new pricing for Movable Type and hell breaks loose. The users are acting as children, saying somehow they didn’t know that eventually Six Apart would charge for their software. I knew they were going to charge, why didn’t you? I can say this because I’m not a customer (I do use their software, but I didn’t pay for it) and I’m not them. But I’ve been where they are and it sucks. No one’s perfect. If you use their software, you owe them some money. If you don’t like the price, don’t use it. Amazingly they’re not asking for money if you use the new software in a limited form, or continue to use the old software. Users who can’t get behind that are people we don’t need to work with. Everything costs money. When you drive to the gas station, try whining at the attendant, and see how much gas you get. Do it enough and they’ll call the cops.
Are some people using specialized glasses, like 3D glasses, that decodes our writing into some kind of hidden message? Is that why they deliberately disregard the statements we’re making about not being adverse to paying? My issue is that I feel Six Apart has not been open with us about the direction the pay structure was going before we committed ourselves to what will be prohibitively expensive installations. How does that translate to, “Wah! Me want lollie for free!”
Let me repeat, slowly for the filter challenged: We… don’t… deny… Six… Apart’s.. .right… to…. charge… a… fee. But doing so on top of lack of communication in the past, and what communication there was runs counter to what we’re seeing now, is reason for concern, and yes, written complaint. Just as Google’s support for Atom might be seen as reason for concern and complaint by others.
If people have no problems paying the cost and they love Movable Type and they think the price structure is fair and Six Apart has been open in their communication, then say so; but if you can’t do so, not without the words sticking in both your throat and your keyboard, don’t defend the company by spinning our legitimate concerns into the trite, whining ramblings, of free software open source spoiled brats who want something for nothing. You’re not helping Six Apart by your actions; all you’re doing is polarizing the issue and making enemies where once there wasn’t.
The work on the star tunnel books goes slowly as I gather the material to make the volumes. Before I can even consider starting them, though, I have to master the fold. If I can’t master the fold, I won’t be able to master the concertina fold, which is nothing more than long strips of stiffer paper, in perfect parallel folds. The star tunnel book I have in mind consists of several overlapping concertinas.
I thought I knew folding, having previously spent a life time of folding things, such as dolls, letters, hope, books, arms, and t-shirts; but all this past experience does is build bad habits; habits which must be broken to do a proper fold. Contrary to what we might think a fold doesn’t just happen by luck. There is no natural perfect fold in nature, unlike the fractal. The fold must be precise, measured, and then firmly flattened using a bone folder, because your work is only as good as your fold.
As I study the art of book, I find that there is an esoteric element to folds, which adds a hint of spirtual mystery to that previously seen as commonplace . For instance, there are proper names describing how the fold is placed relative to the surface: if the fold is pointed up, then it’s called a mountain fold; pointed down, a valley fold. Not difficult to remember and makes for rather impressive explanations of what you’re doing if someone asks.
“I’m folding the end of this paper, here, until the tip meets the base of this mountain fold.”
Or something to that effect. Those people who are experienced at this are probably snickering right now, saying to themselves, “It’s not called a base, you amateur. It’s the spine“, or some such thing.
To practice my proper folding technique, I created a book called an Inserted Concertina, which is one concertina fold inserted into another, and looks rather nice for nothing more than two pieces of paper connected by slits.
First I had to make one 8-panel concertina, 6 inches high (sorry, if I try to keep up in metric, I’ll be here all night); and then a second, 4 inches high. I cut off the two end panels from the shorter strip (which are being used to make a small Japanese stab binding book). The paper had to be long enough, so I glued two pieces together, which itself is rather a production.
Place scrap paper underneath the edge and use it to mask all but 1/2 inch of the edge of one strip; use the paintbrush to spread a thin layer…
Once the long strips were made, I folded the middle of the taller concertina to make a mountain fold, and then folded one half to make another mountain fold and so on, until the stretched out piece easily collapses, edge to edge, all space eliminated.
It was then a matter than of cutting out the insides of the larger to make space for the smaller, cutting slits in both to align with each other and then put the two pieces together (easier said then done, something about cutting through six pieces of paper). To measure the cuts, I used the pointed end on the bone folder to score the paper, to avoid using pencil or pen, which, in a way, again makes use of the fold to accomplish my task.
As a finishing touch, I added orchid print outs, just as a fun detail and a bit of color, because the true spirit of the art of book is improvisation, each piece then being subtly unique.
I’m not sure if the photos do the book justice; it was difficult to photograph. It’s not perfect, and there are bends in the paper, and the photos warp the perspective, and I have made mistakes. Regardless, the amazing thing about it is how well the book collapses neatly and elegantly into its cover, and how stable the piece is, without using any clip or thread or glue to keep the concertinas together. It is a most cooperative work, as if the pieces decide to mesh for whatever reason even though there is no physical bond.
I can twist the work about and open and close it and pull it around to take photos, but the join holds and the piece remains steadfast despite the strain it undergoes. As you may guess by now, it is, of course, due to the compatibility of the folds; to the ends, really, because that’s what a fold is–the alignment of two ends.
I have no allusions about the stability of my little book. Brutal shaking of the piece will most likely break it apart, perhaps permanently if the slits are damaged, or the folds crumpled and lost. It is not a work that can be tossed carelessly aside for convenience, or thrown across the room in anger; too easily sat on or thrown away for scrap if forgotten. I think that’s why this style of book appeals to me: there is the very real possibility that it will not endure.
Since we can name these individual works, these book arts, I called this one My Virtual Friend.
L is for Linux, M is for MySQL, and P is for PHP
I used nextpage to break this writing up into manageable chunks. I know that not everyone likes nextpage, and the implementation in 1.02 is a bit problematic, but we’ll see later how we can modify WordPress to provide full page displays for people who prefer this, and how to refine the nextpage behavior for the rest. And yes, we’ll also add in comment preview.
Once the software for Textpattern and WordPress is on the server and unzipped (discussed in last LAMP essay), you’ll need to create a MySQL database for both tools, unless one is provided for you by your ISP. Since they each use different table naming conventions, I used one database for both installation.
Creating the database is dependent on your ISP. Most companies providing MySQL also prohibit creating databases directly in the MySQL console–a command line interface directly with the database engine. Instead, you’ll use a tool like that which is attached to cPanel to create a database and a user and tie the two together. However, if you did have to create a database directly in MySQL, it’s not that complicated–as long as you have access to the command line version of MySQL.
To access MySQL from Linux, you’ll type the following command which opens a console to MySQL. Notice that you’re passing in a flag designating a specific user, and in this case asking the tool to prompt you for a password (you could also type the password directly in the line, but I prefer not to because Linux remembers your command in history, and I don’t like passwords to show in history):
mysql -u shelley -p
In this case, my user name is my first name, shelley. Once I get the password prompt and type it in , I’ll be in the database engine console.
Since I didn’t specify a database on the command line when I entered the console, I haven’t entered directly into any of my existing databases. To see what they are, I can ask MySQL to show me them:
Enter password:
Welcome to the MySQL monitor. Commands end with ; or g.
Your MySQL connection id is 1214348 to server version: 4.0.18-standardType ‘help;’ or ‘h’ for help. Type ‘c’ to clear the buffer.
mysql> show databases;
+——————+
| Database |
+——————+
| shelley_bbweblog |
| shelley_frgn1 |
| shelley_test |
| shelley_wp |
+——————+
6 rows in set (0.00 sec)mysql>
Even if there are several people with databases on the system MySQL engine, only the databases you’re allowed to see should show. This provides a little extra privacy.
I’ve already created the WordPress 1.2/Textpattern database, the one named shelley_test. Well, I used cPanel to create the database ‘test’, and to keep it unique to me, the system called it ’shelley_test’. However, if I wanted to create a database in the console, I would use the create database command:
mysql> create database shelley_test;
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.06 sec)
Impressively easy, eh? Well, I can about guarantee that it’s the easiest thing you can do in MySQL. Now that I’ve generated even more interest in learning how to work with MySQL, you need to create a user and tie this user to the database. The reason is that both Textpattern and WordPress (and Movable Type and most other database driven tools), require three things for installation: a database, a user, and a password.
(They also require a server name, but unless you’re getting into some kinky remote data access, you’ll use the local server name, handily designated as ‘localhost’, when queried for server name.)
When creating a user, what you’re really doing is creating a named set of permissions, which just happens to be usable by a what can be termed a ‘user’. To do this, you’re going to use the MySQL GRANT command, and grant all permissions to the specified person, for the specified database, accessed via the localhost server, and identified by a password.
Or in one command:
mysql> grant all privileges on shelley_test.* to someuser@localhost
identified by ’somepass’ with grant option;
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)
Of course, you’ll replace the name and password for your system, as well as the database name, but what I’ve done with this command is to grant all priviledges on anything contained within the database shelley_test to the ’someuser’. However, they’ll only be able to access the database from the local machine and only after giving the specified password.
I could have given this person access to all databases using ‘*.*’ in place of ’shelley_test.*’, but first rule of thumb with good database habits: never give more than is needed. By this I mean never grant more permissions that a person needs to get the job finished.
If I had not given the localhost host designation, your PHP applications would not have been able to access the database, and the user would not be able to log int MySQL from the command line. If they tried, they’d get an error similar to:
ERROR 1045: Access denied for user: ‘anotheruser@localhost’ (Using password: YES
)
Of course, MySQL could automatically assume all users can access the database system from the local host, except this violates that rule I just mentioned, which is Never give more than is needed.
There are fancy variations of all these commands, but we’ll hold them for another time. Right now, you’ve created what you’ve needed to finish the WordPress and Textpattern installations.
Installing WordPress
When the WordPress files are unzipped, chances are they’re unzipped into a named subdirectory. The first thing you’ll want to do is move them into your wordpress directory. You can do this your FTP program, or you can use the Unix move command, ‘mv’. Change to the subdirectory that contains all the files and subdirectories and do the following:
mv *.* ../.
When finished, you can then delete the directory just emptied, again using your FTP program, or the Unix remove command, ‘rm’. First, move up a directory, and then remove the WordPress unzipped file directory:
cd ..
rm -r wordpress-somename
There is a readme.html file located in the top level directory of the files just installed. You can see the one with my installation here. This provides what WordPress calls the “5-minute install”, and you’ll want to use these instructions.
You can either manually edit the configuration file for the weblog, by opening wp-config-sample.php either using a text editor on Linux, or by downloading the file to your PC and editing it there. Later I’ll demonstrate how to use the granddaddy text editor of them all, vi to do simple text edits in Linux, but for now, we’ll let the program make the configuration file.
To create the config file, open the install-config.php page in the wp-admin subdirectory in your browser and provide the information needed. This will be the database name, username, host (localhost), and user password. If you’re running multiple versions of WP, you can change the table prefix, but for now, since this is the first install, we’ll leave it at wp_.
Once you run, you should get a message something to the effect of, All right sparky! with congratulations for not screwi… congratulations for being successful. You don’t have to remove install-config.php, as it can’t be used to overwrite an existing configuration file; but you should anyway. The second rule of good database habits is: evil shit lives, don’t leave behind any open doors.
Next, load the install.php application, also located in wp-admin. A link for this file is provided in install-config.php if you’ve run this. The installation application should be able to run unassisted, and as long as it can access the database, you shouldn’t have any problems.
The first page provides feedback as to what’s been created, and a link for step 2. This page also shows some status of table and other object creation, and also asks you what the URL for the blog is. In my installation this is “http://wordpress.burningbird.net”.
Step 3 should give you note that you’ve successfully installed WordPress, that a user has been created called admin, and a generated password is given. Don’t lose this! If you don’t record that password down, you’ll have to do the install all over again.
At that point, you can log into WordPress, and the first thing you should do is access the Profile option, and change the password. You’ll also have to provide an email address for the admin user.
That’s it. You be WordPress bad at this point. My installation is at http://wordpress.burningbird.net.
In the next essay, we’ll take a closer look at the WordPress tables, and work on importing Movable Type entries. Next, though, installing Textpattern.
Installing Textpattern
Since the database has already been created, all you need to do with Textpattern is make sure the tool files are located directly in the weblog directory, moving them out of the unzipped subdirectory if needed. Once set, all you need to do is run the Textpattern setup application, setup.php, located in the textpattern subdirectory.
As with the WordPress installation, you’ll need to provide your MySQL username and password, database name, and host. Again, provide a prefix if you’re going to install multiple weblogs in the same database; otherwise leave it blank. In addition, ensure that the paths to the web root and textpattern installation are correct.
You’ll note a secret word, used for authentication security. Make sure you change this, okay?
When you click the bright red button, the next page that opens has a textarea with your configuration information contained in it. You’ll want to copy this and add this to the config.php file in the textpattern subdirectory. You can use your local text editor or one located on the server.
Important Note: It’s critical that there is no text or white space or carriage returns after the final closing PHP tag, ?> in this file. Doing so will cause problems later. Once you add the text, stop, save, and close the file.
After you’ve created the config.php file, then click the button that says, “I did it”. The next page allows you to create a user, use whatever answers are appropriate to your circumstances. Note that the version used in this example does not verify the password: watch the typos.
Click the button and that’s it. You’re ready to go. After you remove the setup.php file, that is. My Textpattern installation is at http://textpattern.burningbird.net.
Again, next essay we’ll look at importing Movable Type entries, and explore the Textpattern tables.
Why WordPress over Textpattern
I’ve been asked in comments, and elsewhere: why WordPress over Textpattern? Both are PHP, and both are open source.
Well, when I originally looked at Textpattern, I didn’t know it was open source. I had missed the license information that read:
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:* Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice,
this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.* Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
and/or other materials provided with the distribution.* Neither the name Textpattern nor the names of its contributors may be used to
endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific
prior written permission.
Though Textpattern is being developed by one person, Dean Allen, he has left the source open for innovation, copy, reuse, and even distribution–with the only caveat that the original copyright be included. This is open source.
Still, there is a major difference between the two development efforts: WordPress is not only open source, it’s also a multi-developer project, registered and maintained at Source Forge. Though Matt of Photo Matt fame is the primary developer of this product, if for some reason he decides he would rather spend his time photographing naked people holding fruit, he can; the project might slow for a bit, it won’t stop. Why? Because Matt is not the only force behind WordPress.
More than that security, I, as a developer, am attracted by the thought that changes to code I make could be incorporated back into the product, if it’s vetted by the development team. The same is true for Textpattern, but the infrastructure isn’t in place.. As far as I know, Textpattern is Dean Allen, and if Dean gets hit by a beer truck–fates forbid–that’s it for Textpattern.
(Let me know if I have this wrong.)
More than that, though: I’m a tweaker. WordPress is naturally easier to tweak, in my opinion, than Textpattern. However, this is more my personal opinion than any ultimate truth; others may find Textpattern easier to tweak.
Finally, WordPress is the more mature product, and those aspects of Textpattern that folks like, such as the friendlier administrative interface and superior XHTML support and controls, not to mention abstraction from the physical layer, just aren’t as important to me. Or if they are, I feel they can be emulated in WordPress…with a little tweaking.
Regardless, both are good products by good people and a viable alternative to proprietary software options, which is why I’m covering both.
Enough for tonight. But as you can see, installing both Textpattern and WordPress is not a complicated process: grab the software, unzip it, place it in the weblog directory, create database and user, and then open a page in your browser and follow the instructions.
Zoe is home from the vet, pretty wobbly on her feet. She had a lot of tests the last two days, and the doc found this and that, as doctors do with the middle aged. I’m a bit worried about her at the moment because she acts like she’s hungry and thirsty, but seems like she’s forgotten how to eat. If this continues tomorrow, I’m sure I’ll be chatting with the doctor again.
Since we take Zoe to a cat clinic, I expect to meet a new cat or two wandering about the office with each visit. The staff brings their own cats in during the day, and they join the office cats, and the patients, all of whom are remarkably quiet and polite with each other. It’s usually a lively time while you’re waiting, and never dull and never acrimonious.
If the world was run by cats, we wouldn’t have war, but we would be eating a lot of fish.
Yesterday, I spotted the tiniest little charcoal gray kitten stumbling around on unsure legs, trying to get into any open container. When I asked about him, the receptionist said that his name was Dorian Gray, and that he was hand fed kitten, just heading into its 6th week. Just so interest wasn’t aroused, she said that the doctor who treats Zoe had just adopted him.
It seems little Dorian was found in the walls of a condemned house that was being torn down. It’s mother was killed, but Dorian was saved by the crew and brought immediately to the vet. Now, he’s an extremely curious, friendly, engaging little fellow that is mothered by the cat of one of the other people who worked in the office–a cat that was also abandoned as a baby and hand fed and adopted. You’d know this cat anymore, because she’s a glamor cat, and about the sweetest natured thing you ever saw–but who likes to get up in the toys on the wall and knock them all down.
When I picked Zoe up, I brought my camera, and I thought you’d all like to meet Dorian Gray and Christa.
[image lost]
Yes, Christa has a boa necklace, bright pink nail guards, and her tail is dyed delicately pink with safe vegetable dyes. She truly is a glam cat.
But then look at this little doll, trying to crawl into my camera case.