Neutrino Station

To install WordPress I recommend following the standard WordPress installation procedure which is detailed here:

http://codex.wordpress.org/Installing_WordPress

Since I am using a 56k internet connection I chose to install using SSH. Secure Shell Access negated the need for me to transfer the entire installation through my phone line two times. Although I could have used the shell to edit the wp-config.php file I chose to use the familiar graphical windows environment to configure the installation. The procedure went as follows.

Aquire a domain name and access to a web server
If you are shopping for a web host look for SSH access, FTP access, mod_rewrite support, provisions for mySQL databases, a third party reputation for reliability, and lots of monthly bandwidth.

Obtain SSH access to the public_html directory
I used the PuTTy program and directed it to my domain. You will be prompted for a username and a password. This is between you and your web host. SSH keys are negotiated with your web host also. My host has a SSH link in the cPanel home page.

Remove unwanted files from the directory
This is only necessary if you or someone else has been using the directory for some other purpose.

Take note of the path to the current directory
The path may be something along the lines of /home/username/public_html/
In your SSH terminal type: pwd

Navigate to the tmp directory
In your SSH terminal type: cd /tmp

Command the server to download the latest version of Wordpress
In your SSH terminal type: wget http://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz

Command the server to extract all files from the tar.gz archive
In your SSH terminal type: tar -xzvf latest.tar.gz

Copy the files into the public_html directory
In your SSH terminal type: cd wordpress
You will be taken to the wordpress directory. Then type: cp –ir * /home/username/public_html/
Use the path that was displayed when you typed ‘pwd’ earlier.

Create a new database username and password and assign it to a new mySQL database
This is between you and your web host. I was able to set up a mySQL database and assign a user to it very easily using cPanel.

Obtain FTP access to the public_html directory
I use Explorer/My Computer for FTP. The File Transfer Protocol interface is more than familiar, it is the regular windows interface. Open My Computer and type this into your address bar:
ftp://username_at_webhost@domain.name
You will be prompted for a password. This is the password that you established with your web host.

Download a copy of the wp-config-sample.php file
Browse to the public_html folder. The folder should now be populated with the Wordpress files and directories. Copy the wp-config-sample.php file and paste it to a local folder such as your desktop.

Rename wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php
Right click the icon, select rename, etcetera.

Edit the contents of wp-config.php so that Wordpress can access the
mySQL database
Open wp-config.php with WordPad as if it were a text file then edit the file, replacing the characters putyourdbnamehere, usernamehere, and yourpasswordhere with the proper data. Save the file and exit Wordpad.

Upload the wp-config.php file to the public_html directory using FTP
Cut and paste wp-config.php into the public_html directory on your server.

Use a web browser to install Wordpress
Open a browser such as Opera. Navigate to:

http://yourdomain.name/wp-admin/install.php

Log in to the new Wordpress installation
Follow the wp-login.php link and enter your assigned username and password.

Configure permalinks
You will now be viewing the Wordpress administration section. Select Options, then select Permalinks. Then enter this into to custom structure field:
/from-%author%/commonera-%year%-%monthnum%-%day%-%hour%-%minute%/optionalid%post_id%/
Choose a category base such as project if it suits you and enter it into the category base field. Finally select Update Permalink Structure.

Install the insensitive plugin
You may wish to install the insensitive plugin at this time.
http://n0tablog.wordpress.com/my-wordpress-plug-ins/insensitive/
As of Wordpress version 2.3.3 this may not be necessary. Wordpress seems to be mimicing some of the features of this plugin by default now. Can anyone else confirm this?

Add a new user with Administrator access
In the Wordpress Administration section navigate to Users. Scroll down, then create a new username that you would like to use and choose a password that you will be able to remember. Make sure that you select Administrator in the role drop down menu so that you can safely delete or weaken the default user, admin, later.

Log out of Wordpress
The link is at the top. Sign out.

Log in as the new user
Go ahead. If it doesn’t work use the name and password that you were given after running install.php.

Create a test post and publish it
Familiarize yourself with the Wordpress environment.

Ensure that permalinks are working and that the entire URI is in lowercase
Browse around your new Wordpress website. Pay attention to the address bar.

Assign a weaker role for the default ’admin’ user
Since your new username is working, there is no need to share the power. Change admin’s role and create additional users to reserve names you don’t want other people to use on your site.

Start with a blank slate
Delete all of the existing comments and posts.

Project Complete