Hello,

That's very simple. When you navigate a website, your browser gets some pages written in HTML (Hyper-Text Mark-up Langage) from a remote server (aka a remote computer on which the website is hosted). If the site is very simple, the server just sends HTML pages stored on it. But on some sites (like this), the page is dynamically made by the server, meaning that the server has to link some parts of code in order to built the webpage before sending it. The programm which indicates to the server what to do is called PHP (Php Hypertext Preprocessor). Note that there exist some other programms that do the same thing as PHP, but PHP is well-known and free.
When you're using a CMS (Content Management System, for example XOOPS ), you have a large amount of data to store. The great idea is then to use a databank. Here comes MySQL (Structure Query Langage), an other free and well-known programm, to handle this databank. Again, you can find other SQL-software, but XOOPS runs only with MySQL for now.
And last, but not the least, Apache (please check the name, it's not apahce) is the name of a webserver.

All of these programms can be installed with easyphp (works only on PC, if you're on a mac, you will have to do it manually), and you can find it here.

Once PHP, MySQL and Apache are on your computer, you can install Xoops.

Happy Xoopsing and bye.

Edited: Cuckson was quicker than me to answer! Sorry.

sorry but i really do not understand what
mysql is used for
and apache.

and how come it is free?
where do i host my site, like the URL and everything?

thanks

ok from the beggining. with no software.

i wanna make my clan site really good with a member login,
and forums, and loads of links and nice pages and
cool graphics for the background and menus and header.
and i want to have a wide range of settings and features like having the menu on each page instead of just the frontpage and things like that if you know what i mean?

i sort of get the idea of this but what is the difference with paying for a host or using easyphp?
what are the advantages and disadvantages of both of them?
thanks for all your help keep posting!

I use EasyPHP as a testing ground. EasyPHP allows you to test scripts on your computer. Unless you have a very good, fast and reliable computer with a constant connection then you can't really host your sites on your computer for everyone to see. Hosting is where you put your programs and scripts onto the internet so that other people can see your creations.

Domain names can normally be purchased through the hosting company. I work with a hosting company so i can sort that out for you if you would like with a domain name for quite a reasonable price.

As for Apache and MySQL, you dont really have to worry what they do mainly as i never have. Apache is simply the server environment in which the scripts and programs use to run. MySQL is a database, so this is where for example your usernames and passwords are kept.

Like i say, i will be happy to help you out personally if you wish and install all the scripts and programs you want onto a webserver of your chooseing. Just let me know.

yes! can you give me personal help on installing the programs.
i have broadband at 576kbps.
so basically you mean if i use easyphp i am just using my computer as the host and that might not be very reliable, and if i pay for hosting from a hosting company it will be
a solid and more reliable site?.
also i would like you to get my a nice price on these domains: commonwealthclan or commonwealth, and saf or safclan.

max100 said:
Quote:

Well, I don't think he wanted to say that, but:
when you want to build a new website, you need to have it on your personnal computer in order to test it, optimize it... for having the best site of the Net, and at this step, YOU are the only person who must see the pages. Here goes easyphp: you just install it on your PC, and you can focus only on the building of your website. No more, no less.
As soon as your site is ready, you must answer the question: where must my website be hosted for OTHER people to view its pages? You can host your website on your own computer, but to me, it appears to be merely a "technical curiosity" unless you have the infrastructure behind it (having your PC turned on permanently, a good broadband for the pages being sent rapidly, making regular back-up, being ready to face hacking of your server (not obligatory, of course, but not improbable too...)) In other words: for hosting, I let professionnals do this task.
And from times to times, you will need to change some things on your website like installing a new module: better to test it on a local site, rather than on a "in-live" site, do you think?

To sum-up: use easyphp for building your website and testing modifications of its structure on your PC, and let a copy of your site being hosted by professionnals for other people to see your work.

Happy xoopsing.

Right, I have looked around for you. You can have commonwealthclan.com, commonwealthclan.co.uk, commonwealthclan.net etc. A lot of them have not been registered yet. Hosting i can get very cheap for you. Email me at matthew_cuckston@hotmail.com or PM me and I will give you prices. I think you will find them quite reasonable for what you want. I will be happy to install XOOPS onto your server as well and get you started and point you in the right direction.

EDIT: Also i have just found that safclan.co.uk is avalible however if you want this you will have to act fast as another person has taken intrest into this domain name.

thanks alot man!!!!!!!
see if you can get more domains on the SAF name
its a clan so try and get some things on that.
i really appreciate your help and am very pleased about you offering to help me with XOOPS and the server and such..
after the cost of the domain how much
will everything else cost?

and another question for anyone!
do you need sofwtare like frontpage or dreamweaver?
or is XOOPS THAT!?

You don't need anything like dreamweaver or frontpage to run xoops.

the following domains are availble which you may be intrested in:

commonwealthclan.com
commonwealthclan.co.uk
commonwealthclan.net
commonwealthclan.org

safclan.co.uk
safclan.net
safclan.org

Domain names vary in cost depending which one you want but I can get them for you under a tenner a year.

I can get enough hosting for you for around 30 to 40 pounds a year. Thats very reasonable for what you need and it will be enough to run XOOPS effectivly.

I host in the US. You can look at gdl-web.com
There you can use a subdomain, hence have a url like saf-clan.gdl-web.com for free


Dreamweaver on any other PHP page editor is a must for those times when you need to modify certain files.

For example on my site I modified the Radio Module to have the stations I wanted on it.

Often not necessary for it to work just to customize to your needs.

Have fun learning all the goodies.