I first attempted to create my Home Intranet in the way it now is several years ago but kept stumbling at the first hurdle.
Whilst I could get a PHPBB2 forum "up and running" by using a Microsoft Access Database, this had several restrictions. PHP based Web sites need a SQL type of database. Several attempts to find and install one proved fruitless and so the project had to be abandoned. About a year ago I "discovered" virtual computers. These are fully working computers that run inside another computer. I am currently writing this post inside a virtual computer running Microsoft XP Professional. I use this particular virtual computer as a development machine where I can test and try things out safe in the knowledge that nothing can harm my "normal computer."
The first task was to install a free database system named MySQL a relational database management system (RDBMS) which has more than 6 million installations. MySQL stands for "My Structured Query Language". The program runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases.
Once I managed to overcome the initial teething problems of installing MySQL, I then had to download and install a program that enables me to Administer the MySQL Server and its databases. This was then followed by the installation of forum software PHPBB3 which I find to be a very powerful way to file stuff on your computer, notes, links, tutorials, copies of passwords, copies of receipts and so on. To be useful computer needs a system where stuff can be easily fed into the computer and later retrieved. PHPBB3 provides this system - it is easy to use by anyone, searchable and because it is web based this means that the information can be fed in, searched and retrieved from any computer on the home network - termed an Intranet.
Things then got a bit harder because the PHPBB forum I had previusly set up using PHPBB2 was built using a Microsoft Access Database. PHPBB3 simply does not work with PHPBB3 and so I had to convert the existing database. This was a two fold process, first it had to be converted from MS Access to MySQL and the existing PHPBB2 had to be reconfigured to use that new MySQL database. Having got this working with PHPBB2 it was then time to upgrade the entire system to PHPBB3.
Once these problems were overcome the next task was cosmetic - getting the look of the PHPBB3 right - changing the default Logo to my own
I then wanted to place a couple of rows of buttons across the top of the Forum so that it would serve as a replacement for my existing Intranet home page which was now a few years old and in need of a face lift. After successfully completing the above this led me back to the other previously abandoned project because it also relies upon the presence of a MySQL database - and that is this which you ar reading now termed a blog. A blog (a contraction of the term "weblog") is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.
Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal on-line diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (artlog), photographs (photoblog), sketches (sketchblog), videos (vlog), music (MP3 blog), and audio (pod-casting). Micro-blogging is another type of blogging, featuring very short posts.
As of December 2007, blog search engine Technorati was tracking more than 112 million blogs.
