Movable Hype

The whole blog world is moving to Movable Type, it seems.

I know I want to make the switch. When I see the problems that Blogger is giving me with my permalinks and archives, I know I have to make the switch.

But try as I might, I can not seem to install Movable Type on my server.

I'm not a complete neophyte about software, even UNIX and LINUX software. I was a technical writer, and now I do GUI design and usability!

Part of the problem is the install guide, like most UNIX end-user documentation, is crap. Example (for all you technical writers out there): It gives you options to configure Movable Type to work with three different types of databases - but doesn't explain either what the default database is, or the pros and cons of any of them.

And configuring the installation - putting all the different settings into the configuration files - is an exacting, vital, and badly-explained process.

Third-party help is just as bad. Someone recommended a website. "Great, I thought - someone can help me with this file configuration stuff." So I started reading. It went something like this:

"1. Download the files from movabletype.com." So far so good.

"2. Put the files on your server. Check.

"3. Enter the proper values in your configuation files."

4. Go to your browser and click on your Movable Type page..."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH

So I guess I'll resort to begging: If there's an MT guru out there, could I get some help? I can't pay a whole lot; I'm unemployed, still. But I can work something out.

Email me. This is getting ridiculous.

Posted by Mitch at June 4, 2003 05:42 PM