Requirements for running Contentor
Contentor requires:- Apache web server v.1.3.+ (see v.2.0 note)
- PHP scripting language (v4.1.0 or later)
- MySQL database - version 3.22.10 or later
Your system administrator should be able to confirm that your system meets these requirements. For the MySQL database, you need to have the MYSQL host name, user name, database name, and password beofre starting the installation.
To test what kind of server you have, and possibly if PHP is installed, enter your web site address below.
The information returned basically has one line of interest that should read something like:
Server: Apache/1.3.27 Ben-SSL/1.48 (Unix) mod_perl/1.27 PHP/4.2.3 FrontPage/4.0.4.3
The important parts are Apache/1.3.27 and PHP/4.2.3.
If it doesn't say "Apache" then is it unlikely that it will run. PHP only shows up in the "Server:" line if it is loaded as an Apache module - Contentor has been run on the CGI version of PHP.
On any server, the PHP "PATH_INFO" variables must be set properly, and the the .htaccess file must allow the "ForceType" directive to be used. This is true on most installations of PHP, although less likely on serers running the CGI version of PHP. If in doubt, ask the server administrator.
See the note on .htaccess if FrontPage Extensions are installed.
Recommended hosting... well, sort of...
While stopping short of a recommendation, here's my opinion of a few hosts that i have used:
http://www.surpasshosting.com
Great deals, great hosting, seem to be good communicators, healthy forums - haven't needed tech support, but folks seems to be happy with the response. This is current host for Contentor.net.
http://olm.net/
- good, reliable servers, best tech support i've ever seen. They have a new line of low-cost plans that look good.
One host i've not used, but hear really good comments about, is http://hummingbirdhosting.com - they have a $9.95/month account that should run Contentor.
Hosts to avoid
http://linkstream.net/
Had two good years with them, but then they fell apart. Four LONG down times in less than two months - wouldn't answer service tickets, e-mail bounces, support section "expired," etc. Had to cancel my debit card to stop the automatic payments.
http://1and1.com/
Their initial free offer of three years of web hosting looks great, but so far, I have not gotten a server configured to run Contentor. Tech support gave a cryptic response about their running Linux Servers and so far noone who even seems to understand my questions has bothered to respond.
http://p4host.com/
Contentor is running on one of their older servers, but a newer server was configured all wrong.
http://free.....com/
If it has "free" in the name, you get what you pay for.... (yes, I know that Contentor is also free! It doesn't cost me anything to speak of to give you this program. It does cost $$$ to keep a server running!). I've not yet seen Contentor running on a free site in any kind of acceptable way. I did manage to get it to run on a few of them, but either so slowly or until they changed some policy. Shell out a few bucks - your time is worth spending only on a decent host.
http://powweb.com/
While they do offer lots of space & bandwidth for a bargain price, they are not a good place to run scripted programs. I have had big problems with some of the technical decisions that the management has made. Several changes that they made broken stable installations of Contentor. I have spend enough time trying to fix what they broke that (even at minimum wage rate) i would come out ahead just giving people web space instead of trying to get PowWeb to run Contentor (just to have them break it). In other words, i can no longer support the running of Contentor on PowWeb.