Stop what your are doing right now and step away from that DotNetNuke install package. Just stop for a minute and think about why you are about to install DotNetNuke...
Are you installing DotNetNuke because you want to have a website, or because you want to learn how to install DotNetNuke?
If its the latter and you really want to learn how to install DotNetNuke, then you can stop reading this and continue with your install. Take a look at our very popular Easy DotNetNuke Installation guide to get you started.
But if you are installing DotNetNuke just because you want to have a website, then just hold on a second... did you know that while DotNetNuke is quite easy for the average person to use, its not so straightforward to install? Did you know that before you can install DotNetNuke you must be able to install, setup and configure several complicated Microsoft components:
- .NET Framework version 2.0 or 3.5.
- IIS 5.1 or higher.
- SQL Server 2000 or higher.
- Windows file and folder security permissions.
And depending on what computer you are installing onto you will also need to know:
- Windows XP file sharing.
- Windows Vista IIS compatability modes.
- Windows Server 2003 server roles.
- and more...
Thats a lot of stuff to have to learn for the average person, and for most of those components, if you install, setup or configure it incorrectly - it will go wrong in non obvious ways, and give error messages that do not actually say what went wrong. The combination of all these technologies gives you a very large number of ways to go wrong - including ways that no one else has gone wrong before, so there will not be any help on Google.
And you have to get all of that right before you start installing DotNetNuke. If you get any of those wrong and your install fails, then you can hardly blame DotNetNuke now can you?
So what can you do if you dont want to spend weeks trying to learn how to set all of this up? If you dont want to end up with no hair due to the frustration, stress and anger? .. Dont be a hero! Dont do it yourself, get some help.
Think about the amount of time it would take you to install DotNetNuke for the first time if you are not an expert in ALL of the above technologies? Weeks? Probably. What is your time worth? What is WEEKS of your time worth?
The solution? Get someone else to do it! There are many people who are experts and have successfully set up DotNetNuke hundreds of times. You can easily find someone who will do it for less than $100 USD - which much less than the cost of weeks of your time wasted isnt it? And you are more likely to end up with a DotNetNuke website that has been installed well, which will protect you from further problems down the line.
Where can you find someone to install DotNetNuke for you?
- Ask on the DotNetNuke forums for someone who can install DotNetNuke
and you will get many offers (just make sure to get someone reliable!).
- Get us to install DotNetNuke for you - just email:
info [at] bestwebsites [dot] co [dot] nz or click here.
What do you think? Is installing DotNetNuke like fixing your car where you should always go to a mechanic unless you actually are a trained mechanic? Or is it like baking a cake where you can try to do it even if you've never baked one before? We are trying out a new blog comments module, so you can have your say below .....