Convert Microsoft to LINUX: MediaWiki


If you want to have a quick and easy Web Page that everybody can add to try MediaWiki. It is built into most distributions. To get it you also have to have php, mysql (client and Server), httpd/Apache installed. To get all of these in Fedora Red Hat type as root in a terminal window:
yum -y install httpd php mysql mysql-server php-mysql mediawiki
Note in Ubuntu the command would be:
apt-get install apache2 php mysql-client mysql-server php-mysql mediawiki
We now need to configure the new services to start automatically. On Redhat Fedora do this with:
/sbin/chkconfig httpd on
/sbin/chkconfig mysqld on
For Ubuntu, these should automatically startup. If not you you can modify the /etc/rc.local file to start these services. Note it is apache2 on Ubuntu instead of httpd  . Go ahead and restart your Linux host to make sure these daemons/services are now running. Then go back to a terminal window and type:
mysqladmin -u root password 'your-brand-new-password' [quotes are required]
Make additional security-related changes to mysql. Type:
mysql -u root -p
You will now be at a mysql> prompt.
mysql> DROP DATABASE test; [removes the test database]
mysql> DELETE FROM mysql.user WHERE user = ''; [Removes anonymous access]
mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
Create a database and database user for your data. You will use this database and user name in your database connection string. The GRANT statement actually creates a new MySQL user account.
mysql> CREATE DATABASE web_db;
mysql> GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON web_db.* TO 'web_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'thepassword';

Note, the above instructions with some editing by me, were taken from the University of Florida website . I am grateful that I did not have to reinvent the wheel here.

Now all we have to do is configure the Wiki by creating two symbolic links one between the web root and one between the skins directoy under the web root. I assume you are still in Fedora Red Hat here. The directory is slightly different in Ubuntu. Type in terminal window:
ln -s /var/www/wiki /var/www/html/wiki
ln -s /usr/share/mediawiki/skins /var/www/wiki/skins
In your favorite browser type:
http://localhost/wiki
Now click on the setup link and fill in the form appropiately and you are done. MediaWiki will then inform you of the success or failure of the setup operation. You can ignore any warnings. The final step is to do this at the terminal window:
cp /var/www/wiki/config/LocalSettings.php /var/www/wiki/LocalSettings.php
I wish to thank Fedora for providing the configuration instructions which are located here   . Your Wiki is now ready. Type
http://localhost/wiki
to get started. Enjoy!