Chapter 4. Finding a PHP-Nuke Host

Okay, with some PHP-Nuke lingo under your belt, you're probably ready to get started. Now, you've really got two options when it comes to running a PHP-Nuke site: Host it yourself, or let someone else host it for you. Hosting it yourself means you have to buy the server, install the Linux or Windows operating system, install a database server like MySQL, install a Web server like Internet Information Services or Apache, and finally install PHP-Nuke itself. Sounds like hard work, and if that's the way you've decided to go, good luck with it.

Me, I prefer the easy way out: Let someone else host it. There are something like four zillion hosting companies out there that can provide you with inexpensive Web space that includes PHP-Nuke and all the prerequisites. They install it, they back it up every night in case something goes wrong, and they worry about making sure the electricity doesn't go out. Much less hassle for you, allowing you to focus on your site.

Type "php-nuke host" into Google (or your favorite search engine) and brace yourself because you'll get a lot of hits. You'll find some more on the phpnuke.org home page in the advertising (about half the ads there are for PHP-Nuke hosting companies, which is pretty useful). Most hosting companies use a Linux-based operating system, the Apache Web server, the MySQL database server, and PHP-Nuke itselfall of which means nothing to you, except that PHP-Nuke will work, which is really all that matters, right?