I’ve blogged about taking something complex and making it simple before (and half a million others have as well so its good we’re all on the same path) but beyond that I am a big believe in the install and a user’s first experience with your “thing” – product, device, software, hard drive, et al – is a lasting impression.
Today, I was looking to install WordPress on Windows 2012, knowing I’d need MySQL and PHP and hook it up to IIS, or do I use Apache, etc, etc and then do I need PHP MyAdmin. The list goes on just like that sentence.
Found this great article on using the Microsoft Web Platform Installer which I had not used in a number of years and was blown away by the simplicity of using the app and getting everything I needed done (by their count 16 tasks) which resulted in having WordPress installed and up and running clean as can be.
To elaborate what this app did;
- Allowed me to select my version of PHP, MySQL and WordPress.
- Queued it all for an install with IIS (I didn’t want to use Apache)
- Ran through my 16 install tasks.
- Prompted me with 3 screens; 1 for MySQL Creds, 1 for PHP Creds, 1 for WordPress Creds
- Presented me with the login page to my new website.
How am I feeling after this experience;
- Blown away, I went from hours to 10 minutes.
- I installed it all the way I wanted, where I wanted, how I wanted.
- I was able to start working in 15 minutes on my project.
The installation, often overlooked, always remembered, it’s the gateway to creating your best user experience with whatever you are building.
BTW – If you are interested in doing the above, the tutorial I followed for this is located here and the tool itself is located here.
