Set up a Personal Microblog with Bilboblog

Productivity Sauce
There are many reasons why you would want to run your own private microblog, but how do you actually do that? The easiest way is to install Bilboblog, a tiny, no-frills PHP/MySQL-based microblogging engine.
Although Bilboblog is described as a microblogging application, it's not a drop-in replacement for Twitter or Identi.ca. It's actually more of a hybrid between a microblog and tumblelog. Similar to a conventional microblogging engine, Bilboblog lets you limit post length, but it also supports text formatting and sports the ability to embed images and videos. Bilboblog's major advantage is simplicity: it works right out of the box without any tweaking and there is virtually no learning curve. Better yet, Bilboblog features a one-step installation procedure, so you can set up a personal microblog in a matter of minutes.
To install Bilboblog, create a MySQL database (e.g., bilboblog), grab the latest release of the application, unpack the downloaded archive and move the resulting bilboblog directory to the document root of your server. Make the bilboblog directory writable, and point your browser to http://yourserver/bilboblog. Fill out the required fields, and hit the Install button. Once Bilboblog is installed, you can switch to its administrator interface by navigating to http://yourserver/bilboblog/admin and logging in with the user name and password specified during installation. To create a new post, click on the Add new message link, add text, and format it using the available buttons. If you need help with formatting codes, press the Help button which opens a section containing brief descriptions of the supported formatting options and their usage. Press the Publish button to post the new entry. That's all there is to it. Since Bilboblog is a strictly single-user application, there are no complicated user and access management features, and you won't find any advanced content management features either. Some power users may consider Bilboblog somewhat limited for their needs, but if you want to set up a personal microblog with a minimum of fuss, then Bilboblog might be the right tool for the job.
When using Bilboblog, you'll notice that its English translation is sometimes incomplete and lacks consistency. So I spent an evening going through the language strings and fixing them to the best of my ability. I also did a few minor changes like replacing the default toolbar icons, adding a license to the footer, and slightly modifying the default theme. You can fetch the tweaked version of Bilboblog at my Google Code page. As an experiment, I also host my personal Bilboblog-based microblog on my Bubba Two server. Feel free to drop by.
Comments
comments powered by DisqusIssue 269/2023
Buy this issue as a PDF
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
Kubuntu Focus Announces XE Gen 2 Linux Laptop
Another Kubuntu-based laptop has arrived to be your next ultra-portable powerhouse with a Linux heart.
-
MNT Seeks Financial Backing for New Seven-Inch Linux Laptop
MNT Pocket Reform is a tiny laptop that is modular, upgradable, recyclable, reusable, and ships with Debian Linux.
-
Ubuntu Flatpak Remix Adds Flatpak Support Preinstalled
If you're looking for a version of Ubuntu that includes Flatpak support out of the box, there's one clear option.
-
Gnome 44 Release Candidate Now Available
The Gnome 44 release candidate has officially arrived and adds a few changes into the mix.
-
Flathub Vying to Become the Standard Linux App Store
If the Flathub team has any say in the matter, their product will become the default tool for installing Linux apps in 2023.
-
Debian 12 to Ship with KDE Plasma 5.27
The Debian development team has shifted to the latest version of KDE for their testing branch.
-
Planet Computers Launches ARM-based Linux Desktop PCs
The firm that originally released a line of mobile keyboards has taken a different direction and has developed a new line of out-of-the-box mini Linux desktop computers.
-
Ubuntu No Longer Shipping with Flatpak
In a move that probably won’t come as a shock to many, Ubuntu and all of its official spins will no longer ship with Flatpak installed.
-
openSUSE Leap 15.5 Beta Now Available
The final version of the Leap 15 series of openSUSE is available for beta testing and offers only new software versions.
-
Linux Kernel 6.2 Released with New Hardware Support
Find out what's new in the most recent release from Linus Torvalds and the Linux kernel team.
even more steps
breathe
open pc
breathe
connect or check connection [if failing insert an ISO/OSI pile troubleshooting approach]breathebreathe
connect to the server where you intend to set up the software
breathe
breathe I cannot repeat it enough somebody still forget this step
mmm ok the rest is known but remember to add more point for the breathing task.
56465461
More than one installation step!
Tried it, didn't like it.
Re: 1 Step Install?
1 Step Install?
I beg to differ.
Quote:
"To install Bilboblog, create a MySQL database (e.g., bilboblog) (1), grab the latest release of the application (2), unpack the downloaded archive (3) and move the resulting bilboblog directory to the document root of your server (4). Make the bilboblog directory writable (5), and point your browser to http://yourserver/bilboblog (6). Fill out the required fields (7), and hit the Install button (8)."
I must say, that's a mighty long 'step'.