MaximumPC 2007 09

42 MAXIMUMPC SEPTEMBER 2007

Install Instiki

Instiki—free, simple wiki software—is easy to

set up and use. It’s written in a programming

language called Ruby, so you’ll need to start

by installing the Ruby engine. Here’s how to

get Instiki running on Windows:

1. Set up Ruby. Download Ruby from http://
   tinyurl.com/yd23cy. Look for the Ruby on
   Windows section and download the One-
   click Installer. Run the installer using the
   default settings.


2. Set up Instiki. Download the Instiki.zip fi le
   from http://instiki.org. Extract the package to a
   folder on your computer. Rename that folder
   instiki and move it to the root of your C: drive.


3. Run Instiki. From Windows’s Start menu,
   choose Run. Type cmd in the Open text box
   and click OK to launch the Windows com-
   mand line. Switch to the Instiki directory
   using the cd \instiki\ command.


4. Start the Instiki server by typing
   instiki.cmd and pressing Enter.

Start Instiki for the first time in the Command Prompt window.

Set your wiki’s title and password and click the

Setup button.

RUN INSTIKI AS A SERVICE

Instead of using the command prompt, you can run Instiki as

a Windows service. The Instiki service can start automatically

with Windows every time you reboot (so you don’t have to do it

manually), and it eliminates the unsightly Command Prompt win-

dow from your taskbar. Get instructions on how to run Instiki as a

Windows service here: http://tinyurl.com/2pc5gm.

Windows Firewall may pop up and ask if you want to block the

Ruby interpreter. Choose Unblock to access your Instiki server.

ORGANIZE
YOUR LIFE WITH A^ WIKI

Configure Instiki

Once Instiki’s installed and running, it’s time to visit

your new wiki. Switch to a web browser and type

your Instiki installation’s address into the location bar.

It will be available at http://localhost:2500/.

There you’ll see Instiki’s initial setup page, where

you can set your wiki’s name (you can use My Stuff)

and an optional password to require administer privi-

leges to change Instiki settings. When you’re done,

click the Setup button. Congratulations! You’ve got

your own personal wiki running.

Keep in mind that your wiki will be available

only when instiki.cmd has been executed—other-

wise, your web browser will give you a “page not

available” error. Check out the sidebar below for

more information on starting Instiki automatically

as a Windows service.