Improve installation instructions for non-technical users

[indigoxela]

Description of the need

It actually popped up in the Zulip chat. A user had a really hard time to figure out how to install Backdrop with MAMP.

The Backdrop installation instructions require some basic technical knowledge regarding web. That's fine for people coming from Drupal or people who already did web CMS installs.

The instructions seem, however, a little sparse for people with few know-how regarding the web. (How to create a database, what to put where...)

Comparing our instructions to the Wordpress instructions might be helpful for improvements.

They provide phpMyAdmin screenshots and overall more details regarding what-and-how-and-where.

Proposed solution

We could keep the current instructions but also provide a "newbie page" with more step-by-step info and screenshots.

[domaingood]

Hello
I think check Modx CMS installation instructions I think its more easier than WordPress.

[stpaultim]

This issue was flagged by a mentor for Open Source Day as good potential project for Open Source Day. I agree.

But, we need to think about the logistics of having an OSD participant work on this. As many of us are already aware, we don't have the best collaboration tools for this kind of documentation.

We could use a WIKI page in the BackdropCMS.org issue queue (it is not yet turned on, but we could turn it on)?
We could create a temporary Google Doc?

@jenlampton or @klonos - thoughts?

Atten: @ArchanaAnand0212

[jenlampton]

I think a wiki page is a great place to start:
https://github.com/backdrop-ops/backdropcms.org/wiki

[stpaultim]

Grace Hopper Celebration - Open Source Day Participants

It's great to have fresh eyes look at and contribute to documentation as they are using it. The fact that you maybe setting up Backdrop for the first time, means that you are coming to these instructions fresh and will spot omissions that many of us might not spot. Please, try to install Backdrop CMS with these instructions and let us know what is missing. Screenshots would be wonderful.

If you would like to work on this issue. Please, post a comment and use the following wiki page for collaborative editing.
https://github.com/backdrop-ops/backdropcms.org/wiki/How-to-install-Backdrop-CMS

I just set up that page despite the formatting limitations of using mark-down. If you have questions about using mark-down, let us know. We can look at other alternatives to make this task easier to manage, if necessary.

To avoid duplication of efforts, be sure to post a note below to indicate that you are working on this task. If more than one person wants to work on it at a time, they can connect in Zoom room or in Slack.

Feel free to ask questions here, in Zoom, or in Slack.

If you work on this task. Be sure to post a note here when you are done with a quick summary of how things went so that we are sure to review the work and get it posted to BackdropCMS.org

[jenlampton]

To avoid duplication of efforts, be sure to post a note below to indicate that you are working on this task. If more than one person wants to work on it at a time, they can connect in Zoom room or in Slack.

There is also the "Assignees" section at the top right of every issue. When you start working on an issue, you can use this feature to assign the issue to yourself if you would prefer to do that than add a comment :) Just remember to un-assign yourself when you are done working on an issue.

[stpaultim]

@trhiana - Thanks for the feedback you provided already. Let me know if you need additional help.

The current instructions don't really provide the needed context of what is required to install Backdrop CMS. We need some information on this page about the need to install Backdrop either on a webserver or to have tools like MAMP, Lando, DDev, or any of the other local development tools installed.

We can't describe all the options on this page, but we can provide basic information and links to some good options.

[Raque-lita]

I will work on this issue.

[klonos]

Should we move this issue to https://github.com/backdrop-ops/docs.backdropcms.org/issues instead? This has nothing to do with the core code. ...or am I missing something here?

[philsward]

Should we move this issue to https://github.com/backdrop-ops/docs.backdropcms.org/issues instead? This has nothing to do with the core code

Makes sense to me