Files under webroot
Submitted by Brandybuck on Mon, 09/17/2007 - 23:03.
AdvoKit Users
I have an account with GoDaddy. I have only ftp access, and am unable to cd up one level to what would otherwise be my home directory. I notice a LOT of warnings about not installing anything under webroot, but I don't seem to have much of a choice. I might be able to install in a higher directory, but then I would have no access to any of it.
What's the best thing to do in this situation?
Use another hosting plan?
Submitted by patdunlavey on Tue, 09/18/2007 - 06:38.
I'm going to guess that if you can only work in a public html directory, that you are also restricted in other ways, such as not having a login shell from which you can run the voterfile import script. While one can install and run Advokit with the application root directory located under the web root, to do so is to invite any passer-by to find your database connection information (database name, user name, password, etc) and use that information however they want.
disappointed
Submitted by Brandybuck on Tue, 09/18/2007 - 23:57.
I'm rather disappointed. Getting a shell account at GoDaddy takes the cost from $3 a month to $30 a month. Ten times the cost. Just to run a script once. Sigh. This sounds like something that should be listed as a requirement. Stupid me for trusting the minimum requirements page in the FAQ.
My bad
Submitted by patdunlavey on Wed, 09/19/2007 - 05:28.
I've edited the FAQ to include mention the shell account requirement. A couple further thoughts:
- There are folks without shell access who have finagled someone at the hosting company to run the script for them. I don't recommend this because particularly for first-time users, there are often issues with the voter data that require you to trouble-shoot and re-run the script a couple or even several times.
- There are plenty of hosting services that will satisfy all the requirements for installing and running Advokit for $6 a month or less. Check out dreamhost.com and site5.com, just for starters.
Huh?
Submitted by Brandybuck on Tue, 09/18/2007 - 23:17.
So you're saying I'm screwed, and need to shell out more money for a different hosting company? Not the answer I wanted to hear. It would have been really nice if there were some ACCURATE requirements for using Advokit. What I found [http://www.advokit.net/node/125] didn't mention anything at all about getting a shell account. I also didn't realize that MySQL was so damned insecure.
Hello
Submitted by fredsambo on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 12:17.
Brandybuck, this is an Open Source project. It is free software. Pat works on this for FREE and is friendly enough to try and help folks like you out; if you don't like our documentation we invite you to help improve it! So stop whining about having to spend a few freaking bucks to get a REAL hosting provider.
Also, where did you hear that MySQL was insecure? Less secure than what, MSSQL? LOL!
Really
Submitted by fredsambo on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 12:33.
The issue is really with GoDaddy. Everyone makes the mistake of going with GoDaddy once. Just about every service out there, other than GoDaddy, allows you to put files above your public_html (web root). Most hosting companies realize that you don't want to show off your config files to the world.
I finally got my voter data,
I finally got my voter data, and am trying again. I'm using bluehost this time. Very cheap. I'll see how it goes.