Main.TWikiPreferences needs to be modified

There are a handful of settings that have to be changed in order for TWiki to work properly. Those who have done enough installs know the essential ones, but unless one has them memorised, one still has to look at

TWiki.TWikiPreferences

The dead minimum settings to put there are:

• WIKIWEBMASTER
• WIKILOGOIMG
• WIKILOGOURL

Although I'd also put in the skin stuff.

Obviously WIKIWEBMASTER would have to be set to webmaster@examplePLEASENOSPAM.com, but it would be much easier to change and more likely to be noticed if it were in

Main.TWikiPreferences

One example: google twiki webmaster@example.com. The number of hits is unbelievable. Including sites run by our own folks.

-- Contributors: MeredithLesly

Discussion

I can't tell you how many times people have come into #TWiki with mail problems, only because they hadn't changed WIKIWEBMASTER to a real address.

-- MeredithLesly - 02 May 2006

Switched to ChangeProposalForm and ProposedFor EdinburghRelease.

-- SamHasler - 02 May 2006

I don't have anything against this, in principle, but I have a BIG problem with it in practice if Main.TWikiPreferences is included in the "changed files" package as this will negate the whole purpose of Main.TWikiPreferences (not having it over-written on upgrades). If it can be included in the complete package but not the "changed files" package, then fine. Otherwise, I don't think the small benefit is worth dealing with the riot of (justifiably) pissed site administrators who followed our instructions to move preference settings to Main.TWikiPreferenes only to have us trash them anyway!

-- LynnwoodBrown - 03 May 2006

It's fine with me if it's not included in the "changed files" package. The problem I'm addressing is the PITA of creating new installs, as reflected by the reams of TWiki sites that have webmaster@examplePLEASENOSPAM.com as their WIKIWEBMASTER.

-- MeredithLesly - 03 May 2006

I have to highlight the fact that this is not a new problem in Dakar, it's a problem as old as Beijing.

I can think of two non-exclusive "solutions":

• Better documentation.
• Installer/Upgrader script.

Main.TWikiPreferences is not meant to be distributed.

-- RafaelAlvarez - 03 May 2006

I know. I actually raised this very shortly before Dakar shipped, I think, and was told "post-Dakar". Which it is.

-- MeredithLesly - 03 May 2006

And I don't know why the STOPSPAM is geting in there, but that's not included in the webmaster addresses when I google. And it's rather silly to pad example.com, but I guess it isn't smart enough for that.

-- MeredithLesly - 03 May 2006