Mystery message from Frontier

[David A. Bayly]

>Hello David (& List):
>Thanks for your response:
>
>>You're missing a table at config.manila./stats.referers. Make an
>>empty one and see what happens.
>
>I've added that table. However, when I started Frontier, the 
>"Server" menu didn't appear, so I can't call the "Control Panel". 
>This happens most of the time. To get the "Server" menu I have to go 
>through "Set Up Frontier..."

2 thoughts. First are you allowing Frontier to contact Userland as 
part of the setup? if not, it won't initialize correctly.  Second 
thought, this sounds like frontier hasn't saved its roots after doing 
a setup.   Do a setup and look in the windows menu. are there any 
underlined window names? if yes, bring them to the front and save. 
Now quit Frontier and launch again.  Did that fix the problem?

>
>As an aside, as I explore the environment I've noticed Frontier 
>errors of various sorts.


If you are running Frontier and a browser on the same machine then 
you re stretching the envelope somewhat.  Servers generally run 
better if they  just serve. . Is the host machine Mac or Windows? 
There are known problems with IE on a Mac, it eats the whole machine 
while waiting for a page.

>And this suggests a supplementary question. Is my experience 
>typical? For an application costing more than 800 bucks I assumed 
>life would be, if not easier, then more consistent.

I either run a server or a development workstation and I don't mix 
the 2 types of environment. That said , it is a very complex 
environment that you are setting up, with much scope room for errors 
and therefore lots of room to improve the initial user experience. 
There was a teaser on the scripting com news page the other day about 
improvements coming in this area.  I'm known for an uncompromising 
attitude w.r.t.  bugs, but this was not a big issue for me as I 
recall.
-- 

- David Bayly.       Programmer and digest reader.     dbayly at udena dot ch
  		Digest Readers do it once a day.