joomla install question

[sledgehammer]

I am trying to install joomla.  The install instructions say:

DOWNLOAD Joomla

   You can obtain the latest Joomla! release from:
       http://www.joomla.org

   Copy the tar.gz file into a working directory e.g.

   $ cp JoomlaVx.x.x-Stable.tar.gz /tmp/Joomla

   Change to the working directory e.g.

   $ cd /tmp/Joomla

   Extract the files e.g.

   $ tar -zxvf JoomlaVx.x.x-Stable.tar.gz

   This will extract all Joomla! files and directories.  Move the contents
   of that directory into a directory within your web server's document
   root or your public HTML directory e.g.

   $ mv /tmp/Joomla/* /var/www/html

   Alternatively if you downloaded the file to your computer and unpacked
   it locally use a FTP program to upload all files to your server.
   Make sure all PHP, HTML, CSS and JS files are sent in ASCII mode and
   image files (GIF, JPG, PNG) in BINARY mode.

Does anyone know where to find 5.8 standard's" web server's document root or your public HTML directory?"

John

[bigpaws]

If you have installed apache then yo can try locate
htdocs. That should give you a reference where to
start loooking.

Bigpaws

[sledgehammer]

Thanks Bigpaws.  I think your suggestion has me safely to the next install step, being a mysql step.  I am learning that my ignorance of mysql is a real handicap, whether dealing with joomla, knoda, or whatever.  I bought a book on mysql two or three years ago, but went to sleep every time I started reading it. I have ordered a special torture chair to assist me reading the mysql book, which should arrive soon.  Its made by the waterboarding folks....every time the user nods off, it dumps the contents of the chair into a large vat of ice water. 

My interest in joomla stems solely from my inability to figure out how to allow remote sites, manned by laypersons, to input and edit portions of a site created in Komposer.

[exeterdad]

I bought a book on mysql two or three years ago, but went to sleep every time I started reading it.

I think I own that book, couldn't tell ya the name of it.  Must of been asleep 

[sledgehammer]

Well, I am learning that I am going about this joomla business all wrong. Kompozer, which comes with Vector 5.8 is a good tool for creating a web page, but apparently its machine specific....i.e. I think you have to be on your computer to input data on Kompozer.  Joomla on the other hand is apparently installed to the server, or, in my case, the ISP (which may be the same thing).  Anyway, I have Joomla installed on a server and have the password so I will sledgehammer away for a while.  Apparently I don't need to know much if anything about mysql if its installed on the server.  We will see.