Askbot is a Django so you'll need python. If you want to build your own python, make sure configure it with ssl support. In my case I tried to build python 2.7.8 with ssl support, configure --with-ssl doesn't work, so I have to hack setup.py to include ssl support, just make sure the include and libs directory are correctly listed.

Install Askbot

Assuming your python is installed in directory ~/python/2.7.8

First, I needed to install pip, setuptools and virtualenv (NOTE: this assumes you can access PyPI using your own user)

PYTHON=~/python/2.7.8/bin/python

${PYTHON} get-pip.py

pip install virtualenv

Create a virtual environment

~/python/2.7.8/bin/virtualenv ~/python_virtualenv_for_askbot/

alias vpyt=~/python_virtualenv_for_askbot/bin/python
alias vpip=~/python_virtualenv_for_askbot/bin/pip

Now install askbot using pip of the virtualenv:

vpip install askbot

Initially I had error installing setuptoolshg because pip can't seem to find it, after some googling the root problem is caused by some dependency issue of django, the solution is to explicitly install setuptoolshg first:

vpip install setuptools_hg

Install Postgres

I actually already have postgres 9.0.3 installed in ~/, if you don't just follow the postgres website for how to install it. After thtat, you need to install python binding for postgres:

vpip install psycopg2

it will fail if pg_config is not known, if so, just do this:

export PATH=$PATH:~/postgresql/9.0.3/bin/

to initialise postgres with a working directory /var/pgdata-9.0.3, do this:

mkdir /var/pgdata-9.0.3
~/postgresql/9.0.3/bin/initdb -D /var/pgdata-9.0.3

Then config postgres by editing /var/pgdata-9.0.3/postgresql.conf:

wal_level = hot_standby
wal_sync_method = fsync
max_wal_senders = 2
wal_keep_segments = 8
listen_address = '*'

Then edit pg_hba.conf to add permissions, refer to postgres document for details.

Start Postgres

~/postgresql/9.0.3/bin/pg_ctl -D /var/gpgdata-9.0.3 -l /var/pgdata-9.0.3/server.log start

Create user and passwd

~/postgresql/9.0.3/bin/createuser first_user -E -W

NOTE: for some reason this command doesn't set password correctly, I had to run a sql command to reset password for first_user user:

~/postgresql/9.0.3/bin/createdb qna -U first_user

~/postgresql/9.0.3/bin/psql qna -U first_user

ALTER ROLE first_user WITH PASSWORD 'passwd'

Configure Askbot

mkdir /var/qna_askbot
../bin/askbot-setup

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:~/postgresql/9.0.3/lib/
vpyt manage.py collectstatic

# initialize database for askbot
vpyt manage.py syncdb
vpyt manage.py migrate askbot
vpyt manage.py migrate django_authopenid
vpyt manage.py runserver `hostname -i`:8999

Then you should be able to test your qna site by connecting via your browser

http://127.0.0.1:8999/

Of course replace 127.0.0.1 with your own server ip.

If everything went well, you should be able to see a q&a site very similar to stackoverflow!