This is really pathetic. I remember using the 1-click installer as a test circa 2007 with 1and1 for WordPress, realizing I couldn't do anything but choose from their terrible selection of themes and then taking it off to install WordPress manually, but I just assumed that in the intervening six years, it would be better.

Wow.

Just...wow.

Seriously though, this is the challenge that self-hosted software is up against and it's why hosted offerings such as WordPress.com, Squarespace, Tumblr, etc. have gained so much steam over the last few years. It was one thing in 2004 or 2005 when I first used WordPress to expect that there would be some learning curve involved. Even in 2007, the concept of an automated installer script was novel.

But I genuinely get worried about solutions like this that aren't updatable yet are sold to newcomers who don't necessarily know they should be going to Squarespace or WordPress.com, they just know, "I want a domain and web hosting, this thing says its 1-click, OK." Especially from such a large host.

Ironically I still have a few domains with 1and1, only because the renewal is cheap and I haven't wanted to transfer them, but I should just bite the bullet and do it.