I am working on a simple site for a video production company. Today I was trying to use PHP includes for site navigation and other repeating elements. Alas, when I uploaded my scripts to a development folder on the client's server, the PHP files were not recognized.
The error displayed in the browser was FILE NOT FOUND. But curiously, the title bar displayed 401 Authorization Required. At first I thought my client was on a Windows server, and I would have to dust off my ASP hat. But he assured me that he had a UNIX plan and gave me the login information to the hosting control panel.
I've never trod upon Network Solutions' cyber-lawn, but it's mowed for newbies (you know, n00bz). I couldn't find anything to change the apache or PHP configuration. However, the overview page did say PHP was "available".
To make a long story short, I decided to use the WordPress installer. I knew WordPress was written in PHP, and I figured the installer would flip some configuration switches that I didn't know how to get to.
As I suspected, after WordPress was installed, my PHP files begin working. I uninstalled WordPress, and my scripts still worked. So my problem is solved, except I don't know why.