Here's something from the first part of the install which is not something a normal person would ever do:

Configure the EC2 security groups (firewall) to let you reach Sandstorm

By default, Amazon EC2 protects your virtual machine from being reached over the Internet.

In the above tutorial, we allow the virtual machine to be reached on port 80. By default, Sandstorm uses port 6080, so look through the above tutorial and add another security groups rule allowing port 6080.

SSH in, and run the Sandstorm install script

I've just installed Sandstorm to test it: Created a droplet in Digital Ocean, logged in ("ssh root@...", and they had my ssh key), the curl|bash, and it worked. It was way beyond awesome for an open-source Linux app. So the EC2 problem exists only because someone advised to use Amazon for a hobby installation.

I love the concept, and I'm looking forward the day a facebook alternative could be built into it. And if it had existed when Google Reader ditched the internet, everybody would be on Sandstorm today. I've just experienced the feeling of browsing my RSS feeds of porn without feeling watched and without being afraid of hitting a "share to facebook" button: It's a great experience.

That's a fair point. Maybe we should lobby VPS providers to have simple installers for it, like DO's one-click apps.

Uh, if you can't figure that out from the directions, maybe you shouldn't run your own server?

It's ludicrous to suggest that everyone should run their own server. It's like saying they should all build their own cars.

It's more like suggesting that they should drive their own cars, pump their own gas, or change their own tires in an emergency. Nobody is suggesting that people should be able to program a webserver.

I agree, but people aren't going to pay someone to run a server for them when Facebook, twitter, snapchat, etc are free.

It's also hard to argue that it's fundamentally different if you don't run it yourself.