made install script a little smarter, hope u like it ;)

script/install.sh

 #!/bin/bash
-#MAKE ME BETTER
-# see https://github.com/jamiew/git-friendly for more ideas
 
-#maybe this should be two files
-#one which includes cloning diaspora/diaspora, and one that assumes you already cloned it yourself
-# maybe one script just calls another?
+###
+# MAKE ME BETTER
+###
 
+: '
+see https://github.com/jamiew/git-friendly for more ideas
 
-#other ideas what we could do
+maybe this should be two files
+one which includes cloning diaspora/diaspora, and one that assumes you already cloned it yourself
+maybe one script just calls another?
 
-#1. check that you have ruby installed, if not, point to wiki page and exit
-#2. check to see if we need sudo (generally, if it is a system ruby you need sudo, which you can check
- # if which ruby is /usr/bin/ruby, or does not have rvm in the path)
-#3 check if you have bundle installed and install it, and install with/without sudo if you need it
 
-#check if you have mysql and/or postgres installed, point to wiki page if neither is found.
-#(maybe even switch database.yml if this is the case?)
+other ideas what we could do
 
-#make it work if you have just cloned diapsora and want a quick setup, or
-#support magic install, like this http://docs.meteor.com/#quickstart
+ 1. check that you have ruby installed, if not, point to wiki page and exit
+ 2. check to see if we need sudo (generally, if it is a system ruby you need sudo, which you can check
+    if which ruby is /usr/bin/ruby, or does not have rvm in the path)
+ 3. check if you have bundle installed and install it, and install with/without sudo if you need it
 
+ check if you have mysql and/or postgres installed, point to wiki page if neither is found.
+ (maybe even switch database.yml if this is the case?)
 
-# echo "downloading diaspora"
-#git clone git@github.com:diaspora/diaspora.git
+ make it work if you have just cloned diapsora and want a quick setup, or
+ support magic install, like this http://docs.meteor.com/#quickstart
+'
+
+####                                                             ####
+#                                                                   #
+#                           DEFAULT VARS                            #
+#                                                                   #
+####                                                             ####
+
+BINARIES="git ruby gem bundle"       # required programs
+
+D_GIT_CLONE_PATH="/srv/diaspora"     # path for diaspora
+
+D_REMOTE_REPO_URL="git://github.com/diaspora/diaspora.git"
+
+D_WIKI_URL="https://github.com/diaspora/diaspora/wiki"
+
+D_IRC_URL="irc://freenode.net/diaspora"
+
+
+####                                                             ####
+#                                                                   #
+#                          FUNCTIONS, etc.                          #
+#                                                                   #
+####                                                             ####
+
+#... could be put in a separate file and sourced here
+
+# heredoc for variables - very readable, http://stackoverflow.com/a/8088167
+# use like this: 
+# define VAR <<'EOF'
+# somecontent
+# EOF
+define(){ IFS='\n' read -r -d '' ${1}; }
+
+# expand aliases in this script
+shopt -s expand_aliases
+
+# alias echo to alway print \newlines
+alias echo='echo -e'
+
+# nicely output error messages and quit
+error() {
+  echo "\n"
+  echo "[ERROR] -- $1"
+  echo "        --"
+  echo "        -- have a look at our wiki: $D_WIKI_URL"
+  echo "        -- or join us on IRC: $D_IRC_URL"
+  exit 1
+}
+
+# check if all necessary binaries are available
+sane_environment_check() {
+  for exe in $BINARIES; do
+    echo -n "checking for $exe... " 
+    which "$exe"
+    if [ $? -gt 0 ]; then
+      error "you are missing $exe";
+    fi
+  done
+  echo ""
+}
+
+# find or set up a working git environment
+git_stuff_check() {
+  echo "Where would you like to put the git clone?\n(or, where is your git clone)? "
+  read -e -p "-> " -i "$D_GIT_CLONE_PATH" D_GIT_CLONE_PATH
+  echo ""
+
+  test -d "$D_GIT_CLONE_PATH" \
+    && cd "$D_GIT_CLONE_PATH" \
+    && git status "$D_GIT_CLONE_PATH"  # folder exists? go there. is a good git clone?
+  if [ $? -gt 0 ]; then
+    mkdir "$D_GIT_CLONE_PATH" # only if it doesn't exist
+    # not a git repo, create it?
+    echo "the folder you specified does not contain a git repo, create one?"
+    select choice in "Yes" "No"; do
+      case $choice in
+        Yes ) git clone "$D_REMOTE_REPO_URL" "$D_GIT_CLONE_PATH"; break ;;
+        No ) error "please make sure you have a git clone somewhere" ;;
+      esac
+    done
+  else
+    git checkout master
+    git pull
+  fi
+  echo ""
+}
+
+
+
+####                                                             ####
+#                                                                   #
+#                              START                                #
+#                                                                   #
+####                                                             ####
+
+# display a nice welcome message
+define WELCOME_MSG <<'EOT'
+#####################################################################
+DIASPORA* INSTALL SCRIPT
+
+This script will guide you through the basic steps
+to get a copy of Diaspora* up and running
+#####################################################################
+
+EOT
+echo "$WELCOME_MSG"
+
+
+# check if we have everything we need
+sane_environment_check
+
+
+# check git stuff and pull if necessary
+git_stuff_check
+
+
+# goto working directory
+cd "$D_GIT_CLONE_PATH"
 
-# echo 'moving into diaspora'
-#cd diaspora
 
 echo "initializing Diaspora*"
 echo "copying database.yml.example to database.yml"
 cp config/database.yml.example config/database.yml
+echo ""
 
 echo "copying application.yml.example to application.yml"
 cp config/application.yml.example config/application.yml
+echo ""
 
 echo "bundling..."
 bundle install
+echo ""
 
 echo "creating and migrating default database in config/database.yml. please wait..."
 rake db:create db:migrate --trace
+echo ""
+
+define GOODBYE_MSG <<'EOT'
+#####################################################################
+
+It worked! :)
+
+Now, you should have a look at
+
+  - config/database.yml      and
+  - config/application.yml
+
+and change them to your liking. Then you should be able to
+start Diaspora* in development mode with:
+
+    `rails s`
+
+EOT
+echo "$GOODBYE_MSG"
+echo "For further information read the wiki at $D_WIKI_URL"
+echo "or join us on IRC $D_IRC_URL"
+echo ""
+
+
+exit 0
 
-echo "It worked!  now start your server in development mode with 'rails s'"
-exit 0
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