On CSS

Nandini Doreswamy published on alistapart an article on Bulleted Lists: Multi-Layered Fudge. The idea is to create 2 side by side paragraphs and each one to have a bulleted list: sample Nice idea, I'm thinking about using something similar in my next design for this blog. This can replace the current static position that I applied. Continuing on CSS, on Digital Web magazine I found an article in which Karen Morrill-McClure writes a review on The Zen of CSS Design, a book about the designs found on csszengarden.com. Actually, I find this book for beginners in CSS, those who want to understand what CSS can do and why use such design. The two articles that are posted before this one, are interviews with the author's. Seems this week is dedicated to that book :). On mezzoblue is mentioned the book articles triade.

Busy week

This week has been a very busy one for me. I supposed to go to Constanta on Sunday, but I had some technical difficulties: took me more than 20 hours to make 4 mini-Dv from a Sony Camera VCD's. Never thought It will take so long... Well, after that, I had to assemble a PC and the motherboard jumper FSB was set to 133, the processor (Duron 900 :) ) is working on 100, so I had a hard time figuring the problem (after testing memory, resetting BIOS I solved it). I put some 512SDRAM on it and it loaded faster than my own (this PC was for my cousin - a nice present). When all was finished, was way to late to go to the train station. I woke up next morning, got the computer and went to the train station: destination Constanta - beach during wintertime. I wanted to take a 1st class ticket for a "rapid" train, but the cash desk lady recommended me to get a 2nd class ticket because the only difference is the chair color, and she was right. Actually 1st class wagons have no compartments, while 2nd class do [and the price difference is about 60% or more...]. Romania, what can you say more... Anyway, got to Constanta, went to the village where my cousin lives, I delivered the PC, installed it, everybody happy... So, I stayed for lunch and got the next train back. The folks there told me that 2 weeks ago, the snow was 2m high, covered their windows and doors, a helicopter came to bring them supplies. Only melted snow on the fields reminded of the polar climate :) Nice trip though. Next day, went to work and restarted my 9-23 schedule :). It's good from time to time to experience other things: I haven't assembled a computer for some while and I thought I'm rusty, but I managed well, learned how much time takes to make a mini-dv VCD.

PHP Security Consortium (PHPSC) was launched

On 31st January PHP Security Consortium (PHPSC) was launched. " Founded in January 2005, the PHP Security Consortium (PHPSC) is an international group of PHP experts dedicated to promoting secure programming practices within the PHP community. Members of the PHPSC seek to educate PHP developers about security through a variety of resources, including documentation, tools, and standards." [about] The website has a simple design, common to wikki style. You can see it just has launched: 1 article (Using PEAR's Text_CAPTCHA to Secure Web Forms, by Marcus Whitney), 1 project (PHP Security Guide 1.0 (English) HTML,docBook Lite [soon will be available as pdf]. Today is 6th feb. and still no update since 31st jan... I printed the security guide to study it, that caused my printer to run out of paper, I'll have to buy some more...

Securing a MySQL Server on Windows

Many users that install mysql database server, skip the process necesary for securing it. There are many users that still allow root login from any host (%), maybe still have a valid user login with no password. Here is an article from MySQL about Securing a MySQL Server on Windows

How to install and configure your own web server

Install Apache2, PHP 4.3.10 and MySQL

Here is a quick tutorial to make your own web server [Apache, PHP4, MySQL] on Windows. Of course you can always download an already made server suite, but all you do next, next, next... and then edit your php scripts. Installing your own web server and configuring it will improve your knowledge in this field, and gives you the oportunity to configure it for your own needs. Download [latest stable realeses]: Apache [httpd-2.0.52-win32-x86-src.zip] PHP PHP 4.3.10 zip package MySQL 4.1.9 [I still use MySQL 3.23] Create a folder on your disk C:\www Run apache installer:

- install location c:\www
[default c:\program files\apache group]:
so it will install c:\www\apache2
- Hostname: localhost or your IP address
- Listen: 80
- admin email address: youremail@address.com
- finalize install

Create the folder: c:\www\htdocs Unzip php-4.3.10-Win32.zip to c:\www\php4 Copy [or cut] c:\www\php4\sapi\* to c:\www\php4\* Rename php.ini-dist to php.ini and edit it:

; The root of the PHP pages, used only if nonempty.
; if PHP was not compiled with FORCE_REDIRECT, you SHOULD set doc_root
; if you are running php as a CGI under any web server (other than IIS)
; see documentation for security issues.  The alternate is to use the
; cgi.force_redirect configuration below
doc_root = c:/www/htdocs
;...........................
extension_dir = "c:/www/php4/extensions"
; Uncoment eny extension that you may need
extension=php_xslt.dll
;............... display all error except notices
error_reporting  =  E_ALL & ~E_NOTICE
;displaying script errors:
display_errors = On
; if you are using for production is it recommended to be set to Off

Note: php_xslt.dll requiers sablot.dll [placed under %WINDIR%\system32] php_exif requires php_mbstring.dll loaded BEFORE. For other extensions check documentation first. Copy php.ini in your %WINDIR% directory [that is c:\windows or c:\winnt] Configure apache to handle php scripts: Open and edit c:\www\apache2\conf\httpd.conf

ServerRoot "C:/www/Apache2"
#....edit
Listen 80
#.....ad the line
LoadModule php4_module /www/php/php4apache2.dll
#....edit
ServerName localhost:80
#...edit
DocumentRoot "C:/www/htdocs"
#...edit
DirectoryIndex index.html index.php default.php index.html.var
#add the lines:
AddType application/x-httpd-php .php
AddType application/x-httpd-php-source .phps

Save it and restart Apache [Apache Monitor->Apache2->Restart]. MySQL: Unzip mysql to c:\www\mysql and run c:\www\mysql\bin\winmysqladmin.exe, set root password and you will have mysql databaser server running. I also recommend phpMyAdmin for querying and administering mysql server. Now testing instalation: create a file index.php in c:\www\htdocs and put the following content: <? phpinfo(); ?> then open your browser and go to: http://localhost/ and you should see:

PHP Version 4.3.10 ....

If not, well there is a problem. Send me an email and I will try to help you. Hope this can help... This is mainly the way I've done it several times and it worked on Windows 2000, windows xp, sp2, and last evening was running on windows media center 2005. I also installed mod-python, but that will be another post :)

My first post

Finally it is completed! After lots of thinking and pending I have created a blog. To blog or not to blog... Anyway, here it is. I had a hard time thinking about a title for this blog, so after 1 minute and about 42 seconds I submited: "Web development [PHP, MySQL, CSS, XML, Python ...]". The three dots want to "say" that will be more than that. I chose the title based on my programming experience. I've been working with PHP & MySQL for 3 years for developing web based applications, so I believe it is a representative title.