A Simple Approach to Site Security
There are two kinds of security that Web sites, applications, and operating systems can provide: perceived security and actual security. Perceived security is still important, because that’s what convinces users that it’s safe to, for example, provide their personal information to your Web site. But actual security is the key. Think of it as the difference between having a sign in front of your house saying it’s protected by a security system and actually having a security system. But if you’re anything like me, you’ve never tried to hack someone’s Web site and aren’t generally inclined to think like a person who would, so how do you make your sites secure? Here’s what I do… (continue reading…)
Installing PHP 6 on Windows
The makers of EasyPHP, an all-in-one Apache, PHP, and MySQL installer for Windows, also provides a PHP 6 version if you’re interested in experimenting with the next major version of the language (as I demonstrate in my PHP 6 and MySQL 5 for Dynamic Web Sites book). I haven’t personally used EasyPHP (I try to avoid using Windows, if at all possible), but from what I can tell it seems to be a quality, well-supported product. EasyPHP is available for free although donations are encouraged.
PHP 6 Hosting
A reader posted a question in the forum the other day and indicated they were using PHP 6 on a shared hosting account. It’s absolutely fantastic when people include their PHP (or whatever) version when they ask questions, but, more to the point, I was surprised to see PHP 6 being offered, since it hasn’t been officially released yet. But, yes, SiteGround offers hosting accounts with several different versions of PHP. I know nothing of the company or the quality of their hosting, but if you want to try PHP 6, without installing it on your own computer, this is a cheap option.
