Printer friendly pages

• March 1, 2006
• James Skemp

I've added a print stylesheet to the WordPress pages. This should make this content a lot more printer friendly.

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Setting up WordPress on a local Web server

• February 28, 2006
• James Skemp

In our previous tutorials, we setup an Apache-based Web server, on a Windows XP home computer. The Web server is also running PHP and MySQL, as well as ColdFusion MX. This time, we'll be installing WordPress onto our local Web server. This installation will require us to work with both PHP and MySQL, and we'll be able to setup any number of WordPresses after we have completed this one.

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Installing ColdFusion on a local Windows-based, Apache, server

• February 27, 2006
• James Skemp

In this tutorial, we'll be working through an installation of ColdFusion MX 6.1, Developer's Edition, on a local, Windows-based, Apache server. On this server, we've setup Apache, PHP, and MySQL, but will also want to have the ability to work with ColdFusion code (however, not necessarily on the same sites that we'll be using PHP). We'll be doing this to experience a more corporate Web-programming language – corporate primarily because of the costs associated with ColdFusion.

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A local, Apache Web server, on a Windows XP computer

• February 27, 2006
• James Skemp

My intention is to write a number of guides that will help someone build a functional Web server for testing purposes. Since Windows is fairly popular, I've decided to outline how to install Web server programs on it. Since Apache is both powerful and free, I've opted to use it as the core, instead of IIS, or the like. I also plan on keeping the various technologies up-to-date, yet continuing to provide the instructions for past versions used, just in case.

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Installing Zend Optimizer on a local Windows-based, Apache, server

• February 26, 2006
• James Skemp

From Zend's FAQ,

Why use the Zend Optimizer; isn't PHP supposed to be quite fast already?

The standard Zend run-time compiler used by PHP is indeed extremely fast, generating code that is usually 2 to 10 times faster. But an application that uses the Zend Optimizer typically executes another 40% to 100% faster.

So, Zend Optimizer will help decrease the time spent on processing code. If you run the file we created a few steps back, probably called http://localhost/phpinfo.php (which basically runs <?php phpinfo(); ?>), you'll notice a line that says "This program makes use of the Zend Scripting Language Engine: Zend Engine v1.3.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2004 Zend Technologies". This is the standard Zend run-time compiler that is mentioned above. Once we download and install the Zend Optimizer, we'll see some additional lines here.

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Installing MySQL Administrator on a local Windows-based, Apache, server

• February 25, 2006
• James Skemp

Last time, we successfully installed both MySQL and phpMyAdmin on our local server. However, we only had one user. This time, we'll be installing MySQL Administrator, to give us the ability to add administer MySQL in a way that we can't do with phpMyAdmin. Before we go, please note that the MySQL Administrator does not take away the value of phpMyAdmin. In fact, phpMyAdmin is usually how you'll be able to administer your MySQL databases in the real world.

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New WordPress plugin installed - word count and estimated reading time

• February 25, 2006
• James Skemp

After having seen a blog that did it, I've installed a nifty little WordPress plugin that displays word count, image count, and estimated reading time. For some of my articles, the estimated reading time is going to be far off, but ... it's nifty nonetheless.  Reminder - I'll be posting the 'second part' of the MySQL tutorial tonight.

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Installing MySQL and phpMyAdmin on a local Windows-based, Apache, server

• February 24, 2006
• James Skemp

Note: This guide should work equally well for phpMyAdmin 2.8.1 and above. For a guide on upgrading this 2.7.0-pl2 install, see Upgrading phpMyAdmin (2.7.0-pl2 to 2.8.1) on a local, Windows-based, Apache server. MySQL will allow us to create databases on our local server. With PHP, this will allow us to install applications like the free WordPress, as well as number of open source content management systems, not to mention bulletin boards and the like.

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Taking a break from the tutorial

• February 23, 2006
• James Skemp

Tomorrow, I'll be posting the tutorial on setting up MySQL. However, for today, I won't be posting a new tutorial, as I've already spent the last hour writing one on setting up ColdFusion (which is the fourth tutorial I have to post, the MySQL one for tomorrow being the first).

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Installing PHP on a local Windows-based, Apache, server

• February 22, 2006
• James Skemp

While our previous article walked through adding Perl to our local server, Perl just isn't going to cut it for creating dynamic content. For that, we're going to have to install a more powerful language. As I said quite a few articles ago, if we would have gone the IIS route, we could have the use of ASP. However, since we're going the Apache route, that means PHP is our best choice.

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