Yesterday, I talked about using XMPP with PHP in the Bangalore PHP meetup.
I have uploaded the slides which I used for the talk to my Slideshare account. I have embedded it below for easy viewing.
You can find the demo and the source code which I used in the talk here.
The following are links to some of the softwares/libraries which I mentioned
Posted in Events/Camps Tagged Bangalore, PHP, XMPP 2 Comments
Yesterday, I talked about using memcache in PHP in the Bangalore PHP meetup.
There were lot of good questions and the discussion which followed after the presentation was very good. Thanks for the organizers for putting together a great event.
I have uploaded the slides which I used for the talk to my slideshare account.
I have also embedded them below so that you can easily view them.
Posted in Events/Camps Tagged cache, memcache, Performance, PHP 1 Comment
I just gave a talk in Bangalore PHP Meetup about ways in which we can use WordPress as a platform. The following is the slide I used and a little write up about the talk.
Okay, we have seen various tutorials, blog posts etc about using WordPress as this, WordPress as that and even a definite guide to using WordPress as a CMS 
What I am going to talk about is how we can use WordPress as a platform to develop PHP applications on top of it.
There are basically two ways in which we can write apps using WordPress.
This is the most common way of writing apps using WordPress. You basically write a Plugin or a Theme that uses WordPress API. (This is how RoloPress is developed)
Check out the slide for some examples apps using this technique.
In this technique, we can make use of our knowledge about WordPress functions and API in our non-standard WordPress PHP-based web applications. The easiest way to use this technique is to use BackPress.
So what is BackPress. Here is the official definition
BackPress is a PHP library of core functionality for web applications. It grew out of the immensely popular WordPress project, and is also the core of the bbPress and GlotPress sister-projects.
Using BackPress, you can include the necessary files and you will get the WordPress utility functions. My most favourites are the security functions. In additions to using the utility functions, you will also be able to get the following features.
You can see the full list in the BackPress documentation.
I also go about discussing the scenarios where it is advantages and where it is not so advantages to use BackPress. (You can see those in the slides)
So in a nutshell, if you are a WordPress developer and want to use the familiar WordPress functions in a non-WordPress PHP-based web application that you are developing, then you can use BackPress to get those familiar functions.
I am going to use BackPress in a couple of projects, which I am going to start and so stay tuned. 
Posted in Events/Camps, RoloPress, WordPress Tagged BackPress, Bangalore, Meetup, PHP, RoloPress, WordPress 8 Comments
I have been dropping hints about a secret project which I have been working on for quite some time and now it’s time to reveal it.
The secret project was RoloPress, a WordPress based, open source contact manager, which I was developing with my friend Steve Bruner. The main distinction of RoloPress is that it is an application build on top of WordPress and is not a separate application with is tied up with WordPress.
Some of the notable features of RoloPress for end users are:
RoloPress follows WordPress Plugin architecture and provides lot of features for developers to play around.
The initial plan was to show the preview in WordCamp NYC (Now you know why I was interested in WordCamp NYC ) and release it on 16-Nov-2009. But during the preview session, Matt (founder of WordPress) gave some interesting feedback and we are working on them now. Unfortunately these changes are not backward compatible and so we have held back the release till those changed are incorporated. So you have to wait for sometime
For those who can’t wait, here is a presentation about RoloPress which was used in the preview session in WordCamp NYC.
Posted in Events/Camps, RoloPress, WordPress Tagged RoloPress, wcnyc, WordCamp, WordPress 16 Comments
… you are asking for trouble. I learned this valuable lesson past weekend. You need to protect your phpMyAdmin folder from outside world or you are asking for trouble.
I went to a conference about security called Hackintosh, where we had a competitive event called ‘Capture the Flag’. The event was structured like a game and consisted of 10 different levels. At each level, you have to solve a problem by hacking into a sample application using some vulnerability. Each level had problems in increasing order of complexity and most of them were very interesting.
After about 4 levels, I found out that the phpMyAdmin folder of the server, in which the event site was hosted, was public. I logged into the database (it didn’t asked me for the password) and updated the level column corresponding to my username row to 10. That’s it, I conquered the flag. In the end, I ended up hacking the Hackintosh
Jokes apart, the valuable lesson I learned from this event is that you should never leave the phpMyAdmin folder (if installed) open. You can do the following instead.
So do you still have your phpMyAdmin folder open?
Posted in Events/Camps, Security Tagged phpMyAdmin, PuTTY, Security 7 Comments
In its quest to get more Indians to use Facebook, they has announced the first ever developer contest, targeted for Indian programmers.
The contest is open only for Indian residents and you have to either develop a Facebook App or integrate Facebook connect to your site.
The contest runs from July 2, 2009 till September 11, 2009. You have to submit your entries before September 10, 2009 at the contest website.
There are going to be cash prizes for top 3 entries in each category – Facebook Apps and Facebook Connect Integrations.
So, budding India Facebook developers, it’s time to roll your sleeves. Since I am busy with the WordPress Plugin Competition, I don’t think I will be able to compete, but let’s see. Is any of you taking part in this contest?
Posted in Events/Camps Tagged Competition, Contest, Facebook, India 1 Comment
Mobile Application developers, get ready, Google has announced the second edition of Android Developer Challenge to award the best mobile apps build on the Android platform.
The first edition of Android Developer Challenge which took place last year had more than 1,700 entries. With the recent release of Android 1.5 Google is expecting more entries this time. This challenge was announced in the recent developer conference Google I/O along with other Google Wave and Google web Elements (more about them later )
The following are some of the important rules to take part in the contest
For each of the 10 categories:
Overall (across all categories)
The dates are not yet finalized but the submission will close somewhere in August and the results will be available by November.
PS: (for Yuvi) Since you have lost your mobile, try to get a new one which supports Android so that you can take part in the contest.
Posted in Android, Events/Camps Tagged Android, Contest, Mobile 4 Comments
The annual Yahoo Open Hack day is back and this year it is happening in Bangalore on Feb 14th and 15th (What a way to spend the Valentines weekend )
There are two different tracks, Info Geek and Hacker Gurus. Both are free, but you need to register at the official site. You also need to support your application with some information about you (like a link to your blog etc). Hurry up, only limited seats available.
I signed up for Hacker Guru and have got my application approved. I am waiting for the clear chit from my doctor (due to my recent weight loss ) and if I get it, I will be attending.
The Taj Residency
Bangalore
India
14th and 15th Feb 2009
Official website
Facebook Group
Twitter
Let me know if any of you are attending, we can meet and also probably collaboratively hack:)
Posted in Events/Camps Tagged HackDay, hackdayindia, Yahoo 3 Comments
The guys behind BarCamp Chennai, are putting together another event titled FailCamp. If you are wondering what a FailCamp is, here is the quote from the official wiki.
We all make mistakes and learn from it to become a better person. Won’t it be great to learn from other’s mistakes so that we don’t make the same ones!
The focus is really not about the failure. It’s about why we failed and what lessons we learnt from it. Let’s not be ashamed about failing. Let’s celebrate failure. Let’s look straight into its eyes.
If it sounds interesting, head over to FailCamp wiki and register yourself. Here are the details about the event.
November 16 2008 – Sunday
Tenth Planet Technologies Pvt., Ltd.,
#807, P.T.Lee Building, 6th Floor, Anna Salai, (Opposite LIC building)
Chennai-600 002
Driving directions and parking information are available in the wiki. You can also find some pictures of the venue here.
Failcamp is also an unconference like BarCamp and everyone will be participating rather than just attending. Even you can help in organizing the event. In the wiki, you can find the list of items that needs to be done and you can pick any one of them that interest you.
I will be attending the event and if possible will talk about the lessons which I learned from one of my pet project King Ping.
Let me know if you are coming and we can meet up and celebrate failures.
Posted in Events/Camps Tagged BarCamp, Chennai, Events/Camps, FailCamp Leave a comment