Koree Monteloyola

To install GCC in Mac OS X, you need to download the Command Line Tools for Xcode.

The Command Line Tools for Xcode can be downloaded from "Downloads for Apple Developers" page.

The page can also be viewed by going to the Apple's developer page, click on Resources, click on "Downloads" under OS X, and you'll be redirected to the Downloads for Apple Developers page.

On the right side, you'll see the list of items to download, search for Command Line Tools for the Mac OS you're using.

Hardcore Wordpress fans please don't stone me to death. XD

I am writing this article so I can easily refer my clients to this post in the future.

What I found out when I tried to create a customized inquiry form with CAPTCHA for a client was, Wordpress does not implement or allow $_SESSIONS for 3rd party WP plugins (by default). So, initially I ended up displaying the image for the CAPTCHA perfectly fine but it does not verify the user's  CAPTCHA input against the text on the CAPTCHA image.

This discovery led me to create a contact form that implements CAPTCHA but does not use PHP sessions. You can download "Kontak" for Wordpress.

Just so you can understand this limitation better, I'll explain it further. In PHP coding, we have what we call “sessions”, we use this to keep a user’s information while still logged in - regardless of how many pages a user visits within the same domain. The user's data would not expire as long as the session is alive.

In Wordpress this method is applied to the core WP codes using cookies, by default all front-end 3rd party plugins would not be allowed or piggy back on WP sessions. That's the reason why most (contact) web forms in Wordpress do not have CAPTCHA.

BUT...but there is a hack to enable sessions in Wordpress, check this article - Wordpress and Sessions.

And being a cautious developer that I am, I would say that you too should be cautious if you want to apply this hack. Wordpress designed their platform this way for security reasons.

Consider this example: if I were a naughty WP plugin contributor, who studied a specific WP plugin so I can sniff or hack the data using sessions, there is nothing preventing me to do that since PHP sessions is already enabled in your site. Although a code ninja should've anticipated this kind of attacks and decides to encrypt the user's data; in this case, we can still say that enabling sessions for Wordpress would still be good.

To drive my point to home, in Wordpress if you don't want to use sessions you have to rely on cookies or any other method that would work in lieu of PHP sessions. So what do sessions have to do with eCommerce sites? First a user's info should have to be retained for every page that the user visits while he/she is still logged in the site/shopping cart. Second, some of the info like credit card information is better relayed between pages using sessions rather than cookies.

Most of the eCommerce plugins for Wordpress use Paypal, if this is your chosen payment gateway, we'll good for you because you'll probably find a suitable eCommerce plugin for your Wordpress site. (read the comments below about this)

In my opinion Wordpress is the excellent platform for information systems, but if we're going to talk about e-commerce, hmm maybe you should consider using Joomla or use a different shopping cart platform and link it to Wordpress, but membership for different platforms would not be synced (this depends on the platforms being used as well).

I know you’re looking for economical and fast solutions, but you have to make some sacrifices and be careful if you want to enable sessions in Wordpress.

I would appreciate readers' comments that would enlighten me regarding this topic.

Kontak is a Wordpress contact form plugin that has the following features:

• Coded in HTML5
• Enable/Disable Captcha
• Captcha is not using PHP sessions
• Customizable fields: 
  • Subject for email
  • FROM and TO email headers
• (Optional) Customize CSS.

How to install Kontak web form plugin for Wordpress

1. Go to WP admin site to install plugin and activate
2. Click on the "Kontak" link at the bottom left navigation/menu
3. Customize the following required field values: FROM and Recipient's email
4. On the page wherein you want to see the contact form just paste the value that's in the "Shortcode Name". The default is "[kontak-web-form]".
5. Test and enjoy.

Download Kontak web form

View demos: 

• http://racketroll.com/wp-plugins/
• http://www.onegirlfactory.com/

For inquiries or violent reactions, feel free to use the comments below.

And by the way, this is my first time to release an open source software, I know there's much to learn.

Cheers!

In many ways Unified Process is very similar to the classic Waterfall model, although, because of its flexibility it can be customized to be used as an agile software development process. Considering its inherent versatility as a factor, various organizations can implement Unified Process to work on different types of applications, involving people with different skill levels, in different complexities. There is really no definite or limited steps on how it should be implemented, its application would depend on how an organization decides to use it.

The core of UP's framework has the following attributes:

1. Gather knowledge on the project that should be done
2. Assess the needs of the client and build a list of project requirements from the gathered information
3. Analyze and design the project software
4. Implement the design, testing and deployment

These attributes are applied to the four phases of a Unified process project.

Each phase can be iterated per workflow as the software lifecycle moves through the phases. The adjustments occur by controlling the number of iterations in each phase; iterations are determined by the organization and complexity of the project.

The four phases of Unified Process are:

• Inception deals with data gathering and project planning
  • Possible tasks/outputs:
    • requirements workshop
    • vision and risk list
    • use case model
    • supplementary specifications
    • prototyping
• Elaboration deals with the iterations to be done during the project cycle based on the defined project / software architecture
  • Possible tasks/outputs: 
    • short iterations of testing, programming, designing
    • requirements workshop
    • refining vision
    • refining the process and technical environment
• Construction is the phase wherein the project software is actually built and extensively tested. The documentation should also be finished under this stage.
  • Possible tasks/outputs: 
    • short iterations of testing, programming, designing
    • stakeholder evaluation & steering
    • minor evaluations
    • create all documents
    • alpha testing
• Transition is the phase wherein the project software is declared as complete and delivered to the client for deployment.
  • Possible tasks/outputs: 
    • beta or release candidate testing
    • stakeholder feedback
    • final programming and documentation
    • deployment

Figure 1: The iteration is enclosed within a rounded rectangle. | Horizontal: Phases of Unified Process; Vertical: Core Workflows

Personally what I really like about Unified Process is I can use this very simple and flexible cycle as an agile software development process - even for complicated projects.

And I guess this is just one of the reasons why Unified Process is one of the most popular agile processes used today.

Reference:

Agile Software Development Processes A Different Approach to Software Design bye Everette R. Keith;

First, the updates and points of discussion:

1. Microsoft is suing companies left and right

2. Yes, they (might) own most of the copyrights/patents for the essential technologies in software development.

3. Microsoft has managed to overpower companies that invented or produced a technology that people use and really enjoy, but now has to stop its production because according to Microsoft the technology infringes the terms of intellectual property rights.

Lately, Microsoft is getting better in suing companies - better than improving their own technologies. I understand the scope of intellectual property rights, how it can protect a company and destroy an idea or invention. Let's say that Microsoft has won in most/every IPR case, can this company be able to deliver the technologies they kill?

If they can - good. I'll stop the hate.

If they can't, which apparently is the current situation, then Microsoft is just getting richer, while some of use are getting dumber.

Of course, Microsoft still dominates the PCs and/or servers with their system and application softwares. But if we're going to talk about the web and mobile arena, I think they have failed to evolve together with their target audiences.

Well, Microsoft hasn't really been known as a company of innovation, Apple takes on that job really well. It's like Microsoft is still in beta testing mode after a decade of web and mobile evolution. 

"I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A GREAT THING TO HAPPEN AND I'M STILL WAITING."

Have you used Microsoft's search engine - Bing!? You know the search engine that has a fancy page layout but fails to deliver the results that you really need? I check it from time to time to see if it's still alive. Honestly, I'd rather use Yahoo! than Bing. But, Microsoft was able to buy that system too, probably now they understand what went wrong while analyzing Yahoo!'s source codes and network infrastructures.

Come to think of it, Microsoft now owns two search engines, but most of us are still using Google. They have the money but it seems they don't have the right people to invent the things WE NEED.

Have you seen a Windows Phone powered smartphone yet? My sister bought this huge smartphone - HTC HD7 - and as usual the graphical user interface is great, I was blown away when I first saw it, but when we tried sending files via bluetooth it failed to detect my Android phone. Sure, games look better in Windows Phones but check out the battery life! If you want to last a day while executing multimedia apps I suggest you buy an extra battery or don't ever, ever forget to bring the charger.

How about the fees in Windows Phone development? $99. You'd demand that amount without any guarantee of returns in investment. AND, WORSE HAVE YOU CHECKED THE MARKET SHARE OF WINDOWS PHONES?

As a developer, would you be inspired to create apps because of 10% market share?

Oh, and don't forget the maps...ok, I'll be kind here...it's a work in progress too.

It appears that Microsoft is creating a huge hindrance in reaching the full potential of (technological) user experience, by slowly killing other technologies that they fail to invent or produce.

And that's what worries me, on a small scale. But if you really think about it and imagine the future, you might feel the urge to scream out of frustration.