Flex and the Zend Framework

As you’ll all know by now, Flex 2 is the best thing sincesliced bread. It gives PHP developers a means of creating richInternet applications based on a relatively simple code base. TheZend Framework is also geared up to make PHP applicationdevelopment a cinch. What happens when the two technologies cometogether? I wrote an application to find out.—by Cal Evans

Normalization Part 1: Chinese

There is a myth that PHP 4 and PHP 5 are not useful forworking with non-European languages. The mbstring extension candispel that myth. This two-part article will show how you can useeven good old PHP 4 to do complex work in Chinese,Japanese—in fact, in any language supported byUnicode.—by Darren Cook

Automated Benchmarking and Code Profiling

Learn how to benchmark and profile your PHP code. Find thehidden bottlenecks slowing down your application—before yourclients do!—by Dirk Merkel

cURL Unfurled

Using fopen() to retrieve Web pages is simple, but how aboutwhen you’re trying to get information from deep within anAUTH-protected website? The curl extension opens the entire WorldWide Web to your PHP code. With correct usage, you can retrievejust about any page on the Internet and use it in any way you seefit.—by Stephen Cook

The Job Interview: an Insider's Guide

It’s hard to find your dream PHP job, and harder still whenyou go through the interview process only to hear the thud of arejection slip landing on your doormat yet again. What does theinterviewer want from you? How about looking at things from theother side of the table?—by Jeof Oyster

Security Corner: The Problem of Security

Security is a problem: there is no way around it. We wouldall prefer that we didn’t have to code input filters and logins.Our users would prefer not having to remember a fourteen characterpassword that has to include numbers, upper and lowercase letters,and at least one symbol. Our systems administrators would prefernot to have to store logs and user details.—by Simon Morris