What tutorials and articles would you like to see?

[deleted]

We're putting together a topic list for this site, and would love to know what topics would you like to read? We've covered the gamat, so we'd like to know if you're prefer more beginner, intermediate or advanced tutorials? Would you like to see articles about specific projects and/or applications, or more general pieces?

Potential topics we're thinking about include:

Ajax Implementations
Smarty templates
RSS
XML-RPC Implementations
SOAP
web services
PHP Objects in N-Tier Web Architecture

Also, if you are interested in writing for us, we still have a few slots open, and we pay!
Thanks,
Scott

laserlight

I expect that AJAX related tutorials would have some demand these days. Personally, I have been trying to get into the mood to rewrite the database normalisation article, but have not done so yet.

nrg_alpha

sclark;10888123 wrote:
we'd like to know if you're prefer more beginner, intermediate or advanced tutorials?

The answer to this question of course will be highly subjective to who answers. I personally think all of the above.. more of all. There is a good spread of skill sets on PHPBuilder that would benefit from having a good dose of all levels of difficulty.

sclark;10888123 wrote:
Would you like to see articles about specific projects and/or applications, or more general pieces?

Potential topics we're thinking about include:

Ajax Implementations
Smarty templates
RSS
XML-RPC Implementations
SOAP
web services
PHP Objects in N-Tier Web Architecture

(aside from PHP related issues) I would like to see more Ajax for sure, as 'web-based desktop applications' is certainly picking up more steam these days.

EDIT - I would also point to perhaps more up to date documentation on getting PHP, Apache and MYSQL up and running together more smoothly. I have seen books (that I don't own) recommending XAMPP as an example (which includes all of these elements and installs and configures them together). But if someone doesn't use XAMPP, there could be some frustrations with regards to getting all of these elements to work well together (I know I was frustrated setting these up). There are links here on PHPBuilder that discuss such issues, but even following its advice, I still had 'complications'.

Also, perhaps a code repository of very well written, clean, elegant bug-free and fast code samples that are very useful for everyday PHP coding.

If I come up with other suggestions, I'll update them here.

[deleted]

Thanks, I appreciate both of you taking the time to respond, and I will be looking into your suggestions.

The code library sounds like something that would be very useful. We have the code snippet area, but it needs to be revamped--perhaps done in a way similar to our site, JavaScriptSource.com.

NogDog

I like the idea of the code library, too; especially if it could be done in some way where there is a sort of peer review process in order to try to ensure both the correctness and validity of any code accepted there.

nrg_alpha

I was just thinking of that, Nog. I agree.. having more knowledgeable feedback prior to Code Snippet Approval (CSA seal of quality lol) prior to having that snippet put into the repository.

I think the last thing we would want is a bunch of heavy discussions populating what is supposed to be very clean and easy to find and use repository. After all, the 'Code Critique' forum is built for the very purpose of discussions and code revisements.. If this repository was to go through, I think it would need to be clear to members that there is a big difference between it and the critique forum.

Perhaps a read-only 'Code Library' forum that only forum moderators can access / put submittions (from Code Critique) into? This way, the members know that the code sitting in Code Library there has been checked, revised and tested, is bug free and elegantly written. No fuss.. no hassle. Clean and simple 🙂

Just my 2 cents

Cheers,

NRG

NogDog

Maybe each submission could link to a thread in the "Code Critique" forum here, where discussions could be held (and hopefully the original authors would pay heed and update/correct their submissions when appropriate).

laserlight

Maybe each submission could link to a thread in the "Code Critique" forum here, where discussions could be held (and hopefully the original authors would pay heed and update/correct their submissions when appropriate).

Would that be a "post-review" process, or also a "pre-review" process so that terribly faulty code does not get published in the first place? I recall ranting about some pretty bad articles some time ago, but no changes were ever made to them as far as I can tell.

NogDog

laserlight;10888346 wrote:
Would that be a "post-review" process, or also a "pre-review" process so that terribly faulty code does not get published in the first place? I recall ranting about some pretty bad articles some time ago, but no changes were ever made to them as far as I can tell.

While I'd prefer to see a pre-publication review process, I'm not sure how practical that might be, particularly if said submissions are to be paid for by Jupiter Media. Would they need to pay the reviewers, too? Or if the code is submitted here in the forums in the Code Critique forum, and then wholesale changes are incorporated due to the resulting comments, and then the revised code is submitted to the repository, it's hardly any longer a not-previously-published article, it would seem.

Now, if Jupiter Media would like to hire me as part of a team of peer reviewers, we can talk terms.... 😉

nrg_alpha

Now, if Jupiter Media would like to hire me as part of a team of peer reviewers, we can talk terms....

Nog, charge them double, and give me half. 😉

laserlight

nrg_alpha wrote:
Nog, charge them double, and give me half.

As in give you half the work? Sounds like the good idea to me, NogDog 🙂

nrg_alpha

laserlight;10888361 wrote:
As in give you half the work? Sounds like the good idea to me, NogDog 🙂

Well, let's not be too hasty here.. my half of 'work' will end up being a second half Nog would have to re-code :p