How to change your php memory_limit

ok, what happened?

If you build websites, at one point or another you will install or run a script and get a blank white screen.  Chances are, you will have this tell-tale look on your face.

Never fear, you have most likely just hit the memory limit on your server.  Memory limits are very important to have.  They help to keep scripts from running out of control or using up all of your free memory.  On the other hand, sometimes you are adding a rather fancy or elaborate feature to your site, that simply requires slightly more memory then the default 8mb that Apache gives you.   Let’s show you how to fix that.

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Tags: hosting, technology

hAlp! I am a n00b. How do I know my Joomla site is secure?

You may be new to Joomla, you may be a grizzled veteran. No matter who you are, it is always good to make sure your Joomla site is secure and not open to sploits.

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Tags: hosting, Recommended Services, security, tools of the trade, useful tips

Pssst, I can see your unmentionables.

phpinfo is a valuable command that can allow you to find errors and learn more about your server.  Don’t share it with everybody on the internet.

"Mummy I see your phpinfo"

So last month you wanted to install this fancy new java-flippy-moo-fools-slider-transparency-bookmarklet-tab thingy on your website.

You installed it and it didn’t work as expected, so you asked the bookmarklet-flippy-moo developer what to do.

He asked you if you were using php4 or php5, and if you had GD libraries installed.  You said: (more…)

Tags: development, hosting, security, useful tips

Website hosting – what you need to know

At some point in our lives we all hope our websites get popular enough to generate some traffic and get us some exposure. No matter if you have built a small family website, or a large corporate site you will hope to have a lot of people view your site.

If you are new to website building you might be a bit confused about what type of hosting is best for you. You now have to worry about your sites security, running backups and keeping things running smooth.

For example if your site gets hacked or goes offline and you don’t know about it, or know how to fix it, all your hard work is wasted. Here are some tips anybody who works on websites for a living needs to know. (more…)

Tags: hosting, Hosting and Security, Joomla, technology, useful tips

Build your Joomla site locally and faster.

Develop your Joomla site on your own network.  You will be amazed how much faster you will get things done.

I am pretty stubborn sometimes.  When I am creating a new Joomla site I will typically upload it to my webspace and edit things around to my liking.  I have to wait on the  occasional page refresh and FTP up and down constantly.  Recently I tried out some of the more popular standalone server programs and was really impressed with how far they came along.  I was able to install most of them in under 5 minutes with no complications.  Editing sites was lightning fast and there is no FTP upload/download wait time.

Depending on what operating system you use, you will have two options I would suggest. (more…)

Tags: development, hosting, Joomla, tools of the trade, useful tips