Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by THE DEEPER

how when a couple have different life plans?

THE DEEPER — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 18:19:45 +0800

Hi,

I've known a girl for almost a year now. We have an incredible chemistry that I never felt with someone else. She deeply loves me and I love her too. And we can't stay away from talking to each other more than one day.

I currently work overseas in a very lucrative job and she is a teacher in KL and plans to start her masters overseas. We want to get married so badly but our problem is we both place high value on our future plans. I want to continue working at my current job for additional couple years to collect money and start my own business one day, and she wants to get scholarship and further her studies. If she gets scholarship, by contract she has to work for the government for a number of years (min 3 years).

She is proposing to get engaged for couple years until I get back to the country. But I don't think I can wait that long. I want her as my wife today if possible! Plus I might move permanently to overseas if I find better opportunities which she can't do because of her scholarship contract. Another conflict, I believe I can afford a very good life to her so I don't want her to work after we get kids, but she insists to work even after we have kids.

We are two stubborn people. Everytime we discuss about this, we end up fighting. But we forget it the next day (which is something I love about her, we never stay angry more than a day ) But We didn't open this discussion for couple weeks now and for me I need to do something. I don't like this stateless position.

What do you advise???? Any advise will help!

Thank you!

WTA Miniature Figures Manufacturer

THE DEEPER — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 18:29:38 +0800

Hi,

I'm not sure if this is the right place. But I want to ask does anyone know any place that make/manufacture miniature figures?? like small models/action figures?

I want to build a miniature version of a strategic game called Field Runners on the iPhone/iPad as a gift to a friend. Please let me know if you have any source! thanks

[WTA] How's salary in Jeddah, Saudi?

THE DEEPER — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:16:08 +0800

Hi,

I got an offer for a job in saudi as an IT Consultant. Any idea how's the average salary for IT guys there??

What Java Web Framework do you use/recommend?

THE DEEPER — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 19:04:20 +0800

Hi there,

Need your consultation gurus..

Soon I'm going to start a new project in which I have to use Java to build a web application. Since I'm more like a PHP guy, my knowledge is quite limited in Java. I know basic JSP and servlets. I took the project coz it's challenging and it's a good chance to have some hands-on training in Java, but at the same time I have to find the fastest way to get it done on time. So currently I'm researching which development tools to use to speed up the project. I heard about Java Web Frameworks and it seems they are powerful stuff, but there're hundreds of them.

So guys which framework do you use or think it's commonly used? and which one do you recommend? My criteria is simple: it has to have short learning curve (relative to the rest) and also should be MVC based architecture coz I'm familiar with MVC and I use PHP MVC frameworks a lot.

Looking forward for ur suggestions

To be a designer or to be a coder?

THE DEEPER — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 20:51:55 +0800

These days I'm thinking a lot about this topic. Currently, I play both roles in my projects, I design and code the system. However, I'm starting to think I should specialize more into coding (coz I feel I'm a little bit stronger in it) and get a full designer to help with the design stuff. The benefits I could foresee from this separation are as follow:

1. I will produce better code because I will only be focusing on that part.
2. Save time. I can work on the code while the designer do the design.
3. Overall better quality coz two brains will work on the project instead of one. When you do everything in the project sometimes you miss the big picture.

The disadvantages in my opinion are:

1. Communication would be an added overhead. coz now you have to coordinate with someone else.
2. A possible increase in project cost.
3. Hard to find very good, dependable, web designers.

What do you guys think of the developers who do both the design and the coding for web applications?

Do you think that's a good thing or a bad thing? is it possible or not? And is there any limit?

Finally, are you a coder or a designer?????

Planning to offer a free WP template

THE DEEPER — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:58:25 +0800

I just finished a big project recently and I have some free time before the next one starts. I'm planning to utilize this time to do some community work and offer a free wordpress template. I need some suggestions from you LYN bloggers.

What themes should I do? e.g. Corporate, Technology blogs, news, personal blog...etc. I'm currently thinking to do a real-estate related theme.

PHP Security Tips

THE DEEPER — Thu, 27 May 2010 22:30:26 +0800

Hi there,

Just sharing with you the top 7 security precautions I think you should take care of when you are building a web application using PHP. Feel free to add more tips if you'd like.

1. User's input is dirty until proven otherwise.
Don't ever trust user's input. Period. Always filter whatever input your application gets from users. There are so many ways unvalidated user input could cause problems, headache and embarrassment to you. Also, be very strict. If you are expecting a phone number (019123456), then don't accept (019-123456). Use Casting all the time. PHP functions of htmlspecialchars() , htmlentities(), and strip_tags() are there to help you, use them.

Don't trust your forms too. Always make some rules/conditions when you are accepting data submitted by forms. Someone could create a fake form and send it to your processing page. so before you start processing the form, make sure it's coming from your application not somewhere else.

2. Clean Your Output
whether you are saving data to DB or printing out the output, make sure you clean your output using PHP functions of htmlentities(), and mysql_real_escape_string().

This step and the one above can actually solve many of the security issues in PHP.

3. Show the errors
While you are developing your app, enable ERROR_REPORTING(). It helps finding any errors, obviously, but more importantly, it will alert you if a variable is not initialized properly.

4. Validate Your Users
Use multiple variables when you are validating the user E.g. Session ID+User Group or user_id+session_id+an encrypted user agent data. Previously I used to depend mostly on Session ID but I learned sessions can be hacked so be careful. And I'd also prefer to save all sessions-related data into a DB instead of cookies or just PHP Session variables. If possible, don't implement features like "Remember ME" coz to leave a user logged in for long periods is quite dangerous.

5. Use SQL Prepared Statements
SQL Prepared statements are really underestimated. Beside providing performance gains, they can add additional security to your code by limiting what data can be passed to MySQL as a query.

6. Use .htaccess as much as practical
Protect your folders and files with htaccess as much as you feel practical. Ideally any config file or system file should be put outside the www folder if possible. For e.g. if you are using CodeIgniter Framework, you should only have the application folder in wwww folder, the rest should be resided on a higher level.

7. Security Through Obscurity
I simply love this rule. It basically means don't provide your enemy enough information about your application that he can use to launch his attack. The less your attacker knows about your app, the more frustrated he would be. And to make a hacker frustrated is a win already. Therefore, in live sites (production sites) always disable error reporting. Also don't use common names for your admin section (e.g. admin/administration/backend..etc) or make the admin user name = admin! If you are using a framework or a CMS try to change the default folder names (e.g. change the wp-admin folder in Wordpress)

Can get AppleCare plan from Amazon?

THE DEEPER — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:11:23 +0800

Hi,

Just wondering is it possible to get the AppleCare Protection Plan from Amazon? They're currently selling for (after conversion) RM600. While resellers in malaysia sell it for min RM840. I'm not sure but I'm thinking since the protection plan is not hardware, so they might not have restrictions on it as they do on buying Macbook for non US markets.

Anyone knows something about this may please enlighten us.

What if I stop paying Astro?

THE DEEPER — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:30:16 +0800

I'm fed up with astro....there is like four months left in the one year contract!! I wanted to cancel bt they said I have to pay the remaining months! what the heck is that? so I plan to stop paying them at all...what they can do beside harassing you on the phone?

Plz review my personal website

THE DEEPER — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:43:32 +0800

Hi,

I really need your help to review my portfolio. I need your suggestions and comments in order to make it better and better, coz am sure it is far far away from Perfect yet.

Please go here : www.ahmedjabar.com

Thanx alot in advance!!!!

The unknow soliders: The freelancers!

THE DEEPER — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:25:25 +0800

Hi,

It is a fact.

Freelancers are really treated badly in Malaysia. Just last week had a big issue with a client of mine and I felt undermined and disrespected coz I'm not representing a company but only myself....*sigh*.. I solved the issue somehow, but it left a painful thought of how bad is the experience of working as a freelance in Malaysia.

So here I'am asking all my fellow freelancers to share their experience. What are the main issues you all are facing as freelancers and What possible solutions you could suggest to tackle these issues?

Finally, in your opinion is it worth it to work as a freelancer in Malaysia??

Here & There...my 1st gallery.

THE DEEPER — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:16:41 +0800

Hi

I took these in Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Still starting to learn and long way ahead...

Spa Treatment to a lady co-worker..

THE DEEPER — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 18:49:25 +0800

Hi,

One of my colleagues b'day is coming after a week or so. One day she was telling me her body feels stiff...and I tot "hmm, maybe i shud give her a spa treatment as b'day gift? "...but is it too much of a gift for a colleague? I mean this is something usually bfs give la as I understand...so will it send a message that I actually don't intend to send?

kindly advice..

Is there a better way to do this Query?(SOLVED)

THE DEEPER — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:43:59 +0800

Hi,

Guys I need your advice.

I have a database application I'm working on currently. And in the application I have two tables, lets say admission table, and system table.

The structure of the admission table is :

CODE

admission_id
ic_no
reference_number

The structure of the system table is:

CODE

system_id
sys_ic_no
sys_reference_number

What I want to do is to see if both tables share an account/data. So basically the user will give his IC NO and then the application should look into the two tables and see if the user account is in both, it should match based on two columns: ic no, and reference number. If IC NO does not exist, then it should look for the reference number.

So currently I'm using two queries, 1st one is :

select * from admission JOIN system ON (admission.ic_no=system.sys_ic_no) where admission.ic_no='xxxx-xxxx-xxxx'

Then I will check if the result not empty, if not empty proceed, if empty then I launch the 2nd query:

select * from admission JOIN system ON (admission.reference_number=system.sys_reference_number) where admission.ic_no='xxxx-xxxx-xxxx'

It is working OK....but I feel this is not the best way to do it....I want to combine both queries in one query..so do you have an idea on how to do that???

your advice is much appreciated...

--------------------

After playing around for sometime, I found the magic query and it works!, here it is for the public knowledge...

select * from admission right join system on(admission.ic_no=system.sys_ic_no) where ic_no='XXXXXX-XX-XXXX'
UNION
select * from admission right join system on (admission.reference_number=system.sys_reference_number) where ic_no='XXXXXX-XX-XXXX';