On NETTUTS.com today there's a new tutorial showing you how to create a split testing environment in your WordPress installation with the help of the Google Website Optimizer plugin.

Split testing is a way to experiment with a live site and find which headlines and text are the most effective. Amazon uses split testing to determine which versions of their site convert customers better. We’ll use WordPress and Google’s Website Optimizer to test two different headlines, and find which works best at capturing customer emails.

They walk you through their six step process to help you create the pages for testing, install the Google plugin and use the Web Optimizer tool to keep track of the results of your testing.

The main PHP.net website has posted a list of people participating in this year's Google Summer of Code project on various PHP projects. These include:

• PHP Optimizer by Samuel Graham Kelly IV, mentored by Derick Rethans
• gsoc:2008 - XDebug by Chung-Yang Lee, mentored by David Coallier
• PHP Bindings for Cairo by Akshat Gupta, mentored by Anant Narayanan
• Implement Unicode into PHP 6 by Henrique do Nascimento Angelo, mentored by Scott MacVicar

You can check out more information on the projects (including links to their individual pages) on this page of the Google Code website.

Nessa has a guide posted showing exactly how to get the IonCube encoder installed right alongside the Zend Optimizer (specifically on a cPanel setup).

This is a common request we get for Ioncube to be installed. It's generally not an issue, but when you factor in other optimization plugins like Zend and eAccelerator, a common misconception is that the three don't get along. It's very easy to install Ioncube into a PHP installation that already has Zend and eAccelerator.

It's only about a five or six step process to get them working happily together with one "gotcha" mentioned about the ordering of the statements in the php.ini file.

Nessa has a guide posted showing exactly how to get the IonCube encoder installed right alongside the Zend Optimizer (specifically on a cPanel setup).

This is a common request we get for Ioncube to be installed. It's generally not an issue, but when you factor in other optimization plugins like Zend and eAccelerator, a common misconception is that the three don't get along. It's very easy to install Ioncube into a PHP installation that already has Zend and eAccelerator.

It's only about a five or six step process to get them working happily together with one "gotcha" mentioned about the ordering of the statements in the php.ini file.

The Zend Developer Zone has posted this release announcement for the latest version of Zend's application server - Zend Platform 3.0:

Zend Technologies, the PHP company, today announced the general availability of Zend Platform 3.0. Zend Platform 3.0 is the only PHP application server created specifically to support the management, performance, integration and scalability requirements of organizations that use PHP to run business-critical web applications. Zend Platform improves the end user experience with these web applications by enabling better application responsiveness, reduced application downtime, and richer functionality.

Updates from the previous version include:

• Support for PHP 5.2
• Zend Optimizer 3.2.3 and Zend Debugger 5.2.4 are included
• New servers: Performance Mangement Server, Integration Servers & Enterprise Server
• PHP Configuration Control enhancements
• Actuate BIRT Reporting integration
• and more [txt]

You can check out the features and everything about the Zend Platform on it's official page on Zend's website.

The Zend Developer Zone has posted this release announcement for the latest version of Zend's application server - Zend Platform 3.0:

Zend Technologies, the PHP company, today announced the general availability of Zend Platform 3.0. Zend Platform 3.0 is the only PHP application server created specifically to support the management, performance, integration and scalability requirements of organizations that use PHP to run business-critical web applications. Zend Platform improves the end user experience with these web applications by enabling better application responsiveness, reduced application downtime, and richer functionality.

Updates from the previous version include:

• Support for PHP 5.2
• Zend Optimizer 3.2.3 and Zend Debugger 5.2.4 are included
• New servers: Performance Mangement Server, Integration Servers & Enterprise Server
• PHP Configuration Control enhancements
• Actuate BIRT Reporting integration
• and more [txt]

You can check out the features and everything about the Zend Platform on it's official page on Zend's website.

In another "cut to the chase" kind of post today, this new item on Bnnx.com gives the steps needed to install the Zend Optimizer.

You'll need root access to the server you're installing it on, but after that, it's really a pretty simple setup process. You'll also need to have the webserver up and working with PHP to get it all working (obviously), but having each step laid out for you makes it each.

If you're looking to install this offering from Zend, be sure to check this process out.

In another "cut to the chase" kind of post today, this new item on Bnnx.com gives the steps needed to install the Zend Optimizer.

You'll need root access to the server you're installing it on, but after that, it's really a pretty simple setup process. You'll also need to have the webserver up and working with PHP to get it all working (obviously), but having each step laid out for you makes it each.

If you're looking to install this offering from Zend, be sure to check this process out.