Icy Phoenix

Hi all,
I would like to keep you updated on some of the recent developments about Icy Phoenix.

Me and all developers are working on the whole package trying to improve some existing aspects but also implementing some new features.

Mainly we are focusing on performances and code optimization: trying to reduce the number of files and inclusions and creating classes for higher scalability and performances.

Regarding these aspects I would like you to know that I have decided to invest most part of donations received so far for a paid code audit by an external professional coder: this means that a specialized PHP coder will go through the code of the core files mainly trying to catch security holes and bugs, but also trying to improve the overall code by writing new code which helps with performance.

As you may imagine this kind of job is time consuming, and professional coders are not that cheap. This is why I'm also starting a new initiative here.

Starting from today, 90% of all the donations received until the end of February will be re-invested into code audit, while 10% will be donated to Haiti Cause.

Keep in mind that this project is open source, nobody has been charged for using it so far, and never will be. The amount you are willing to donate will be almost interely re-invested (apart of a small percentage that will go to charity) for improving the platform and your sites performances and security. I guess it is a great opportunity for us all to do something good for ourselves and the whole community.


How much should I donate?

Well that depends on how much you trust Open Source and how much your site is depending upon Icy Phoenix. Let me try to help you with some numbers / suggestions:

• Icy Phoenix is open source, you have never been charged for using it, and you will never be.
  
• Professional CMS platforms usually require a one time fee for the license plus an annual fee for supports and updates: on average pricing for the license is around 200 euros while about 100 euros are required for annual support fee (these amounts may also be really high for some kinds of products).
  
• If your site is based upon Icy Phoenix, you have a good ratio of visits per day, and you are generating some revenues from your site, then you should really consider donating at least 30 euros to this initiative.
  
• If you come regularly here (on this website) to get helped or styles or customization, and you think you found what you needed, maybe you should consider donating starting from 20 euros.
  
• If your site is based upon Icy Phoenix, your community is quite big, but you are not generating income from your site, then a donation of 10 euros will be highly appreciated.
  
• If your site is based upone Icy Phoenix, your site is amatorial and you don't mind about futures developments, well, then you don't need to donate unless you are feeling happy today!

Please keep in mind that I'm not forcing anyone to donate, feel free to donate or not, and please donate only if you trust this project and the open source world.


Also I would like to remind you that all donators who donate at least 10 euros will become part of a Special Group which have access to a special section where special content and informations are provided.


I will keep you updated about the total amount received and how those money will be used to improve Icy Phoenix.

Thank you for reading, and thank you in advance to all those who will donate.

Also a big thank you to all users that donated so far and allowed me to upgrade to a new server with higher performances.



Link to donation pages: Donations - Donate

First

Please insert me in the Special Group

It is a great idea to speed up things.
Thanks Luca

Second!!

VIP ...

Thanks for the info !!

good idea Luca...

ps. TheSteffen ist der Förster

Thanks you Mighty Gorgon and all the team to make this proyect posible.

Done!

Great idea!



PS: Thank you for the hard work done so far!

Wow :p

Thank you very much to all the donators, I hope I can make a little donation soon

Thanks to all donators so far.

I have already agreed for a quote (for a basic audit) and the review will begin soon.

If the amount donated will rise I will ask for more things to check.

Thanks again.

Hello!

I've done (Or I think so) a little donation. Could you check it? As Mozilla was getting some problems to connect with paypal...

Sorry for any apologize.!


By the way, will you give instructions? And... will I be able to ask some questions without answer?

You can easily check that your donation has been stored here:
http://www.icyphoenix.com/donations.php

So... yes, your money have been received! Thanks.

Regarding questions, please use the appropriate forum section to ask what them!


_________________

The first part of the security audit has been completed, now we are discussing what needs to be fixed and what is the best way.

The good news is that Icy Phoenix core files doesn't suffer severe security issues.

The bad news is that there are some minor things to be fixed to improve security level which requires a lot of time (and many code changes).

I will publish a sort of report when the security audit is fully completed. I won't be very detailed because security is a very delicate matter (do not want to provide "free food" to malicious hackers), and maybe would be also better to release a patch or a new version before doing that. But I will decide later which is the best safe way to go.

Mighty Gorgon wrote: [View Post]

Thanks to all donors so far.

I'll send you Euro's-x10 at the end of the month, just because I like you!

And because I may want to ask a couple of questions - If I don't sort it out before.

Now I'm being picky!

KasLimon has got it right - - - - - Donators

Donors give to charities, give blood and body bits etc. - Donators give money in support of something specific, as in what you are doing.


Grrrrrrr! The English language!

personal Ι like donation because I learn slowly slowly english with all of you here.......

grrrrrrrrrrrrrr..... my English translator.....

Lopalong, I'm not sur that MG is really interested by your blood (I think it's better in hospital :p)

Whatever?

I decided to do the donation tonight until I ran into this!

Some information is incorrect or missing. Please correct your entries and try again.

# Address Line 1: Please enter a valid Address Line 1.
# Town/City: Please enter a valid Town/City.
# Postcode: Please enter a valid Postcode.
# Home Telephone: The telephone number is too short.
# Email Address: Please enter a valid address in the format .

Aside from the email address, I have no intention of providing any other information that can be used by "Telemarketers" through virtue of the fact that I would have entered into some sort of contractual arrangement with them simply by donating and providing any or all of my other personal details that they would now be free to use as they see fit.

Australia has laws against persistent telemarketers with it's "Do Not Call" register, and if for example I provided my phone number here - That protection would go down the drain.

Sorry MG - You get those requirements made OPTIONAL - And I'll donate to the cause.

Quite possibly, there are others who feel the same, but have not been vocal about the intrusion and unnecessary required information just to make a simple donation.

Hi Lopalong,
please note that I'm not requiring any data before donating.

I guess those data are required by PayPal, and I have no control on what they need to process payments.

If you wish we can find an agreement privately on how to donate without having to "fight" with PayPal rules.

Thanks for your support though.


Finally regarding "DONORS" I took that word from a MOD I have translated into Italian... I prefer using donator, but I thought DONORS was more appropriate. I'll use donators from now on, thanks for pointing that out!

If my english is right... there is standing "a valid" and NOT "your valid"

So, decide by yourself

Like everywhere in internet... you don't have to put your right informations there, if you don't trust him/her

Hi guys,
the fund raising ended up with a total amount of 350 euros.

I will donate 40 euros for Haiti: can someone please provide one or more good initiative to donate money for this cause?

Remaining budget (which will be increased by myself with other 200 euros!) will be used to pay the audit and a small advisor service which I'm currently using to improve Icy Phoenix code and my PHP skills.

Just to keep you updated on the overall process, I have reviewed most of the code in order to make Icy Phoenix using UTF-8 encoding (this will improve compatibility with all languages charsets) and in order to ensure a proper (and more secure) data handling through HTTP requests.

The process is still far to be completed, because almost all files have been changed, and after I have finished with all the edits, I will need to debug the full package again (and I will need users help for that!).

The bad news is that still a lot of work is required. The good news is that this great amount of work allowed me to review and fix some old code which was not efficient or badly written...

Thank you very much to everyone who is contributing to this project either by donation or supporting users.

Thanks.

Luca

First

Please insert me in the Special Group

It is a great idea to speed up things.
Thanks Luca

housefull, please don't spam!

I have searched the web to find the best way to donate for Haiti, and I just discovered that is tough to choose the right charity organization.

I have found really useful this link:

http://www.charitynavigator.org/ind....view&cpid=1004

And that is why I am going to donate to an organization which is international.

I have choosen this organization which is well established:

http://doctorswithoutborders.org/

I will donate today.

Thank you all.

Just to confirm that I donated € 40 to MSF (Doctors Without Borders) two weeks ago.

Regarding the code audit, I have finally almost finished the fixes for the possible vulnerabilities and UTF-8 conversion.

I still need to debug the package to make sure new edits didn't break anything of the old working things.

A big thank you to The Steffen for helping in the debug process so far.

If someone else would like to help (it requires a lot of time...), please contact me via PM.

Thanks,
Luca

Why not write test ?