diff --git a/CODING_STANDARD b/CODING_STANDARD
index b1e2838..a811a43 100644
--- a/CODING_STANDARD
+++ b/CODING_STANDARD
@@ -62,4 +62,11 @@ if(!isset($appId))
     }
 }
 
+- use long php tags (<?php ?>) instead of short ones (<? ?>) as :
+ 1) it could be removed from future versions of php
+ 2) if conflicts with tags like <?xml version=1.0 ?> that are used in xhtml
 
+- do not use vars that require register_globals to be on as:
+ 1) it is off by default in php 4.1+
+ 2) it is more secure
+ 3) it makes it easier to understand where your vars are comming from (forms, session, etc.)
diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index a14e96d..aef139c 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -9,11 +9,7 @@ sat for too long it would be rejected and an email would be send to the
 submitter saying it timed out.  If the admin/maintainer clicked on accept it 
 would go into the db like every other image.
 
-# appdb engine - clean up the php backend (???)
-
-# app queue - add a form, so the admin can enter a custom response to the submitter (done)
-
-# main App should have a random screenshot from it's versions. (patch sent to wine-patches)
+# appdb engine - clean up the php backend (see CODING_STANDARD for code style guidelines). In particular globally registered vars should be replaced by superglobals and <? ?> should be replaced by <?php ?>.
 
 # when we delete a comment there should be a box to explain why you are deleting this comment and an email should be sent to the submitter 
 
@@ -21,10 +17,6 @@ would go into the db like every other image.
 
 # Add Maintainer rating system to the app verision (tony's working on it).
 
-# stop annoymous comments (patch sent to wine-patches) 
-
-# stop annoymous applications submitions (patch sent to wine-patches)
-
 # revamp the star rating system
 
 # once maintainer rating system is in place revamp the front page to use a dynamic list of maintainer rated apps.