Simple A/B Testing?

[denhamd2]

Hi,

 

I'm trying to set up a simple A/B test using PHP. I tried just using a random script, where it goes to either page1 or page 2 randomly through the redirector page. However i notice it doesn't give a 50/50 split, ie attempt 1 it went to google, attempt 2 it went to google, attempt 3 it went to yahoo. i need for instance a counter where all the even numbers go to google and all the odd numbers go to yahoo, that would be the most accurate way i could think of without having to use a database (which I want to stay away from). therefore, is there a way i could maybe have a counter stored in a text file where it increments for every visit and all the odd numbered hits go to one page and all the even numbered hits go to another. would anyone know how to do this?

[taith]

sorry... i dont fully understand modulo... but i think this'd work...

 

$_SESSION[counter]++;
if(($_SESSION[counter]%2)==0) header('Location: ');
else header('Location: ');

[denhamd2]

my problem is I want exactly 50% of my traffic to be redirected to 1 page and exactly 50% to the other. With the random redirector it isn't totally accurate, everytime i refresh sometimes it goes to the same page 2 or 3 times in a row before going to the alternate page. i was thinking if i could have a counter of some sorts, it could get the hit number for each customer and all the odd numbered hits go to 1 page and all the even numbered hits go to the other page. Do you follow?

[taith]

yup! just store the counter into the database... instead of in a session :-)

[denhamd2]

i'm looking not to use a database, a simple text file if possible anyone know how to go abot coding this?

[marf]

use a csv text file? and have one entry to represent one and the other represents the second page.

[denhamd2]

im a bit of a newbie so would it be possible ot tel me how do set that up?