diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 4dd9f32f..c62a5a43 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+    - optimized for loops with count() function calls (monte)
     - add month_value_format attribute to html_select_date
       plugin (Gary Loescher, Monte) 
     - made it possible to use simple variables inside [] for
diff --git a/Smarty.class.php b/Smarty.class.php
index c08832c4..4b9f2b42 100644
--- a/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/Smarty.class.php
@@ -1157,7 +1157,7 @@ function _generate_debug_output() {
                 $this->_config[1]['files'][$file] = true;
             }
         } else if ($scope == 'global')
-            for ($i = 1; $i < count($this->_config); $i++) {
+            for ($i = 1, $for_max = count($this->_config); $i < $for_max; $i++) {
                 if (!isset($this->_config[$i]['files'][$file])) {
                     $this->_config[$i]['vars'] = array_merge($this->_config[$i]['vars'], $this->_conf_obj->get($file));
                     $this->_config[$i]['files'][$file] = true;
@@ -1170,7 +1170,7 @@ function _generate_debug_output() {
                 if (count($this->_config) > 0)
                     $this->_config[1]['vars'] = array_merge($this->_config[1]['vars'], $this->_conf_obj->get($file, $section));
             } else if ($scope == 'global')
-                for ($i = 1; $i < count($this->_config); $i++)
+                for ($i = 1, $for_max = count($this->_config); $i < $for_max; $i++)
                     $this->_config[$i]['vars'] = array_merge($this->_config[$i]['vars'], $this->_conf_obj->get($file, $section));
         }
 
@@ -1194,7 +1194,7 @@ function _generate_debug_output() {
                        $results, $match);
         list($cached_inserts, $insert_args) = $match;
 
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($cached_inserts); $i++) {
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($cached_inserts); $i < $for_max; $i++) {
             if ($this->debugging) {
                 $debug_start_time = $this->_get_microtime();
             }
diff --git a/Smarty_Compiler.class.php b/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
index 8534a460..3b5ea02d 100644
--- a/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
+++ b/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
@@ -110,11 +110,11 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
         $text_blocks = preg_split("!{$ldq}.*?{$rdq}!s", $template_source);
 
         /* loop through text blocks */
-        for ($curr_tb = 0; $curr_tb < count($text_blocks); $curr_tb++) {
+        for ($curr_tb = 0, $for_max = count($text_blocks); $curr_tb < $for_max; $curr_tb++) {
             /* match anything within <? ?> */
             if (preg_match_all('!(<\?[^?]*?\?>|<script\s+language\s*=\s*[\"\']?php[\"\']?\s*>)!is', $text_blocks[$curr_tb], $sp_match)) {
                 /* found at least one match, loop through each one */
-                for ($curr_sp = 0; $curr_sp < count($sp_match[0]); $curr_sp++) {
+                for ($curr_sp = 0, $for_max2 = count($sp_match[0]); $curr_sp < $for_max2; $curr_sp++) {
                     if (preg_match('!^(<\?(php\s|\s|=\s)|<script\s*language\s*=\s*[\"\']?php[\"\']?\s*>)!is', $sp_match[0][$curr_sp])) {
                         /* php tag */
                         if ($this->php_handling == SMARTY_PHP_PASSTHRU) {
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
 
         /* Compile the template tags into PHP code. */
         $compiled_tags = array();
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($template_tags); $i++) {
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($template_tags); $i < $for_max; $i++) {
             $this->_current_line_no += substr_count($text_blocks[$i], "\n");
             $compiled_tags[] = $this->_compile_tag($template_tags[$i]);
             $this->_current_line_no += substr_count($template_tags[$i], "\n");
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
         $template_compiled = '';
 
         /* Interleave the compiled contents and text blocks to get the final result. */
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($compiled_tags); $i++) {
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($compiled_tags); $i < $for_max; $i++) {
             $template_compiled .= $text_blocks[$i].$compiled_tags[$i];
         }
         $template_compiled .= $text_blocks[$i];
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
             $strip_tags = $match[0];
             $strip_tags_modified = preg_replace("!{$ldq}/?strip{$rdq}|[\t ]+$|^[\t ]+!m", '', $strip_tags);
             $strip_tags_modified = preg_replace('![\r\n]+!m', '', $strip_tags_modified);
-            for ($i = 0; $i < count($strip_tags); $i++)
+            for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($strip_tags); $i < $for_max; $i++)
                 $template_compiled = preg_replace("!{$ldq}strip{$rdq}.*?{$ldq}/strip{$rdq}!s",
                                                   $this->quote_replace($strip_tags_modified[$i]),
                                                   $template_compiled, 1);
@@ -844,7 +844,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
 
         $is_arg_stack = array();
 
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($tokens); $i++) {
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($tokens); $i < $for_max; $i++) {
 
             $token = &$tokens[$i];
             switch ($token) {
@@ -1219,7 +1219,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
         preg_match_all('!\|(@?\w+)((?>:(?:'. $qstr_regexp . '|[^|]+))*)!', '|' . $modifier_string, $match);
         list(, $modifiers, $modifier_arg_strings) = $match;
 
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($modifiers); $i++) {
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($modifiers); $i < $for_max; $i++) {
             $modifier_name = $modifiers[$i];
             preg_match_all('!:(' . $qstr_regexp . '|[^:]+)!', $modifier_arg_strings[$i], $match);
             $modifier_args = $match[1];
diff --git a/docs/appendixes.sgml b/docs/appendixes.sgml
index b3502313..9e8537ed 100644
--- a/docs/appendixes.sgml
+++ b/docs/appendixes.sgml
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ href="mailto:%62%6f%62%40%6d%65%2e%6e%65%74"&gt;&amp;#x62;&amp;#x6f;&amp;#x62;&a
 	<para>
 	Smarty's homepage is located at http://www.phpinsider.com/php/code/Smarty/.
 	You can join the mailing list by sending an e-mail to
-	subscribe-smarty@lists.ispi.net. An archive of the mailing list can be
+	smarty-general-subscribe@lists.php.net. An archive of the mailing list can be
 	viewed at http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=smarty&amp;r=1&amp;w=2
 	</para>
 </chapter>
diff --git a/docs/designers.sgml b/docs/designers.sgml
index e34ec955..11f2c55d 100644
--- a/docs/designers.sgml
+++ b/docs/designers.sgml
@@ -3737,6 +3737,16 @@ OUTPUT:
 			math function will be assigned to this template variable instead of
 			being output to the template.
 			</para>
+			<note>
+				<title>Technical Note</title>
+				<para>
+				math is an expensive function in performance due to its use of
+				the php eval() function. Doing the math in PHP is much more
+				efficient, so whenever possible do the math calculations in PHP
+				and assign the results to the template. Definately avoid
+				repetitive math function calls, like within section loops.
+            	</para>
+			</note>
 <example>
 <title>math</title>
 <programlisting>
diff --git a/libs/Smarty.class.php b/libs/Smarty.class.php
index c08832c4..4b9f2b42 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty.class.php
@@ -1157,7 +1157,7 @@ function _generate_debug_output() {
                 $this->_config[1]['files'][$file] = true;
             }
         } else if ($scope == 'global')
-            for ($i = 1; $i < count($this->_config); $i++) {
+            for ($i = 1, $for_max = count($this->_config); $i < $for_max; $i++) {
                 if (!isset($this->_config[$i]['files'][$file])) {
                     $this->_config[$i]['vars'] = array_merge($this->_config[$i]['vars'], $this->_conf_obj->get($file));
                     $this->_config[$i]['files'][$file] = true;
@@ -1170,7 +1170,7 @@ function _generate_debug_output() {
                 if (count($this->_config) > 0)
                     $this->_config[1]['vars'] = array_merge($this->_config[1]['vars'], $this->_conf_obj->get($file, $section));
             } else if ($scope == 'global')
-                for ($i = 1; $i < count($this->_config); $i++)
+                for ($i = 1, $for_max = count($this->_config); $i < $for_max; $i++)
                     $this->_config[$i]['vars'] = array_merge($this->_config[$i]['vars'], $this->_conf_obj->get($file, $section));
         }
 
@@ -1194,7 +1194,7 @@ function _generate_debug_output() {
                        $results, $match);
         list($cached_inserts, $insert_args) = $match;
 
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($cached_inserts); $i++) {
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($cached_inserts); $i < $for_max; $i++) {
             if ($this->debugging) {
                 $debug_start_time = $this->_get_microtime();
             }
diff --git a/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php b/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
index 8534a460..3b5ea02d 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
@@ -110,11 +110,11 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
         $text_blocks = preg_split("!{$ldq}.*?{$rdq}!s", $template_source);
 
         /* loop through text blocks */
-        for ($curr_tb = 0; $curr_tb < count($text_blocks); $curr_tb++) {
+        for ($curr_tb = 0, $for_max = count($text_blocks); $curr_tb < $for_max; $curr_tb++) {
             /* match anything within <? ?> */
             if (preg_match_all('!(<\?[^?]*?\?>|<script\s+language\s*=\s*[\"\']?php[\"\']?\s*>)!is', $text_blocks[$curr_tb], $sp_match)) {
                 /* found at least one match, loop through each one */
-                for ($curr_sp = 0; $curr_sp < count($sp_match[0]); $curr_sp++) {
+                for ($curr_sp = 0, $for_max2 = count($sp_match[0]); $curr_sp < $for_max2; $curr_sp++) {
                     if (preg_match('!^(<\?(php\s|\s|=\s)|<script\s*language\s*=\s*[\"\']?php[\"\']?\s*>)!is', $sp_match[0][$curr_sp])) {
                         /* php tag */
                         if ($this->php_handling == SMARTY_PHP_PASSTHRU) {
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
 
         /* Compile the template tags into PHP code. */
         $compiled_tags = array();
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($template_tags); $i++) {
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($template_tags); $i < $for_max; $i++) {
             $this->_current_line_no += substr_count($text_blocks[$i], "\n");
             $compiled_tags[] = $this->_compile_tag($template_tags[$i]);
             $this->_current_line_no += substr_count($template_tags[$i], "\n");
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
         $template_compiled = '';
 
         /* Interleave the compiled contents and text blocks to get the final result. */
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($compiled_tags); $i++) {
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($compiled_tags); $i < $for_max; $i++) {
             $template_compiled .= $text_blocks[$i].$compiled_tags[$i];
         }
         $template_compiled .= $text_blocks[$i];
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
             $strip_tags = $match[0];
             $strip_tags_modified = preg_replace("!{$ldq}/?strip{$rdq}|[\t ]+$|^[\t ]+!m", '', $strip_tags);
             $strip_tags_modified = preg_replace('![\r\n]+!m', '', $strip_tags_modified);
-            for ($i = 0; $i < count($strip_tags); $i++)
+            for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($strip_tags); $i < $for_max; $i++)
                 $template_compiled = preg_replace("!{$ldq}strip{$rdq}.*?{$ldq}/strip{$rdq}!s",
                                                   $this->quote_replace($strip_tags_modified[$i]),
                                                   $template_compiled, 1);
@@ -844,7 +844,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
 
         $is_arg_stack = array();
 
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($tokens); $i++) {
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($tokens); $i < $for_max; $i++) {
 
             $token = &$tokens[$i];
             switch ($token) {
@@ -1219,7 +1219,7 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
         preg_match_all('!\|(@?\w+)((?>:(?:'. $qstr_regexp . '|[^|]+))*)!', '|' . $modifier_string, $match);
         list(, $modifiers, $modifier_arg_strings) = $match;
 
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($modifiers); $i++) {
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($modifiers); $i < $for_max; $i++) {
             $modifier_name = $modifiers[$i];
             preg_match_all('!:(' . $qstr_regexp . '|[^:]+)!', $modifier_arg_strings[$i], $match);
             $modifier_args = $match[1];
diff --git a/libs/plugins/function.html_options.php b/libs/plugins/function.html_options.php
index 969de058..0d91e6e2 100644
--- a/libs/plugins/function.html_options.php
+++ b/libs/plugins/function.html_options.php
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ function smarty_function_html_options($params, &$smarty)
     } else {
         settype($output, 'array');
         settype($values, 'array');
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($output); $i++) {
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($output); $i < $for_max; $i++) {
             /* By default, check value against $selected */
             $sel_check = $values[$i];
             $html_result .= "<option";
diff --git a/libs/plugins/function.html_select_time.php b/libs/plugins/function.html_select_time.php
index 3dc8b4a0..02174725 100644
--- a/libs/plugins/function.html_select_time.php
+++ b/libs/plugins/function.html_select_time.php
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ function smarty_function_html_select_time($params, &$smarty)
     if ($display_hours) {
         $hours       = $use_24_hours ? range(0, 23) : range(1, 12);
         $hour_fmt = $use_24_hours ? '%H' : '%I';
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($hours); $i++)
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($hours); $i < $for_max; $i++)
             $hours[$i] = sprintf('%02d', $hours[$i]);
         $html_result .= '<select name=';
         if (null !== $field_array) {
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ function smarty_function_html_select_time($params, &$smarty)
 
     if ($display_minutes) {
         $all_minutes = range(0, 59);
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($all_minutes); $i+= $minute_interval)
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($all_minutes); $i < $for_max; $i+= $minute_interval)
             $minutes[] = sprintf('%02d', $all_minutes[$i]);
         $selected = intval(floor(strftime('%M', $time) / $minute_interval) * $minute_interval);
         $html_result .= '<select name=';
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ function smarty_function_html_select_time($params, &$smarty)
 
     if ($display_seconds) {
         $all_seconds = range(0, 59);
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($all_seconds); $i+= $second_interval)
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($all_seconds); $i < $for_max; $i+= $second_interval)
             $seconds[] = sprintf('%02d', $all_seconds[$i]);
         $selected = intval(floor(strftime('%S', $time) / $second_interval) * $second_interval);
         $html_result .= '<select name=';
diff --git a/plugins/function.html_options.php b/plugins/function.html_options.php
index 969de058..0d91e6e2 100644
--- a/plugins/function.html_options.php
+++ b/plugins/function.html_options.php
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ function smarty_function_html_options($params, &$smarty)
     } else {
         settype($output, 'array');
         settype($values, 'array');
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($output); $i++) {
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($output); $i < $for_max; $i++) {
             /* By default, check value against $selected */
             $sel_check = $values[$i];
             $html_result .= "<option";
diff --git a/plugins/function.html_select_time.php b/plugins/function.html_select_time.php
index 3dc8b4a0..02174725 100644
--- a/plugins/function.html_select_time.php
+++ b/plugins/function.html_select_time.php
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ function smarty_function_html_select_time($params, &$smarty)
     if ($display_hours) {
         $hours       = $use_24_hours ? range(0, 23) : range(1, 12);
         $hour_fmt = $use_24_hours ? '%H' : '%I';
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($hours); $i++)
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($hours); $i < $for_max; $i++)
             $hours[$i] = sprintf('%02d', $hours[$i]);
         $html_result .= '<select name=';
         if (null !== $field_array) {
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ function smarty_function_html_select_time($params, &$smarty)
 
     if ($display_minutes) {
         $all_minutes = range(0, 59);
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($all_minutes); $i+= $minute_interval)
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($all_minutes); $i < $for_max; $i+= $minute_interval)
             $minutes[] = sprintf('%02d', $all_minutes[$i]);
         $selected = intval(floor(strftime('%M', $time) / $minute_interval) * $minute_interval);
         $html_result .= '<select name=';
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ function smarty_function_html_select_time($params, &$smarty)
 
     if ($display_seconds) {
         $all_seconds = range(0, 59);
-        for ($i = 0; $i < count($all_seconds); $i+= $second_interval)
+        for ($i = 0, $for_max = count($all_seconds); $i < $for_max; $i+= $second_interval)
             $seconds[] = sprintf('%02d', $all_seconds[$i]);
         $selected = intval(floor(strftime('%S', $time) / $second_interval) * $second_interval);
         $html_result .= '<select name=';