It returns the current configuration setting of magic_quotes_gpc (0 for off, 1 for on).

Example:
[php]
<?php
echo get_magic_quotes_gpc(); // 1
echo $_POST['lastname']; // O\'reilly
echo addslashes($_POST['lastname']); // O\\\'reilly

if (!get_magic_quotes_gpc()) {
$lastname = addslashes($_POST['lastname']);
} else {
$lastname = $_POST['lastname'];
}

echo $lastname; // O\'reilly
$sql = "INSERT INTO lastnames (lastname) VALUES ('$lastname')";
?>
[/php]

sorry am asking this again but, what is the magic_quotes_gpc? magic.... i don't know what it is, and what it does?

http://uk2.php.net/manual/en/security.magicquotes.php

Magic.