[thelist] What tools should I use?

[Robert Gormley]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: thelist-bounces at lists.evolt.org 
> [mailto:thelist-bounces at lists.evolt.org] On Behalf Of VOLKAN ÖZÇELÝK
> Sent: Monday, 12 September 2005 11:53 PM
> To: jcole1513 at comcast.net; thelist at lists.evolt.org
> Subject: Re: [thelist] What tools should I use?
> As per the client tear:
> PHP, ASP, ASP.net, JSP can do more or less what each other can do.
> using an open-source application

As a generalisation, the first two are interpreted, the latter two
compiled.
 
> However when the project begins to scale up, you may be in 
> need of , say a more powerful db (MySQL has paid versions 
> -afaik- as well but they may not be adequate) so you may 

A comment here, that as far as I know, the paid version is an issue of
licensing, support, not 'more power'. The DB engine in MySQL itself is
powerful enough for most environments.

> prefer , overkill (oracle) or Sybase to MySQL for instance, 
> or a more powerful web server software/hardware.

Really, with today's hardware, it's likely that that'll be the limiting
factor. And with any luck (not that that's meant to be an integral part
of the design process).

> imho, PHP and ASP may be thought as equivalent technologies. 
> Plus, PHP is becoming more object oriented day by day, 
> therefore the current versions of PHP beats classic ASP.

PHP generally outperforms classic ASP. PHP5 is about as fully featured
OO as .NET, however, a lot of the OO syntax (as opposed to procedural)
is not documented completely, or available, as yet. (If you can imagine,
some of the libraries are still being backported).

My experience with .NET in the realms of OO is that it feels a little
over engineered, so as to make code either messy, or require a lot of
definition to go up top.

> Again imho PHP side is a bit dark and full of mysteries :).
> 
> If you want to walk on the M$ side, ASP.Net (which is the 
> rival of Java's J2EE framework) is the way to go. Usage 
> classic ASP will fade out sooner or later.

Definitely. I'd also recommend C# over VB, for reasons that it is more
syntax like other languages you may come across, but that's a double
edged sword.

> JSP and J2EE is yet another story, they are generally 
> preferred for large organizations and in large projects. But 
> it doesn't mean that a medium-scale web app cannot be done with them.

Exactly. Or look into Ruby, and the Ruby on Rails framework. Some big
applications are being written with it. 37 signals' BaseCamp, for one
(it's after midnight, mind blank!)

Robert