[thelist] What tools should I use?

[Maximillian Schwanekamp]

Ian Anderson wrote:
> You don't have the 
> multiplicity of versions that is inherent in PHP and Apache configurations.

Eh?  With MS servers you may have only a "version" few years, but in the 
interim you have "service packs" whereas in the FOSS world you get minor 
version updates.  Basically the same thing.

> Versions of MySQL are analogous to versions of SQL Server, but there are 
> a scad load more of them.

Erm, MySQL 3.23, 4.0, 4.1, with a few minor version updates.  SQL Server 
versions:
http://www.sqlteam.com/item.asp?ItemID=8318  (older page, but 
illustrates my point well)

> Thanks for the other great PHP tips,  although  you kind of 
> substantiated the learning curve argument! :)

PHP is extremely popular specifically because it is easy to get going 
right off the bat, without requiring expensive licenses or a large IT 
staff to get stuff done.  Most shared hosts are set up to accomodate the 
beginners while maintaining a modicum of security, e.g. enabling 
magic_quotes and so on.  But since it's also quite powerful as you get 
into it more deeply, there are some basic practices that can make your 
life easier as a programmer.  Is this unusual?

> php. ini - isn't this used when you start PHP? I don't think I have 
> access to this on shared hosting.

This is a php fundamental - using ini_set to override the defaults in 
php.ini.  On Apache you can use .htaccess files to do this as well.  One 
of the big strengths of PHP is its flexibility.

It's always easy to see ones chosen environment as "safe, dependable and 
reliable."  ColdFusion guys will swear by it, PHP folk will swear by 
that, etc etc.  Getting back to the OP's question, which tools to use 
really depends on your particular situation and ambitions.  Do you want 
to join a corporate web team?  Get into Java right away.  Do you foresee 
working with Windows networks, e.g. intranets or other 
controlled-platform environments?  .NET might be the way.  Etc.  Then, 
once you have tentative direction, look at the development tools for 
working on those platforms, their costs and complexity, the variety of 
alternatives, etc.

I started out on classic ASP (before .NET) & MSSQL 7, in a local 
ecommerce startup.  In ASP, I kept finding that some tasks required 3rd 
party commercial products - e.g. an object for uploads (e.g. SA FileUp), 
another for PDFs (PDF Writer), etc.  I found that PHP had generally had 
extensions and/or libraries for these things freely available.  When I 
went freelance with very little investment capital, it made total sense 
to abandon ASP for PHP, where I could get started with an $8/month 
shared host, with no fees for either MySQL or PostGreSQL, and reasonably 
decent capabilities in a low cost (<$30 or free) editor.  When I worked 
in an MS environment we could call Microsoft and get great support - for 
a fee that was no problem for a corporation, but would have been 
prohibitive for many of the clients I've worked with since.  Major FOSS 
solutions have become so ubiquitous that it's easy to get top class 
support from the community, for free.  Anyway that's my own experience 
as a smalltime freelancer.... :)

-- 
Max Schwanekamp
http://www.neptunewebworks.com/