[thelist] cf vs asp

[aardvark]

> From: Seth Bienek - Web Consultant <sbienek at acep.org>
> 
> > any custom components, so you need to find script solutions to a lot
> > of this (for instance, i got my hands on a great HTTP upload script
> > that works perfectly on my shared NT host, without the need 
> 
> <cffile action="upload">   +1 for CF. :)

exactly... i'm not trying to say one is better than the other... as an 
ASP developer, i know the caveats of ASP all too well... but they're 
not enough to make us switch to something else for a whole new 
set of caveats... i'm also not trying to be the champion of ASP, but 
how else can i offer a comparison than to talk about what it can -- 
and can't -- do?

one caveat... VB has a format() function that allows you format, for 
instance, dates and times to whatever format you pass.... does 
VBScript have this?  nope... gotta write a function or piece together 
elements if you want a date in something other than the 4 formats 
you can get from formatdatetime()...

> > like a said before, that's because CF adds the layer of 
> > extrapolation between the OS and the application... so yes, you 
> 
> This one has me curious.  CF Server interfaces with the webserver's
> API, in MS's case, ISAPI, in exactly the same manner as ASP.  I cannot
> see how this adds an extra layer of extrapolation.  If I am incorrect,
> please set me straight, but I am thinking that this statement may be
> incorrect.

where do you think the <cfquery> gets converted?

> +1 for ASP.  To connect to MS Jet databases with ColdFusion, an ODBC
> datasource must be set up on the CF Server.  With ASP it's possible to
> just upload and go; with CF, if you don't have admin access on the
> server then you could have to wait on someone to set up the
> Datasource.

that's one nice thing... DSN-less connections can save a lot of 
money on shared hosts, too...

> > if you don't have the in-house talent, or aren't NT-based, try CF...
> > the price point to get CF vs. NT/ASP at that point is close
> > enough...
> 
> I don't know if I completely agree with this.  I would say that if you
> have in-house talent, or if you have a background in OOP development,
> or if you are an all-MS shop, then  ASP may be for you.  
> 
> If you are new to developing web applications, ColdFusion has a much,
> much better learning curve.  Many complex functions are already built
> into the language, but it has the power to extend far beyond pre-built
> functions as well, for in the future when you decide to become a CF
> Jedi Master. :)

just another way of saying my thing... i think you left off the rest of 
it, though...

> It isn't my intention to trash ASP here.  I'm a ColdFusion developer,
> and as such I haven't focused a great deal on ASP's features and
> benefits.

and as an ASP developer, i don't know all of CF, but with my time 
on admin watching the CF discussions for the site, i always 
wonder why everything sounds so difficult when some of the stuff 
could be done with 2 lines of VBScript or built-in functions... and 
then they wonder why i can't use <cfquery> everywhere...

> It's by a CF developer, so it may be slanted.  I'd be interested in
> seeing an actual, unbiased comparisson of the two..

that'll be the day...