PHP vs. ASP.

Stinger51

Any ASP people out there?

I get a lot of calls for jobs involving Active Server Pages, which I know nothing about. Question is, how long would it take a decent PHP programmer, such as I am, to learn this technology? And how in a nutshell (other than running on an NT server) does ASP differ from PHP?

Also, the last time I checked, getting on an NT server was around $200 mo., way more than I'm paying for my UNIX server. Is there a cheaper way to go here? I'm no fan of Microsoft, but I'll go where the money and the work is.

ScubaDvr2

Well first off...

If you ever had problems with databases in PHP (which any half decent user I don't think would) then ASP is gonna be rough. It has probably the most difficult db system to understand. I don't know why. You think you have it, but then it gives you 50 errors. In time you'd get it but .. in time.

Also the ASP set up is similar in some ways to PHP, but in other ways completely different. About a year and a half ago I started up on ASP. I bought about 3 books and started reading. I got pretty advanced in it.. But I have to tell ya, ASP was not for me. After about 2 months I gave it up because I just didn't think it was a very good language.

You should look into ASP.NET. It's pretty cool. The only problem is if you start writing asp.net you'll have to find an server, and most that support it are expensive.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

Atticus

Another option is of course setting up your own webserver. If you're using any recent version of Windows(98+) it comes free with a webserver. The NT variants have IIS, while 98/98se/Me have PWS. Both ASP and ASP.NET come free with both, and ASP I believe is pre-installed on the servers. So actually running a script should be no problem at all.(unless you're running a *nix, but there is always Chilisoft)

As for the language itself, the first reponse mostly nailed it. Some concepts are very similar to PHPs, but some are almost alien if you've never used ASP before. Or in any case, it seems alien at first because you're so used to doing it a certain way. Like anything, it just takes practice. Learning your first language is somewhat easy, because you have no preconceived notions, but learning the second language is tough because you DO have preconceived notions, and you think you already know how to do everything.

PHP was my first language, so I always come back to it after my forays into other languages. I'm just more comfortable coding in it than any other. Oh well.

Stinger51

Yes, the ASP.net calls are coming in to. Just when I thought I had mastered VB, here they go again, with new, buggy, technology from Microsquish.

The question is, if ASP pretty much sucks, then why isn't the world moving towards PHP, which is a dream come true, IMHO, especially considering the cost differential between the two?

Ah, I know. The best "software" man does not always win.

Stinger51

Yikes! I've been using WinMe for about two years now. And I never knew about this. I've installed Apache, of course, which works Ok with WinMe. But now you are telling me I can also set up my machine to be a Microsoft type server that will allow me to develop ASP?

That would be cool.

(unless you're running a *nix, but there is always Chilisoft) <<

Sorry, you completely lost me there.

Anyway, how do I proceed with setting up for ASP? I'll check the help files, but I'm in the dark on this right now.

Atticus

For WinMe there is something called PWS(Personal WebServer). At least I think. It might be called IIS(not sure what that stands for). To install it just go to your Add/Remove Programs thing and in the components thing, there should be an option for it. You'll most likely need your Me CD btw. Anyway, I've only set up IIS for Win2k so I don't really know the specifics. I'm sure when you go to install the server component, it'll tell you what to do. I believe ASP 3.0 is installed along with it, but you'll have to test it to make sure. ASP.NET doesn't come with it, so you'll have to go to microsoft.com and download it. It's a pretty simple installation.

Chilisoft ASP is basically a port of ASP which lets it run on not Windows servers. I think there is a website, chilisoft.com or something.

Also, nobody said ASP was bad. It just wasn't to our taste. Maybe when you try it out you'll love it, maybe not. But the reason why it's used so much is before it is a Microsoft product, with all the customer service benefits and whatnot to back that statement up. It is perceived as a language that serious businesses use, rather than PHP, which is perceived as a hobbyist/amatuerish language.

Stinger51

I checked under Control Panel but didn't see anything for installing the server. So I'll check my CD's that came with the computer.

I hear that PHP is really catching on over in Germany, not sure why. Maybe those Germans are just more practical than we are. 🙂