is PHP what i would want/need to learn

jhoenig

i am currently considering starting a business. This business would require an Ebay-like system. It would require accounts, general ecommerce setup, with auctions, etc. Is PHP what y'all would recommend I use to set this up? Would I need to learn anything else such as CGI/Perl. I already know HTML, Javascript, and a little bit of CGI, but I'm not too familiar with PHP. Can it do what I would need it to do?

Thanks in advance...

OhLordy

This is exactly what PHP was designed for, I would say there is nothing better for what you need.

However you will get a slightly biased view on a php forum, try looking around the internet RE other languages to get a little more rounded opinion. I'm sure you'll be back to PHP in no time though
Rob

epimeth

honestly... its exactly what ASP was designed for as well. but go with php, its better 🙂

jhoenig

thanks for yalls advice. i wasnt necessarily looking for the "which one is better" debate, but that certainly should be an issue for me. While I should expect yall to say PHP is better, could u give me a dumbed down version of why you think PHP is better than ASP? by dumbed down I mean dont list specific code, but broad ideas or topics in general. thanks.

eternalprophet

I have been using PHP for a very small amount of time (sub 3 months) and I can already make database, inser, write to files, sort arrays, accept user input, use regex, and i am almost complete with my own personal weblog software (i will probably use the new pivot when its out of alpha Pivot Log )

Before learning PHP, I knew HTML, XHTML, a little bit of XML, JavaScript, VBScript (little, enough to make an amoritized mortgage schedule...ok, thats more then a little but not a lot) and I knew how to declare a variable in Perl. That's all, and I have learned PHP really really quick I think (I am still learning though).

The structure is the same across various other languages, but I really like PHP's flexibility and its database interface (with MySQL, i dont use access, oracle, or postgresql(sp?).

Go with PHP honestly. It is easier to use then asp in my personal opinion, and if you do not have a webserver, it is a snap to use with badblue Bad Blue

Good luck!

ph8edsicness

PHP is great if you're running a unix platform... if you're running a windows environment ASP is the better choice because it's a native language and doesn't involve downloading extra tools or utilities to maniuplate the code to work and vice-versa.

It all depends on the enviornment you're looking to reside in.

jhoenig

Originally posted by ph8edsicness
PHP is great if you're running a unix platform... if you're running a windows environment ASP is the better choice because it's a native language and doesn't involve downloading extra tools or utilities to maniuplate the code to work and vice-versa.

It all depends on the enviornment you're looking to reside in.

I'm assuming you're talking about the servers environment?

matt_4013

Correct, the client side doesn't care whether you're using PHP or ASP, as long as the html is formatted properly 🙂 My argument for PHP is that it runs on *nix, apache, and works with mysql. These are FREE. Or you could go grab Win2k Adv Server with IIS and spend a couple of grand on licensing, and use ASP 😉 It's also quite easy to get into and learn, if you've had a background in programming (tho most languages are). You may find though that it's a while before you should start even THINKING about making something that's going to allow the transfer of money. The security issues are quite complex (However, this is the same for any language) 😉

Hope that helps,
Matt

ph8edsicness

Yup. I'm currently taking IT Training for my MCSE so I'm already studying ASP... I was just learning PHP mainly because I'm still configuring my personal webserver and my virtual server is a UNIX Platform.

UNIX and Windows Servers are like the age old question Mac vs. IBM... Mac is good for some things but overall it's productivity connectivity is only compatible with about 15% of the rest of the world.

The best thing to do for you is to go get a book on both and decide which language is better for you. If you've been using Windows OS all your life stick with ASP because you don't want to go and learn a UNIX OS if it's not going to be the main part of your communications and daily computer needs. ASP is easy to learn from the get-go. ASP.NET For Dummies is a good book if to get you started. They explain it all in a non-technical easy-to-understand fashion.

FrozNic

i run apache on 98, 2k, and xp... didn't have to download squat to make it work perfect... i've worked in php and asp, i like php better, but, essentially i think the two languages were built for the same purpose. HOWEVER, php is free, php is versitle, and php rocks. mysql works great from basic to high hit sites, but if your going to be getting that many hits i'd suggest an upgrade in d-base. php installed like winamp, that easy... however, i did have to download an older version of the gd lib to get gifs to work (but i didn't say that) simplicity in learning php is super easy. i'd say it was almost as easy to get into, as html. and troubleshooting is almost as easy (with the help of the forum 🙂) but, really, it's kind of your own personal prefrence, i believe asp will do everything php does, just a different way with same ideas. and i don't know how many forums and helps sites are available for asp, but really, i think for php, you'll get every question you ever needed answered answered here. but enough of my rambling i'm exaused and have work in 7 hours.. nite!

jhoenig

i appreciate all of yalls advice. I will probably grab a book on PHP as soon as finals are over and just try to work my way into it. Hopefully its as easy as yall are making it out to be.. shouldn't be too big of a deal.. i have experience in many of the other web ish (ie html, javascript, cgi, etc)... but I'll be sure to jump back on the board when I have questions... Once again, thanks a lot.

scoppc

PHP is great and easy! It works fine in Windows, FreeBSD and Linux. I believe other platforms too.

Does ASP have regular expressions? preg_replace and the kind?

Ever consider JSP?

ph8edsicness

Yeah ASP has those... not as many as PHP but it has it's share. JSP is a pain in the ass.