PHP/mySQL vs. ASP.NET/MSSQL

Gypsie

I am designing an intranet web service for sports clubs. The company who are proposing to build it for me favor .NET and MSSQL as the architecture. Can anyone give me some insight into the pros and cons of working with either ASP .NET or PHP?

maxpup979

The biggest difference between the two is price...🙂 But depending on who is going to code, and what your requirements are, either one (or Cold Fusion, or JSP) will probably work. At my company, we have found that PHP scales very well, and is really very stable. We also run oodles of things (openldap, postgres,htdig....) all on one box--we have found that in many cases you need a box per service with MS.

Not in all cases mind you, but in quite a few. Shrug--Im an old ASP coder, and I happen to like PHP a lot more--but I am also terribly biased.

Gypsie

Thank you.

Are there advantages or disadvantages regarding security of the database or is this dependant on the security of the host?

I am told it is more costly to code in PHP, is this correct?

Will all my clients require a database license?

jazappi

Well we all know that you can't use Microsoft and secure in the same sentance. Although I just did. Anyways.

I belive it is more costly to code in PHP probably because there is less of us. That is just an opinion.

I would have to guess though that cost of a MS setup would be way more than a PHP developer.

maxpup979

PHP is more expensive to code than .NET is not true at all
I actually have found just the opposite--
PHP tends to be much less expensive to code in, than.NET--at least for my organization. And because MS doesnt tend to scale as well, and usually requires more hardware, you have those additional costs. And lets not even get into admin time, or security issues--

You also have to take into account the ongoing licensing fees from MS. PHP coders may be somewhat more expensive, but its usually not by much. Again, situations differ from place to place. If you are working with a vendor who is strictly MS, and you have no choice but to work with that vendor, then your hands are obviously tied. However, if you have leeway, I would seriously consider a PHP approach--

superwormy

I have found that PHP/MySQL is generally a MUCH cheaper alternative to ASP.NET/MSSQL. Microsoft OS and esp. database server are expensive, where-as Linux/BSD and PHP are... FREE!

Also, developers for Micrsoft .NET services are gettin' good money right now, PHP developers we've found are getting paid sig. less.

.NET has some really neat concepts and advantages for some situations, esp. if you already have other .NET components you're using. If it's a clean start project... I would reccomend PHP/MySQL, OR, even better, PostgreSQL and PHP.

djcomplex

another lil bonus with php is that it has a huge open source community backing it so if you do get stuck u can come to wonderful sites like this and get help, try asking Microsoft for free help and they will laugh in your face

Gypsie

Thank you all for your insight. I'm sure that I will have more questions and I look forward to hearing from you again.
Gypsie