PHP or cold fusion?

CrazyAlabamianLlama · Post by **CrazyAlabamianLlama** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 4:27 pm

I am starting my own web site. it wont be uploaded to a server for awhile but i am at the design stage right now. I am trying to figure out which i a hell of a lot easier or has more effects i can do. PHP or Cold Fusion. If i could i would like to use Visual Basic but i am not sure how to cade it in the program i am useing. I am Useing Macromedia Studio MX with Cold Fusion.

ironpants · Post by **ironpants** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 4:55 pm

Are you looking to do this just for your own web site, or are you aspiring to be a web developer?

If it's the former, I'd suggest Cold Fusion (stick with what ya got) it'll let you do some pretty cool stuff without a lot of ramp up time.

If it's the latter, there's realy only two options left that are lucrative; .net or J2EE. Honestly, I haven't had the time to stop and learn J2EE, so I'm not going to be much help there. If you want to go the .net route, you can get the tools free from MS, download VS Express at http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/express/. It's a feature limited version of visual studio and won't compile for a full blown IIS server, but if you write it in express and send it to me, I'll be more than happy to compile it for you in VS.net (my MSDN subscription is paid for by the company)

<edit>
turns out MS has changed their product to allow "go live" licensing on express products, so you wouldn't need my help

(at least on compiling)
</edit>
ROb

CrazyAlabamianLlama · Post by **CrazyAlabamianLlama** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 7:05 pm

Right now i am just learning the basics of web design but i am gonna attend collage for it and hopefully be a full blown web developer. Thanks for the help and i will DL the program and i will have something soon.

Thanks,
Chris

Post by **bio** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 9:22 pm

I have a little experience with coldfusion myself (ok... it's what I friggin' do for a living).

Both php and ColdFusion have merrit... and I would learn both if I were you. You will need a database for either to truely learn either but can do some very simple things without it.

I prefer php... it's free and there's a lot you can do with it. ColdFusion, on the oher hand, is more widely used by business.

CrazyAlabamianLlama · Post by **CrazyAlabamianLlama** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 2:54 am

thanks. do you know of any place that i can get tutorials and books and anything i can to learn these?

ironpants · Post by **ironpants** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:12 am

Foundations:
http://www.dbdebunk.com (HIGHLY RECOMENDED READING)
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/EWD/ (the writings of Edsger W. Dijkstra)

.net: http://www.asp.net

ms sql stuff: http://www.sqlservercentral.com
http://www.sqlteam.com

everything MS: msdn.microsoft.com

Should be a good start

Post by **bio** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:17 am

As for books (I like the tactile sensation of paper), Get the "Coldfusion Web Applicaton Construction Kit" by macromedia press (it comes in different versions... find one to match what version you're running).

As for PHP... there's about a billion books out there on that. I like the Bible series. It's a bit techy... but it has lots and lots of examples.

I don't do .ASP, because that requires IIS, and IIS is yucky.

Both books are available at any major book store or from Amazon.com.

ironpants · Post by **ironpants** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:27 am

...yeah, books, forgot about those

The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering, 20th Anniversary Edition by Frederick P. Brooks

An Introduction to Database Systems, Eighth Edition by CJ Date

Practical Issues in Database Management by Fabian Pascal

On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt

Death March, Second Edition by Edward Yourdon

And I'm with you on IIS, I've been running MONO at the house quite successfully against DB2

CrazyAlabamianLlama · Post by **CrazyAlabamianLlama** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 7:26 am

Thanks guys. i will get the info. Thanks again for the help.

dribbles · Post by **dribbles** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 6:27 am

On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt

Death March, Second Edition by Edward Yourdon

very funny. where do these people come from?

ironpants · Post by **ironpants** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:13 am

Saddly, it wasn't meant to be funny. As a software developer, especially in the shrink wrap and .com world, you're judged by the projects you've participated in. Death March does an excelent job of giving young developers the information needed to decide weather or not to engage a given project.

The necessity of On Bullshit is pretty self evident in the IT world.