why php

PHP is (for me) another programming language, along the ones I've used for
years.
What's wrong with the rest, and what's better with PHP?
I tried VB, C++, Javascript, Java ...
I would like to now what's the advantage of PHP above the above?
Or is there no advantage, but just a major difference?
Jan K.

Jan K. wrote:
> PHP is (for me) another programming language, along the ones I've used for
> years.
> What's wrong with the rest, and what's better with PHP?
> I tried VB, C++, Javascript, Java ...
> I would like to now what's the advantage of PHP above the above?
> Or is there no advantage, but just a major difference?
> Jan K.
>
>

For starters PHP isn't a programming language it's a server side
scripting language, it can't really be compared to the others, but the
main advantages over PHP is that it is designed for server side
processing, it is fast as unlike technologies like ASP it doesn't have
to call a lot of COM objects, it has a syntax similar to that of C/C++
and other languages, and it's highly extendable.

One other advantage is that it's pretty much platform independent, more
often than not moving a PHP script from one platform to another is a
trivial task.

~Cameron

Cameron wrote:
> For starters PHP isn't a programming language it's a server side
> scripting language,

A clarification: the standard *implementation* of PHP is as server side
scripting language. There are others, such as PHP-GTK or WinBinder
(http://winbinder.sourceforge.net/) which make it possible to make perfectly
valid desktop applications using PHP.

Berislav

Actually, it's the MOST platform independent of the server side scripting
languages! -Ike

"Berislav Lopac" <berislav.lopac@lopsica.com> wrote in message
news:co9aqg$6rs$1@garrison.globalnet.hr...
> Cameron wrote: 
>
> A clarification: the standard *implementation* of PHP is as server side
> scripting language. There are others, such as PHP-GTK or WinBinder
> (http://winbinder.sourceforge.net/) which make it possible to make
perfectly
> valid desktop applications using PHP.
>
> Berislav
>
>

Wow....winbinder...Now if there were such an animal to make java from
php.......(and vice versa!) -Ike

"Berislav Lopac" <berislav.lopac@lopsica.com> wrote in message
news:co9aqg$6rs$1@garrison.globalnet.hr...
> Cameron wrote: 
>
> A clarification: the standard *implementation* of PHP is as server side
> scripting language. There are others, such as PHP-GTK or WinBinder
> (http://winbinder.sourceforge.net/) which make it possible to make
perfectly
> valid desktop applications using PHP.
>
> Berislav
>
>

Jan K. wrote:

> PHP is (for me) another programming language, along the ones I've used
> for years.
> What's wrong with the rest, and what's better with PHP?
> I tried VB, C++, Javascript, Java ...
> I would like to now what's the advantage of PHP above the above?
> Or is there no advantage, but just a major difference?
> Jan K.

I do not believe you can compare PHP to programming laguages.
PHP is a compliment to html much like Javascript is.
Where JS is for your local machine, PHP is for the server side of things.
JS can be disabled, not so with PHP.

VB, C++ and the like are for the implementing of stand alone programs on a
local level.
While some things can be done with these languages on the internet, it's
wise not to rely on them for use on the internet as this may cause serious
problems with the server.

Ike wrote:
> Wow....winbinder...Now if there were such an animal to make java from
> php.......(and vice versa!) -Ike
<snip>

Then it should be found and shot! ;)

~Cameron (Dislikes Java)

Yes Indeed

Php is better because it is FREE, Serverside and can interface with a
lot of RDBMS. If you have any experience of C then php is for you
because it follows a very similar Syntax as C.

Example: Have you ever tried doing URL rewrites in ASP. In php You dont,
you do it in the server config, no need to install DLLs and the
rewriting is 30 times faster.

Peronally I think Perl and Python are the business but php has ease of
use and is easier to learn.

Richard wrote:
>  Jan K. wrote:
> 
>
> I do not believe you can compare PHP to programming laguages.
> PHP is a compliment to html much like Javascript is.
> Where JS is for your local machine, PHP is for the server side of things.
> JS can be disabled, not so with PHP.
>
> VB, C++ and the like are for the implementing of stand alone programs on a
> local level.
> While some things can be done with these languages on the internet, it's
> wise not to rely on them for use on the internet as this may cause serious
> problems with the server.
>
>

> Php is better because it is FREE,

IIS and .Net Framework are free too.


> Serverside and can interface with a lot of RDBMS.

ASP and ASP.Net are too.


> If you have any experience of C then php is for you because it follows a very simi
lar Syntax as C.

You can use C# or JScript in ASP, which are similar to C also.


> Example: Have you ever tried doing URL rewrites in ASP. In php You dont, y
ou do it in the server config, no need to install DLLs
> and the rewriting is 30 times faster.

I believe you are talking about mod_rewrite, which has not much to do with
PHP, but with Apache.


> Peronally I think Perl and Python are the business

Personally I don't, but who cares?


> but php has ease of use and is easier to learn.

Yes, it is. That's why I prefer PHP over ASP, JSP, Perl etc.


Hilarion

Hilarion wrote: 
>
>
> IIS and .Net Framework are free too.
>
> 
>
>
> ASP and ASP.Net are too.
>
>
> 
>
>
> You can use C# or JScript in ASP, which are similar to C also.
>
>
> 
>
>
> I believe you are talking about mod_rewrite, which has not much to do with
> PHP, but with Apache.
>
>
> 
>
>
> Personally I don't, but who cares?
>
>
> 
>
>
> Yes, it is. That's why I prefer PHP over ASP, JSP, Perl etc.
>
>
> Hilarion
>
>

Firstly doesn't IIS require licenses depending on how many people use
it? I seem to recall that being the case back in the day when I thought
ASP was hot stuff ;)

Perl is a great language, powerful as hell, but it wasn't written for
the Internet hence the name "Practical Extraction and Reporting Language".

ASP isn't a language in its own right, it's more of a server interface,
ASP requires VBScript/Javascript etc... to operate.

In the end ASP and PHP comes down to a judgment call and what technology
is available although PHP is known to be faster. Perl as I said is very
powerful, however the amount of work that is required to get CGI scripts
up and running is quite a bit more demanding compared to that of PHP.

To some up some of PHP's finer points, it is fast*, it is designed for
rapid development specifically for the Internet, it can be moved to
other platforms than which it was designed on in most cases and is
extendable.

Oh and on a different note, I am evaluating "Zend Studio", my god that's
a good PHP IDE, and when I have some spare cash I am fairly sure I will
buy it.

~Cameron

*But only as fast as the person that writes it.