I am in a cross-road between using Perl and using PHP for my client's websites. Here are my pros and cons about using these two great languages. I currently know Java and I have no time what so ever to learn JSP in which is very complex. So I am deciding Perl or PHP when developing web forms and another great application for the web within my site. What is your opinion in which I should use? If you think JSP would be good for me, say! lol Thanks

I'd go with PHP if you're only going to pick one. PHP was developed with the web in mind so there's a lot already built into the language to make things simple. Given the time issue PHP is really easy to learn. You'll probably be familiar with a lot of the syntax since you already know Java.

I just recently brought "Programming PHP by O'Reilly" ( which are awesome books!) from ebay along with "Learning Perl, 3rd Ed." from Borders Express (Schwartz is an excellent author!). I mean, PHP's syntax look really confusing but as you said it built for the web. I find that the mail function is great.

I wrote my first PHP script with that (with me going into web forms first using PHP). I like to get to the bottom line. I spent about 2 weeks each with Perl and PHP. I can say I am more familar with Perl though, me coming from a Linux system and reading a lot of the Open Source programs that was used with Perl along with a lot of system management ultities.

I heard PHP isn't really trusted in the web industry because it's open source, is this true?

I hadn't realized you were a linux user. Yeah in that case you would be more familiar with perl. I'm surprised the php syntax is confusing since it's based on C syntax like Java. Not the same certainly, but enough similarities I would think. I'm not really a Java programmer though so I could be wrong.

By the way those were the same two books I first bought for each language. I don't really use perl though so I'll need to reread it if I want to get back into perl.

The mail function is really easy isn't it. PHP was written to be used with websites so I'm sure if you use it more you'll find it makes a lot of things simple. There have been so many times I thought something would be complicated to program only to find php already had something build in to handle what I wanted in a couple of lines or function calls.

Originally Posted by vangogh

The mail function is really easy isn't it. PHP was written to be used with websites so I'm sure if you use it more you'll find it makes a lot of things simple. There have been so many times I thought something would be complicated to program only to find php already had something build in to handle what I wanted in a couple of lines or function calls.

Yeah, it is. I want really suprised when I read that PHP can be Object-Oriented. That's kinda funny to be honest, now a days every language is a OOP language. PHP does seem like kind of thing I am looking for. I want some for the web to make my client more happy than just having applets in the sites, lol.

Hey, Vangogh, how long did it take you to fully be comfortable with PHP. What language background did you have before PHP?

PHP is totaly web orientated wheras PERL has a web extension or two (ok or three). PERL is a cracking language but its not as flexible as php (where you can run it from any page), PERL on the other hand is CGI or if your geared up mod_perl (which is cool by the way).

If I was to build a management system then perhaps mod_perl would be my choice (giving access to all its lovely modules) but as for normal website building I would strongly push you to PHP (its just simplicity in itself).

Thats not to say you cannot do it all in PERL its just much easier in php and now that V5 is around you have the full OO syntax and constraints (except strict var types which is no big deal).

But then if your running on linux its quite easy to include a perl script here or visa versa.

Ibbo

I think that's one of the main benefits of PHP. Just because it was written for the web from the outset makes it so much easier to incorpotate it into a website.

I'm really more of a coder than a programmer. I more hack my way around programming though I'm trying to become more of a porgrammer when I have the time.

I worked my way through a certificate in C++ programming at the University of Colorado, though don't ask me to program anything in C++ since I've probably forgotten more than I ever knew in the first place.

Mostly now I code in PHP and JavaScript since that's where most of the need is for me. I probably sell myself short saying I'm just a hacker in regards to programming, but I am much better and taking someone else's code and then reworking it to do what I want as opposed to writing my own code from scratch. Another reason why I like PHP, since I never have to look too hard to find something close enough to what I want that I can modify.

How long did it take you to fully be comfortable with PHP?

Depends. There are still things I'm not fully comfortable doing. Though that's really more to do with me as a programmer than the language itself. For the basics and for what I generally use it for it wasn't very long. Maybe a few weeks or the time it took to get through a couple of books.

I tend to learn things sometimes only as I need them. I've found with PHP there have been times where I needed to do something new thought it would be difficult, found an example of something similair and realized it was much more simple than I ever thought.

Now that I look at PHP, it look rather easy. I googled around looking for cheat sheets on PHP in a .pdf verison. There are a few but this is the best one I've seen.

http://www.ilovejackdaniels.com/php/php-cheat-sheet/

I really want to get started then with PHP. I started using it by adding a web form to one of my clients website. If PHP is so great, why don't industried use PHP instead of ASP.NET, JSP, et al. JSP I understand, you get the full Java API plus a scripting language which in turn is really great but really too complex for me right this moment.

I am looking for something quick and easy to learn and PHP is my solution, Thanks guys!

Industries have been brainwashed into a windows world in the market place and since they have so much money they seem to follow the pattern of more money than brains (this is slowly changing though and bit by bit windows is loosing its grasp "cmon vista blow em apart from within").

Still thats does not mean .NET is not a viable solution (its just bloody expensive all round in comparison to PHP) Its not too difficult to learn either (thats if your able to pick up languages quickly) otherwise your stuck with Visual Studio which can be as daunting to learn as another langauge (Dont even dare tell me you had it wrapped up in a week any one of you).

Days end dont bother with .NET and its propriety fancy words stuff. Anything it can do we can do in PHP and a fraction of then cost (if that, your Linux are you not).

Ibbo

I can not stand Microsoft and their big .NET projects C#, ASP.NET, VB, and VC++. I am really against Microsoft b/c I hate Windows and hate monopolies.

Your heading in the right direction then.

Ibbo

PHP is my choice then. I will read up some tutorials and read some of my ebooks. Thanks for helping me in the decision.

No Probs mate, always happy to stear people onto the right path

Ibbo