Cold Fusion -> PHP

Simon Haddon simon at sibern.com.au
Tue Sep 11 00:58:22 EST 2001


Hi Terry,

Thanks for the summary of PHP benefits.  I do think there are somethings 
that I must point out to you about Coldfusion

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Original Message <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

On 10/09/01, 11:04:53 AM, "Kearns, Terry" <terry.kearns at dha.gov.au> wrote 
regarding Cold Fusion -> PHP:


> Hi Simon,

[snip]

> I have found that the only way I can really modulise CF code (apart from
> includes) is to make custom tags, but you can only take things so far 
before
> things start getting ugly or I have to use another language anyway. I 
would
> still recommend CF for people who want to build small applications, but 
for
> medium to large apps, more traditional languages afford tried ant tested
> methodologies. It is important to note that PHP is purpose built for the 
web
> when comparing it to JAVA or PERL or VBScript. Even though JSP and ASP 
are
> an adoptions for the web, the languages behind them were never web 
service
> (I don't mean client) languages to begin with.

Have you tried using Fusebox.  It enabled quite large sites to be written 
in a very modulised fashion.  (with CF5 you can have functions).  You 
have a more traditional approach using it than not.  As for things 
getting ugly I have only found that it gets ugly when people don't follow 
a decent methodology.  This is also true of any programming language.  I 
have worked on quite a few projects in my time and I have seen alot of 
crap programming irrelevant of the language used.  PHP would only help of 
a decent methodology was used with it.

> PHP tackles http issues better than any other language out there today. 
It's
> session management capabilities are unparalleled i.e.. you can 
instantiate
> an object, register it with a session (maybe one of many), then access 
that
> same object instance on another page. You can freeze any given session 
(with
> all it's variables) and dump the content to a file or DB and then thaw it
> out by simply resuming it at a later date. 

I must admit that sounds good.  I have one client that has the same 
effect but has to do it programmatically in Coldfusion.

There are several ways to achieve
> persistence (sessions) without cookies too (some of which rely on 
Apache).
> Output buffering is another example of how PHP is purpose built for the 
web.
> No other language allows you to trap content (normally being written out 
in
> the http stream) into local space where it can be accessed as a variable 
and
> optionally released after done some other processing. I've used this
> technique to effect funky caching techniques (see PHP.net conference 
notes).

This is not true.  Coldfusion allows you to trap any content you like and 
then process it.  You can make your own tags using just a few lines that 
allow for the body content to captured or any part there of and then do 
as you like with it before you dump it to the http stream.

> Compared to CF, PHP has a longer development cycle for very small 
projects,
> but due to it's modular way of working, it is actually quicker for larger
> applications - and _much_ easier to maintain in my experience. 
Documentation
> is also easier. I am working on a small/medium size CF app at work and it 
is
> painful :(

I do agree that Coldfusion is quicker to get of the ground from what I've 
been told and even MS admit that it is quicker than ASP (just search for 
coldfusion at the ms web site).  Again I find that using a decent 
methodology is the key to a larger project.  I find that Fusebox is a 
good approach to making CF code very modular, easier to maintain, debug 
etc and easier to document. As for small projects I have found CF a 
breeze.  I have/am working on a range of projects sizing from a dozen 
pages to some very complex code.  Try audit.ea.gov.au for a big site


> In short, there is no easy conversion process from CF to PHP, but it is 
most
> _definately_ worth the effort. You'll never look back.


> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Simon Haddon [mailto:simon at sibern.com.au]
> > Sent: Monday, 10 September 2001 7:13
> > To: Kearns, Terry
> > Subject: Re: PHP (and potentially C) developers
> >
> >
> > How different is PHP to Coldfusion?  I have good experience C
> > Coldfusion
> > could I make the transfer easily?
> >
> > --
> > Simon Haddon, E-mail: simon at sibern.com.au
> > Sibern Solutions Pty Ltd, 38 Beasley St, Pearce, ACT 2607
> > Tel: 02, 62864500, Fax: 02, 62864526
> >
> > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Original Message <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
> >
> > On 7/09/01, 11:54:43 AM, "Kearns, Terry"
> > <terry.kearns at dha.gov.au> wrote
> > regarding PHP (and potentially C) developers:
> >
> >
> > > Our organisation is in the process of determining the
> > technology we will
> > use
> > > to implement server-side for our web based applications.
> > For a number of
> > > reasons, I have recommended PHP (over Cold Fusion, ASP, and
> > Java) on a
> > Unix
> > > platform.
> >
> > > We are trying to determine the availability of programmers
> > who would be
> > able
> > > to join our team if we were to use PHP.
> >
> > > In my opinion, anyone who is experienced in C or perl would
> > be able to
> > pick
> > > up PHP very very quickly. If there is anyone out there who would be
> > > interested in developing PHP based applications, please let
> > me know. I
> > need
> > > this information to make it happen.
> >
> > > Cheers.
> >
> > > [TK]
> >




More information about the linux mailing list