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Changing from ASP to PHP to use Linux server - help!

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:06 am
by Srivas
:?:
Hello,
Im a newbie in website development, but I need to get into it and figure out whatever is required to do setup a nice webpage.
So my humble question is:

I would like to setup the page Im working with in Linux server (Im not familiar with the plusses and minuses, but its cheaper...) and to replace all the ASP scripts with PHP.

So I was asked to help out with one previously created webpage, which is using some ASP scripts for sending feedback, sending form to an email and suggesting a friend.
So after surfing around the web for some time I found out that above mentioned functions can be carried out also by making nice Flash based forms and setting them up by PHP scripts.

Can I do that? Will it work out? I can then use Linux server for the web-page? Is that the best solution?

Any help in this regard is greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Srivas

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:14 am
by jamiel
Yes, use linux. You can do the entire form handling in PHP there is no need to use Flash.

Pick up a PHP Book and Form Handling will be one of the first chapters.

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:13 am
by infolock
First of all, let me congratulate you on making the choice a lot of .NET developers are starting to make. :)

Secondly, the application you are wanting to make is fairly easy, and shouldn't take more than a day to build. However if you are new to PHP, you are basically going to be diving right into the guts of PHP to get this done. So if you are a newbie, jamiel is correct, you need to obtain a PHP book.

The best thing to do is first setup your PHP enviornment in linux. After that, try to create a simple page. Finally, just dive in head over heals and embrace the new enviornment. Then when/if you get lost, post the code you write on this board, and you'll get a response in a matter of minutes.

It's almost like having your own personal developer support team at your finger tips :)

Anyways, have fun and let us konw when you have problems.


[ps]
About the flash comment, you can choose to use flash, or you can choose not to. Flash adds another level of eye candy to the form, so it's pretty cool. Flex might also be something good to look into if you are wanting a flashy form. Either way, you don't have to use flash. PHP, as jamiel indicated, is perfectly capable of performing all the tasks on it's own.

Have fun (=

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 1:40 pm
by Srivas
:D Thanks a lot guys, I really appreciate such a warm response.

I knew I was up to something here, looks like I found it. I'll dive deep then. All the nicest pages I've seen lately are based on PHP, so it must be something.
The best thing to do is first setup your PHP enviornment in linux.
Shame to say, I never used linux in my life, although I NEVER heard anything bad about it.
Im using Dreamweaver in Windows(and who is not criticizing Windows :wink: ), but Im always ready for changing for the better, if its not too much of a hassle and worth the time to get into it.
Pick up a PHP Book and Form Handling will be one of the first chapters.
Is there some good resources you could suggest to look out, for the dullheaded beginner?

Thanks,
Srivas