>I tried installing PHP.   I didn't get it done inside a couple of hours.
>And even then, I had trouble understanding the documentation because
>it's written by IT tech-heads for IT Techheads.

<darrel>Aren't "tech-heads" what we are talking about, here? Web designers
and
programmers? I have found the PHP help documentation to be very helpful,
even to including comments from previous users</darrel>

Well  I agree with Darrel, or I guess I must be an IT tech-head! The PHP
manual is the clearest documentation I have seen bar none!

I really don't want to debate this add nauseum, but as far as I can see
Coldfusion is no quicker or slower than any other coding method. The other
point that is not often discussed in this forum is that coding is only a
small, albeit important,  part of site development.

Our shop specializes in Data-intensive web applications, and we make
extensive use of  XML, SQL Server, Oracle, and MySQL as data stores. In our
shop applications are first developed in UML and then are programmed in
whatever language the customer already uses, or the language which matches
their IT setup. Our developers use Coldfusion, ASP, ASP.NETPHP, and
occasionally Perl..

If the client has no preference, by preference we use PHP and MySQL (Secure
and open-source), but in fact about 40% of our work is ASP, 15% in ASP.NET
and 15% Cold fusion.

The interesting thig is that there is basically absolutely NO difference in
the time it takes to develop and debug applications in any of these
languages!! (Actually ASP.NET takes a little longer but we are on the
up-side of the learning curve)

The important thing is the planning of the App. Get this right and all else
follows.

FTR, the break down of the time for an application of average complexity
breaks down as follows:

Planning, modelling and business analysis 40%.(much of the time in
conferencing)
Coding 25%
Debugging, Training and FU 35%

(These figures do not include Art, Layout and Design work which can account
for anywhere from 5-75% of the total project!!)

Frank

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