Looking for recommendations on a programming language for a web
application.

I am soliciting recommendations on a programming language for a web
application described below. Actually, it is not real, just an example
of what the real application would do. I do not want to stimulate any
debates between respondents. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Let me be the one to privately decide on the validity of the comments.
All options are open: ASP.NET, PHP, Cold Fusion, Oracle, AJAX, XML, and
so forth. Yes some of you are better programmers with one of these
languages, but I hope you can be objective enough to provide insights
to possible shortcomings with your specialty as well as its strengths.
You thoughts on languages you are not so familiar with are acceptable
as well.

The web application will run similar to a custom manufacturing job shop
where a product is built from pre-determined parts or new parts with
multiple levels of sub-assemblies each with its ability to build from
the parts inventory. For example, the customer wants to build an
automobile. Then they choose from such things as engine, body type,
and tires. Then under engine, they can choose such things as V-8,
transmission type, fuel type, or define a new part (that will be added
to the inventory).

Expected database tables would be the parts inventory, and then tables
for each level that contains the links between tables so when, in this
example, this car is selected again, all components will be listed as
originally designed.

This is pretty simplistic but a fairly good example. I would like all
of this to be viewable on a single page. Items at the lower level
cannot be selected until the items of the higher level have been
specified. As one progresses down through the levels, the number of
total items at that level would normally become more numerous. For
example, let's say the body type had three parts, and the tires had
three parts; you can see that we started with one main unit built from
three sub-elements, with each of those sub-elements being built from
three parts for a total of nine parts at that level. Elements from the
inventory may be used at any level. For example, we could list a type
of machine screw to be used to build the body type and to build the
V-8.

We also need to be able to attach to each part a reference to something
like a page from a manual, a web site, or an image.

We also want to ability to provide spelling and grammar checking.

When building or adding parts; we want to be able to search the parts
inventory.

When finished, we need to be able output this completed "job" to
Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.

I would expect a database handling 1000s of users, each with it own log
in to access it own data, and maybe an average of 250 users in the
database at a time.

"Paul" <pmorrison [at] neb.rr.com> wrote in message
news:1169678815.179892.296210 [at] v33g2000cwv.googlegroups.com.. .
| Looking for recommendations on a programming language for a web
| application.
|
| I am soliciting recommendations on a programming language for a web
| application described below. Actually, it is not real, just an example
| of what the real application would do. I do not want to stimulate any
| debates between respondents. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
| Let me be the one to privately decide on the validity of the comments.
| All options are open: ASP.NET, PHP, Cold Fusion, Oracle, AJAX, XML, and
| so forth. Yes some of you are better programmers with one of these
| languages, but I hope you can be objective enough to provide insights
| to possible shortcomings with your specialty as well as its strengths.
| You thoughts on languages you are not so familiar with are acceptable
| as well.

i recommend that you specify *PERTENANT* information whereby a proper
recommendation can be given. as it is, ajax, xml, oracle, and so forth, are
NOT programming lanuguages. describing your physical architecture would be a
good start. another good thing to note would be whether this app would be an
inter or intranet application. what browser(s) would be supported. what are
the bugetary constraints. you know, all those things you left
out...pertenant information. as for what language is best to use to get your
described functionality? any language can do what you want.

do you see the gap to get from your question to a legitimate answer? you
must provide a better bridge.

Paul wrote:

> Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
> Let me be the one to privately decide on the validity of the comments.
> All options are open: ASP.NET, PHP, Cold Fusion, Oracle, AJAX, XML, and

As Steve pointed out, all these aren't programming languages, but applications
and methods too.

Choice of database, it has to do how thick your wallet is

The king of databases is usually given to Oracle, you pay for a license per
CPU (Dual core may be counted as two CPUs, check that at www.oracle.org).
The prince of databases is nowadays MySQL and is a quite popular and big sites
like google.com does use it. License is per computer, and is cheapest.
The black sheep MSSQL, is both expensive and slow (half speed compared to
Oracle and MySQL).

Of the languages PHP is the one that runs on the most platforms, even such
that normally wouldn't be picked as a server OS, while ASP is limited only to
microsoft servers. ColdFuson is limited too and quite expensive to use.

AJAX is just javascript and works against any serverside script language, but
relays on that the user has enabled javascript (there are plenty who disable
javascript).


> We also want to ability to provide spelling and grammar checking.

This part is best to left for the web browser, check FireFox 2.


> When building or adding parts; we want to be able to search the parts
> inventory.
> I would expect a database handling 1000s of users, each with it own log
> in to access it own data, and maybe an average of 250 users in the
> database at a time.

PHP & MySQL with extras you want, like AJAX, pdflib, ...
I would suggest you look at more open types of presentation media.

--

//Aho