Andreessen: PHP succeeding where Java isn't

TalkBack 16 of 29:

Next »

« Previous

• Thread View
• Flat View

Same problem with ASP.NET versus ASP...

Im a converted C#.Net developer, after going through insanity learning this class-based system. ASP was SO much simpler and faster! I will say, as powerful as this language is when using Visual Studio, I find this compiled, heavily typed language bulky and time-consuming when developing web applications. Even though Microsoft and its acolytes of developers like myself will try and convince you its class libary and OOP nature makes connecting to databases and spitting out html markup into web sites easier....its doesnt! It makes things nmuch more complicated. Like JAVA, if you dont know all the ricks, you can get stuck, because its so complicated!

In addition, I cannot tell you how many headaches ASP.NET brings to simple XHTML web development. You have to gut all of their web forms because they all use tables for formatting rather than the new XHTML and CSS Web Standards. That, and the time involved in tracking data types and extra work in custom server controls makes me miss good old ASP!

PHP will surely dominate web development in the future, as it was much like ASP, and now that Microsoft has abandoned this old interpreted scritping language for .NET, PHP is wide open to take the lead in web development. Java and C#.NET are incredibly powerful when it comes to enterprise-level apps, but fail in my opinion in keeping things simple when doing simple XHTML web page development, which is where the web world is heading!

In addition, Microsoftt should have hired Web Standards consultants and actual web developers before it made the decision to wrap ASP into ASP.NET and the whole compiled language scenario, as well, as its feels like overkill compared to what we used to do with ASP. ASP and PHP were very close in using the scripting strategy for devlopment online, and I think we will miss ASP and its simplicity in building web sites. I already miss it....and after reading this article, think I will explore more PHP now.

Dont get me wrong, I love C#.NET, and nothing I cant do with it. Same for Flash MX and Actionscript 2. Love it as well and its also incredibly powerful on the web. The two technologies pretty much complete the possibilities available to web developers online. (Forget AJAX, its just another crappy client-side JavaScripted hack!) But the brain cells and patience to master these two is surely beyond the reach of most people, thus the high dollars for people with these skills. I already see my salary and offerings increasing with each passing day.

But on the web world thats coming, its about inclusion and simplicity. If you cannot simplifyy and keep things simple enough so that many people can understand and use your technology quickly and cheaply (ie free), your technology will eventually fall onto the ever growing technology scrap-pile.

Other than large scale development, I suspect thats where .NET and Java are headed as regards the web development world in the next 30 years.

Posted by: wildranger   Posted on: 10/19/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

Alert moderator to an offensive message

Subscribe to this discussion via Email or RSS

SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads

• Virtualization: Architectural Considerations And Other Evaluation Criteria VMware Of the many approaches to x86 systems virtualization available in the ... Download Now
• Reducing Server Total Cost of Ownership with VMware Virtualization Software VMware VMware virtualization enables customers to reduce their server TCO and ... Download Now
• The True Costs of Virtual Server Solutions VMware In an economic environment that is repeatedly heralding the message "do ... Download Now