[UPHPU] PHP Store

[Dave Simpson]

Erhm, it sounds like you are asking two questions: one, is php good for this
type of thing, and two, is php good for something to show the end user.

Basically, if you are dealing with a database, php is sort of a 'must.' If
php is what you want to use. I would look at a few tutorials on php and ruby
on rails. It depends on what you want from the beginning, are you going to
be doing most of the code in something else and just need the php to access
a database, or are you going to require the 'scaffolding' that something
more 'classey' like rails has (although php5 now has pretty decent
class/function code).

As far as your 'store end.' Please note that I don't think php has ever been
used as anything other than a 'backend.' Seeing as how the client never sees
the php (web browsers parse and display only the results), php is pretty
inherently, unless someone says otherwise, 'backend' stuff. Also, as far as
I know, php is web-based...I don't think php is used on a non-networked
system. For that, something like Perl would be more useful as a scripting
language. I only say this because you mention Cocoa, more like an
'environment' than a 'language' (Cocoa's 'language of choice' being
Objective-C). And if by store-end you mean 'what you as the administrator
will be using' - then it is entirely plausible. Although there are benefits
to having instore the same thing that your users are using - for when they
call in with questions about orders or vice versa. If you want to have a
computer terminal in a store location for people to use...well, that's a
whole nother can o worms.

Also, as to your 'the question' - anything being done 'entirely' in php
won't really help you at all...since php is really all about being paired
with a database and spitting out data. You then use XHTML/Java/Flash to
manipulate and show the data.

I think anyway.

On 7/25/06, Webot Graphics <graphics at westernbotanicals.com> wrote:
>
> I have a project that someone wants me to do. I am wondering if it
> can/should be done in php (not knowing php at all i am unsure, but
> willing to learn because php sounds cool).
>
> The concept (because of contracts I had to change the type of store
> that is being used) -
> Like a drive-through mini mart (like 7-11), where can drive up to get
> there order. Now because of the quantity of selection (over 500
> products) this won't be able to be done with a regular McDonald's
> menu. The customer, because of this, and a techy feeling, wants to
> use kiosks, in the drive through (more like a Sonic drive through),
> and also inside the store. He also wants people to be able to place
> their orders online, so it will be ready for them.
>
> The execution -
> I figure that we are going to need a client-side website, a client-
> side kiosk website (unless they can be the same, i just think that
> the buttons on the kiosk are going to have to be bigger), and a store-
> side website that pulls up the orders. Now because this is a drive-
> through the orders have to be sent to the store-side server fairly
> quickly.
>
> The question -
> Should this be attempted completely in php or a combination of php
> (the front end) and a computer language like cocoa (the store end)?
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> UPHPU mailing list
> UPHPU at uphpu.org
> http://uphpu.org/mailman/listinfo/uphpu
> IRC: #uphpu on irc.freenode.net
>