[UPHPU] Is PHP the right language for my project?

[MilesTogoe]

William Attwood wrote:
> On Mon, Apr 7, 2008 at 10:28 AM, thebigdog <bigdog at venticon.com> wrote:
>
>   
>> In reading the archives of this group, you guys seem to be pretty
>>     
>>> objective
>>> about what works for certain situations.  I have been debating in my
>>> head
>>> for awhile about what is the right programming language for a specific
>>> job.
>>>
>>> I am debating PHP frameworks, perl, maybe RIA (flex), and everything
>>> else.
>>> This project is being done from scratch so we have the luxury of
>>> choosing
>>> what we think is best -- hopefully we get it right!  I'd appreciate any
>>> insights in what you guys think as I am not a PHP expert.
>>>
>>> I think typically this would be done in a client-server environment like
>>> c++, visual basic, .net, etc.  However, the customer facing portion of
>>> it
>>> will need to be browser-based since they will be remote to us (around
>>> the
>>> world).
>>>
>>> The application is really a business/inventory/process application and
>>> not
>>> your traditional "web" application.  Obviously this could be done in
>>> PHP,
>>> but could it be done WELL in PHP and is PHP the best choice?
>>>
>>>       
>> Chris,
>>
>> I usually look at various technologies, hardware requirements and customer
>> requirements before deciding which language to choose. There are other
>> requirements as well: development lifecycle, cost, employee skill, employee
>> retention, training and other items. At that point I start to figure out the
>> architecture requirements and what needs to be accomplished (ie location of
>> customers, deployment, hardware) and start spec'ing it all out. Then i turn
>> my attention to development environments and team mechanics. After that i
>> will start looking at the language to see which one will accomplish the
>> design by factoring in skill set, training, hiring, cost and a few other
>> things. Once the language is determined, the planning phase needs to include
>> how you are going to develop the software...whether that is fully web or
>> parts are web based and development decisions.
>>
>> But i would agree with Tyler, most languages are sufficient for what you
>> are trying to do; however, you need to take a lot more into account when
>> making that decision. You really don't want to do a java app if all your
>> guys are php guys; you don't want to do a php app if all your guys are ruby;
>> etc.
>>
>> yet there is only one database that you should use - pgsql!!!!
>>
>> [i just had to say that]
>>
>> --
>> thebigdog
>>
>>     
>
> I want to add to this, keep in mind PHP is not multi-threaded, which may or
> may not be important to your application.
>
> I also agree with PGSQL
> -Will
>
>   
Any production system has 4 key success factors:
1) You have to get it working asap
2) It has to meet basic functional needs
3) Quality control is a must
4) It must be maintainable

 From some of the questions, I even wonder should you be writing a 
critical production system from scratch?   Despite what you might think, 
this does sound like a fairly "typical" business app 
(order/inventory).   So why are you reinventing something from scratch?  
You might even be better to act as client's agent and farm out to 
someone who's already built systems that do the same kind of thing 
well.  Or at least find similar systems and copy their approach.  Maybe 
you just have to change some GUI.  Line up your alternative approaches  
with how each one meets the success factors and do some ranking.   Then 
see if you have specific questions as to how certain languages address 
the success factors.  Many projects get hung up in #2 and the other 
factors suffer.












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