.net or php?

[noblehouse]

We've recently vontacted a freelancer to do some work for us, namely writng some xml pages and providing a live feed from out affiliate companies to database to us.

He has suggested we use .net as the server side script language and not php, but was a bit unclear as to the benefits of this.

Can anybody give me a quick list of advantages and disadvantages of using .net instead of php?

Thanks,

[lZakl]

That depends.. if the database you are using is SQL Server, then you probably want to use ASP.NET, however, if it is MySQL, you are probably better off using PHP.

You may want to talk to your freelancer and ask questions. If this person is at all knowledgable on the subject, they will be able to explain 'why' they want to use the system they are pushing. In all honesty, I have seen my share of freelancers 'suggest' a system because they are unfamiliar/incompetant with the system currently in use.

In my opinion, if there are no connectivity issues (things like MS Access databases needing to be connected to from the web) then there is no one thing that can describe why you should go with one language ofver the other.

If your sever allows for it though, you could have both PHP and ASP.NET. And let your freelancer program in whatever he is comfortable scripting in.

Just some thoughts...

-- Zak

[markbaa]

ASP.net support for XML is very good, although PHP is capable as well. Either would be a good choice. If it makes no difference to you, I would just go with the freelancers suggestion.

[txbakers]

.net as the server side script language

Just to be clear - .NET is not a script language, but a technology framework. You can use many actual languages with the .NET framework. Also, code written in .NET isn't script anymore - it's a fully compiled program.

.NET is much more robust than .PHP as it incorporates all of C#, VB even C++ and then delivers that to the web. PHP can do a lot of things, but it doesn't have the capacity to handle everything that a VB or C++ can do.

However, PHP is much easier to learn than a whole .NET framework approach.