PHP DB - Built From Scratch?

[sid560]

We have a national real estate site using a customized can classifieds type database using peral. To make any substantial changes I have to sent certified funds to the vendor where I purchased the program and they do an awful job on the requested customizations.

I am feed up with this and thru my research this year it looks like using PHP with MySQL would be the way to do to go. It is well supported and it is something I could own and customize at a reasonable expense.

How do I approach this? Just tell the developer my current PHP system is 95 percent of what we want and here are the upgrades needed?

Should I have this PHP database created from scratch or start with another canned program which I have customized?

thanks

[henry0]

Hello SID560,
If you were my client I will first need to look at your existing and assess its
user friendliness, usability and how customizable your system is, same from the site’s admin area.

Then look at both of your questions
And will probably ends by creating a new MySQL DB
Expecting that some backup of your existing DB can be exported at least in a CSV format.

Also very probably since it looks like you have previously ordered some customization and will in the future probably expect more .....
I will then avoid the “one size fits all” and create a new set of scripts to fit future scalability and modification.

addendum:
Not to mention the need to fully understand what is your goal and clientele details and marketing strategy.
Regards

Henry
[edit]typo and addendum[/edit]

[SeanW]

PHP can certainly do it, but so can Perl. It's a question of what you're more comfortable with.

Do you have rights to the source code of your existing system? You could potentially find someone else to maintain it, which might be cheaper.

Failing that, if the database is properly normalized, you may not even need changes, just a new front end.

Despite how easy it may look, your first PHP application is going to be a mess and difficult to maintain, especially if you have little programming experience. You may be better off hiring out for the initial build, and then maintaining it yourself.

Sean

[sid560]

Thanks for the replies.

I am a Real Estate Broker that just got into the Internet Business about 7 years ago. Cut down my real estate business and the web sites have been doing very good. Even though I now know SEO and Dreaweaver very good, don't know databases, except from an Admin panel.

So I was planning on getting the developer who comes up with the new database, to do customizations also.

Well several people now have asked why not use different person/company to take over customization of my existing peral database. Metally I have already been dreaming of the new database, but now will not rule out keeping existing DB and getting new help.
thanks a lot.

[ergophobe]

As Sean said, though, it may or may not be legal to just have someone take over your existing system, depending on what licensing rights you have.

- if it was custom built for you, I would think you own it unless you signed those rights away in a contract.

- if you are using a modified off the shelf system, whether or not you can keep and use system after changing developers will depend on your license.

[sid560]

if you are using a modified off the shelf system, whether or not you can keep and use system after changing developers will depend on your license.

So, you are saying that I might not have the right to hire another developer to further modify my current system?
I didn't think of that. I will check the license agreement.

This makes me what to start from scratch with my own PHP system. I understand that I should spell out in any agreement with a developer who builds my new system, that I own it one hundred per cent.

thanks,

[jd01]

I think understanding that there are two aspects you are looking at will be helpful for you.

1. The data in the DB - the structure, ownership and rights of this are one issue.

2. The mini-application (or code) to get the information out of the DB and put it on a page - the code involved, ownership and rights of this are another issue.

So, as previously stated by others, you may be able to use part of the system, while having to replace another part.

When hiring a developer, make sure they not only have experience, but that the sites they currently run, load quickly. 90% of DB speed is in the querys to get the information out - the other portion relies on solid DB structure - If the sites they are working on currently are slow, there is a good chance yours will be too, becuase most people have a system and stick to it.

Keep in mind an SQL DB can handle enornous amounts of information and if queried correctly, can be exceptionally fast. If the querys are not solid and well thought out you can bring the DB to a crawl.

Justin

[henry0]

Not to mention security!