Web Programming
I know HTML and some Java and java-script, which is as far as my web programming skills go. (I remember some tidbits of VRML, but who uses that?) Anyway, I want to extend my knowledge of web development by learning something like PHP or CGI. My ultimate goal is to be able to set up passwords and create forums and things like that for my site without having to use some other third-party stuff, even a complete database. My question is, what language should I learn to be able to accomplish this? I don''t mind going with Windows-only ASP, but some cross-platform language like PHP would be great. I want to be able to reach the majority of average computer users wihtout making them download the jdk2ee or anything.
My vote would go to Perl or PHP. Perl is a nifty language. It''s great for CGI, and even better for string processing (forms, passwords, etc.).
As you already know Java I''d suggest going for java-servlets.
-Neophyte
- Death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth. -
-Neophyte
- Death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth. -
Don''t the web page viewers have to download some typeof add-on or something or do they just need the Java RunTime edition?
There''s no need for special browser plugins for java-servlets - but the server has to be configured to handle them - a servlet is an "applet" that runs on the server. A local java virtual machine is required on the client side to run applets. Windows XP doesn''t ship with one but previous version of Windows do. In either case a jvm can be downloaded from Sun.
Perl is probably your best bet because it''s so widely used. Many web sites run Linux/Apache and so there''s no need to make a special request to the host to install a server side jvm (tomcat or whatever). There are also several prebuilt packages for maintaining web sites available in perl - the engine that handles slashdot for example.
Perl is probably your best bet because it''s so widely used. Many web sites run Linux/Apache and so there''s no need to make a special request to the host to install a server side jvm (tomcat or whatever). There are also several prebuilt packages for maintaining web sites available in perl - the engine that handles slashdot for example.
Just to clarify what AP above said: There is no need for a java runtime or anything on the clients in order to use servlets. Servlets are, simplisticly put, java programs whose output go to the client browser as if it was an HTML-page.
It''s true that you will need some kind of module on the server-side (usually Tomcat if you''re using Apache), however they are deceptively powerful, as you can do just about anything with a Servlet that you can do with a regular java-program on the server.
If you want something you''re practically guaranteed to be able to run on any server out there the best bet is probably Perl, which is a really neat language in it''s own right.
-Neophyte
- Death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth. -
It''s true that you will need some kind of module on the server-side (usually Tomcat if you''re using Apache), however they are deceptively powerful, as you can do just about anything with a Servlet that you can do with a regular java-program on the server.
If you want something you''re practically guaranteed to be able to run on any server out there the best bet is probably Perl, which is a really neat language in it''s own right.
-Neophyte
- Death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth. -
PHP is definately worth learning. If you already know C then youll be right at home with PHP. It''s easy to use, and rather fast, has great database support, etc.
k, so I got PHP and perl. Don''t you have to have access to the CGI-bin for perl or something? I don''t know if I can do that, since I''m using Geocities. Which one is easier to set up and create programs with? And does the user have to install anything to use PHP? Sorry for all the questions, but I guess I''m sort of a web programming newbie.
quote:Original post by masonium
...since I''m using Geocities...
Your agreement should specify what you have access to and what sort of dynamic documents they support. You don''t actually need read/write access to Geocities; many of those webhosts provide you with a localized cgi-bin directory which gets sorta "mapped" into the server''s cgi-bin.
All you need to do is put
#!/bin/perl -Tw
at the top of your apps.
Speaking of Perl... /me goes off to download Perl again
You won''t be able to do any server side scripting with Geocities. That means no ASP, Servlets, PHP, Perl, CGI, et cetera. You can always install an Apache server on your own computer and experiment with it there.
[Resist Windows XP''s Invasive Production Activation Technology!]
[Resist Windows XP''s Invasive Production Activation Technology!]
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