I would love your opinion on the best language!

@BJBJun 21.2005

I already have experience with html. I am working on learning xhtml and css.

Which Browser Scripting Language do you experts recommend that I start with and why?
(JavaScrip, VBScript, DHTML, HTML>DOM, WMLScript??????)

Also, which Server Scripting Language do you recommend and why?
(SQL, ASP, ADO, or PHP?????) I am familiar with Oracle if that would help with your recommendation.

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!! BJB :p

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Full-stack Developer

17 Comments(s) _↴

@invertedpandaJun 21.2005 — #SQL needs to be coupled with another language - it isn't a scripting language by itself, but instead a language used to interact with an SQL database. Most commonly used is ASP with MSSQL, and PHP with MySQL.

I recommend PHP as a server-side scripting language, but Perl is also pretty darn good too. I don't recommend ASP, based on past experiences.

Javascript is pretty commonplace in browser scripting. I don't like DHTML myself, but i don't have as much experience with it.

I suggest you get CSS down before you get too involved in a server-side scripting language. CSS is basically a necessity nowadays when it comes to developing standards-compliant, clean, efficient, spiderable websites.

@rhsundergroundJun 21.2005 — #i agree. after (or with) HTML comes CSS, then javascript, PHP, and MySQL. ASP and PHP are similar languages developed by different people, so they are similar, but still fairly different. i have no experience with ASP, so i can give only a recommendation for PHP. these are, of course, my thoughts, but it is generally accepted that HTML and CSS always come first.

@buntineJun 21.2005 — #They are all fantastic technologies. Which one you choose is trivial as programming concepts are universal and so you will benefit regardless.

I believe ASP.NET employs the most cutting-edge solutions to common server-side limitations. Some of the JSP architectures are well worth learning over your more common options, too.

I say, just jump in and have a shot. If ASP sounds good to you (it sounded good to me), just fire up an editor and [i]let 'er rip[/i].

We are all (mostly?) here because we love computer programming, our personal, and often biased, opinions are not important in the long term.

Regards.

@buntineJun 21.2005 — #
SQL needs to be coupled with another language
[/quote]
Just to clear this up, SQL does not need to be used with any other technologies (other than a conforming database). Querying and manipulating a relational database only requires SQL. The most common use would be with Oracle, considering its the market leader -- but I guess it's not so within the scope of the original question.

But, nontheless, invertedpanda was right in that SQL definately is not a server-side scripting language. Nor is ADO (ActiveX Data Objects), it is simply a collection of objects offered by Microsoft.

Regards.

@LiLcRaZyFuZzYJun 21.2005 — #nor is DHTML ?

@Stephen_PhilbinJun 21.2005 — #My personal server side language of choice is PHP, but like the folks here said, get yer CSS nailed first. I wouldn't bother "learning xhtml" because in my opinion, there is no "learning xhtml". xhtml is just an application of XML, so you'd learn XML. Serving xhtml as html is a symptom of "learning xhtml" and basically equates to serving broken html in my eyes.

Your time would be much better spent of learning something worthwhile, maybe actual XML (but getting a gtrounding first would probably be better), or perhaps CSS or Javascript. I'd recommend spending time you would have wasted on "learning xhtml" on getting on with Javascript. Javascript is probably the most insignificant aspect of your web designs, but it is also probably the most complex due to its huge inconsistency accross browsers.

@Stephen_PhilbinJun 21.2005 — #nor is DHTML ?[/QUOTE]

Aye. Because there's no such thing as DHTML remember. ?

@LiLcRaZyFuZzYJun 21.2005 — #@Herer

hehe!

in what application do you use XML btw?

i would also advice PHP

@BJBauthorJun 21.2005 — #Thanks so much for all the help. I know now I will definitely get going on CSS but doesn’t it work in conjunction with html? and if the answer is yes should I be looking under html, xhtml, or xml when I go to places like w3shools or go to buy a hardcopy book?

Thanks again for all your advise!!!!! ? ? ?

@LiLcRaZyFuZzYJun 21.2005 — #well, as Herer said, xhtml is html rewritten in xml, and CSS is used with HTML

you can take the CSS tut on w3schools, its not bad

you may also wanna take a look at tizag.com

@BJBauthorJun 21.2005 — #Thanks, LiLcRaZyFuZzY that made a little more sense to me the way you put it. Just a little slow I guess. I will check out the web site that you suggested also.

I appreciate your help and everyone else’s!!!! It is great that so many of you take the time to help others just out of the goodness of your hearts. Maybe, just maybe I will learn enough that someday, I will be able to do the same.

Brenda

@Stephen_PhilbinJun 21.2005 — #Well so long as you stick around, I'm sure you'll be helping others out a lot sooner than you think. People come here with a very wide array of questions. Some highly complex problems that only those with a great deal of experience could answer, and some as simple as "What is the <p> tag for?". It's great to have helpers from all levels of experience.

Oh and @fuzz

So far I've only used Opera and Firefox for XML so far. I only started my all out "Right I'm gonna nail this f***er" assault on XML about 7 days ago. Spent two days solid just reading the XML 1.0 (Thrid Edition) Recommendation over and over, another day on namespaces and the rest on patching up areas of my core XML knowledge that's still a bit shakey (like why public addresses are linked to SYSTEM identifiers sometimes and so on. I do intend to create a markup language, but I'm also looking at trying to find other useful applications of XML. I've just been using the web browsers to tinker with my first steps of XML, y'know, just checking I understood what I read and so on. Good thing you asked me what I use though actually. I just realised. My OS comes with silly ammounts of XML jiggery pokery. there's like another 'ickle XML universe in my OS I haven't even stuck my big nose into yet. I'd better have a peek soon. ?

@felgallJun 21.2005 — #HTML, XHTML, or XML to define the content

CSS to define the layout and appearance

Javascript for client side programming

PHP or PERL for server side programming

mySQL for database

if your server offeres a different language and/or database then use that instead.

@BJBauthorJun 21.2005 — #felgall,

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So simple and exactly what I needed. You should be teacher.

Brenda ? ?

@LiLcRaZyFuZzYJun 21.2005 — #i would better advice to choose a host in function of what choices of technologies you want to have

@Stephen_PhilbinJun 21.2005 — #In the beginnings what you want from your host probably won't figure much in your work. A web server can dish out bog standard html and CSS regardless (well I'd wonder what was going on with it if it couldn't). Plus you can just run it straight off yer own desktop without even needing a host if you're just creating/learning/testing. Your host will have a massive influence over which server side language you're going to use, or perhaps the other way round if you don't have one.

Something else I should tell you about hosts and server side languages is that not only do you choose between asp and PHP (there's plenty of other languages too but they usually tend to assume you're going from asp or PHP and want something "better, faster, harder"), but you can also choose whether you buy hosting or do it from your own machine. I shalln't go into detail about it yet as you've no doubt got plenty of other things to worry about, but the basic trade off is that with hosting yourself on your own machine is free and gives you all the flexibility you need to spread your wings and experiment as you like when you feel the wish to do so, but with paid hosting, you don't have to worry about installation, setup and all the configuration.

Are you fortunate enough to not yet have hosting? If so then I'd suggest holding off getting any until you're ready to take on server side languages. I say this because it leaves you open to properly choose which server side language you like best for yourself. You can have a look at both and go with whichever one seems to make the most sense to you. Rather than just going with whichever one your host supports. ?

@invertedpandaJun 21.2005 — #Just to clear this up, SQL does not need to be used with any other technologies (other than a conforming database). Querying and manipulating a relational database only requires SQL. The most common use would be with Oracle, considering its the market leader -- but I guess it's not so within the scope of the original question.
[/QUOTE]

Right - I forgot to mention that I was reffering to web-based applications of SQL databases. Thanks, don't want to confuse the original poster ?