Cfm

There are a lot of sites built with it, but mostly intranets, I think. It's a proprietary language, and it requires expensive server software to run. That could be why you don't see a lot of it.

Sandra

I use it at work, but like suzanne said it is expensive. I run Apache 1.3.22, ColdFusion 5 and M$SQL 2000.

The entire site is not done with ColdFusion though (yet...), but I'm introducing Web Applications. Things like Search Facilities, Bulletin Boards, Document Management systems (similar to a bulletin board, but not quite), and Forums.

That's an interesting setup, Justa. Why did you choose Apache 1.3.22 on a Windows box, may I ask?

I am a self-confessed CF freak!

I currently use CF5 on my development mchine with Win PWS as the main server.

To me CF is easier and quicker to use than most other server side languages out there, although I will get a lot of heat from the PHP guys and gals for saying that!

Its almost like English, it does exactly what it says on the tin!

For the record my site is built entirely on an Access DB with ColdFusion as the scripting language...

If English was so darn easy, content on the web would be written better.

I think it comes down to the individual programmer and the task involved -- if you think better in CF, you'll use it more. Ditto PHP, ASP, Perl. Most tasks don't care what language you do them in, but some tasks are easier in Perl or PHP (text wrangling).

Proprietary languages will always be less used than open source or shared languages, I think. It just makes sense that if people have the option to use a language that is easily accessible and has oodles of support (tutorials, bbs, et cetera), that they will use it. If it's widely supported, all the better!

I consider myself a CF_guru, I am currenty using CF 5.0, MS.NET Server and MSSQL Server 2000.

I have seen a huge explosion of sites that use CF in the last year. Go to yahoo.com and type in *.cfm for your search - then you'll see what I mean.

I am, however learning the whole .NET platform and see myself developing with that in the future (.aspx).

I love to develope in CF, It's amazing how quickly I can finish some of the applications put in front of me. Could have taken 2-3 times as long as in PHP or ASP (of course, this is just me => )

Quote: Originally posted by Suzanne
If English was so darn easy, content on the web would be written better.

Darn right!

I originally tried both ASP and PHP before discovering CF but found the latter much easier to get into. From a novice's point of view it was and still is ideal as not only a learning tool and a great intro to server side scripting but is also scalable and versatile enough for more powerful applications and the experienced developer.

As for cost, it is prohibitive but Macromedia are starting to go the way of Micosoft and PWS. You can download a fully functional version of CF5 and after 30 days it reverts to a single IP mode. In a nutshell it will only work on your local machine not as a webserver but that is the only restriction, everything else is still there.

I don't consider this a problem as it means I can fully develop an app and then upload to my host who also runs CF5 and thats that.

There are good, cheap hosts out there for CF, mine is with ExpertHost.com and I can't say a bad word about them!

For what its worth I think anyone who has any experience in other languages such as ASP or PHP to give CF a blast. I think you would find it a refreshing change!

And No, Macromedia or Allaire paid me to say that!