>There's sure a lot of LAMP out there (Linux, Apache, Mysql, PHP for those who are wondering ;-) ) We're running an international pbx using LAMP and it's remarkably easy. In fact, IMHO it's worth posting samples here for people who've done web development but are not familiar with PHP. Here's the header of a customer list page using MySQL Data:
John, here you are preaching about the dynamic nature of VFP data access and you show an example of recordset style object of sql execution and data parsing <s>... that code looks like any ASP classic would. <s> I'd like to see you post process that result set <s>
I'm not knocking but the point is that VFP style syntax for data access is a panacea just about in any language including Python and it's unlike that we'll see it.
>That's a fairly clunky example, but IMHO it doesn't take a fox-head long to figure out what's going on. The next step is to wrap some of it in classes to allow identification of fields by name and to simplify even further. Overall I'd say that PHP is probably much easier for a data-focused VFP person comfortable with classes and OO than for your average VB6 person.
Right that's what I was getting at. But then again you can do that kind of code with classic ASP no problem. With ASP.NET and pure code it would take 10 minutes to write a small wrapper around the data access classes. WBut there are also no-code solutions using the data source controls which require you to write no code and simply databind as well... but ASP.NET has the disadvantage of being a big framework for an entry level person. Lots of things to be bombarded with EVEN THOUGH you don't need to know any of it to do simple stuff like running a query and binding it to a data grid for example.
>IMHO MS still has work to do to make NET as data-friendly as VFP. I won't say it again after this, but IMHO the timing of the announcement was unfortunate when Linq's local data capability isn't ready enough for close examination.
There's no doubt about that. Actually I have no illusions that it will ever be that friendly unless they come up with a dynamic language and make it a full scale citizen in .NET which is difficult but not impossible as demonstrated by IronPython (which works but pays a heavy perf price because it works mostly through Reflection).
But as you and I have discussed before its a matter of perception and how you approach data access. I just don't see the need to excessively post-process data on the client...
>Agreed- and as ASP-type services consumed by other applications become more common, customers may not know or care what it's written in server-side. Who of us is concerned that our banking records are probably stored in Cobol systems written 25 years ago?
Well, yes and no. I doubt a bank wouldn't ask - whta's this thing written in and sign off without a fight on a FoxPro system even if the system was absolutely top notch and kick a.s.s. That sucks, but it's the way things work unfortunately...
Perception often overrules common sense.
