Locker assignment program - Java, c# or php

[localzuk]

I have been tasked with writing a program for the tracking and assignment of lockers to pupils. I have it designed in terms of database structure and objects but I am yet to decide on the tools to use to make it.

 

So, the choices I have experience are:

 

Java, C# or PHP.

 

PHP would be ok as I code using it quite often, but it more often than not ends up with me using bad coding habits and me ending up with spagetti code, also I'm not keen on doing it with PHP as it will require a lot more work in terms of actual coding.

C# looks good due to it being very easy to code with, but it isn't cross platform compatible, and I would like to make it 'future proof' and with the way Windows is going, it isn't too big a stretch to imagine windows not being the front end of the future.

Java looks good due to the ability to use servlets or to use an applet. The problem with this is that I haven't programmed in Java for about 2 years. And even then, I didn't do a great deal of servlet programming or applet programming, so it would require a bit of reading to re-learn.

 

 

So, what do people think?

[maniac]

I code all my systems in PHP simply because they are then webbased and don't require any additional componants to be on the client computer, so they are non dependant on what the client is running. Also linking to a mySQL or MSSQL database with PHP is easy, and it's easy to write simple authentication into the system to keep people out that shouldn't be using it.

 

If I were doing it, I'd definitley opt for PHP.

 

Mike.

[CyberNerd]

could you use some code from an opensource room booking software or similar and adapt it? It might make the php route more attractive because there are lots of projects that you could add a module for. Whats your current webserver technology?

[localzuk]

could you use some code from an opensource room booking software or similar and adapt it? It might make the php route more attractive because there are lots of projects that you could add a module for. Whats your current webserver technology?

 

That part of the program is actually very easy to create. The difficult bit is the automatic assignment of lockers in bulk.

 

We currently run a few web servers with LAMP and with IIS.

 

Our school website runs Joomla but the intranet doesn't at the moment (although this may change in the near future).

[CyberNerd]

Our school website runs Joomla but the intranet doesn't at the moment (although this may change in the near future).

 

I would try and integrate as much as possible into the school website, so php sounds the best bet for your current infrastructure. Maybe look through some of the Joomla modules for inspiration

[torledo]

I have been tasked with writing a program for the tracking and assignment of lockers to pupils. I have it designed in terms of database structure and objects but I am yet to decide on the tools to use to make it.

 

So, the choices I have experience are:

 

Java, C# or PHP.

 

PHP would be ok as I code using it quite often, but it more often than not ends up with me using bad coding habits and me ending up with spagetti code, also I'm not keen on doing it with PHP as it will require a lot more work in terms of actual coding.

C# looks good due to it being very easy to code with, but it isn't cross platform compatible, and I would like to make it 'future proof' and with the way Windows is going, it isn't too big a stretch to imagine windows not being the front end of the future.

Java looks good due to the ability to use servlets or to use an applet. The problem with this is that I haven't programmed in Java for about 2 years. And even then, I didn't do a great deal of servlet programming or applet programming, so it would require a bit of reading to re-learn.

 

 

So, what do people think?

 

I would avoid any kind of Java app (JSP or applet) unless you are very comfortable in using it......Java is overkill for a small, straightforward application like this.

 

C# can be cross-platform if you use the mono framework...alternatively how about an ASP.NET web app to overcome the cross platform issues.

Would remove many potential headaches when it comes to distributing you're app.

 

If you want a slightly out-of-the-box solution how about RoR. Or one of the python-based frameworks as an alternative to using PHP.

[localzuk]

I would avoid any kind of Java app (JSP or applet) unless you are very comfortable in using it......Java is overkill for a small, straightforward application like this.

 

I'd be comfortable doing it, I would just have to do a bit of revision to get myself back up to scratch.

 

C# can be cross-platform if you use the mono framework...alternatively how about an ASP.NET web app to overcome the cross platform issues. Would remove many potential headaches when it comes to distributing you're app.

 

I hate ASP.net with a vengance. I just can't get on with it in the slightest.

 

If you want a slightly out-of-the-box solution how about RoR. Or one of the python-based frameworks as an alternative to using PHP.

 

So instead of a slight bit of relearning, I would have to learn an entire new language? I can see the value of doing so, especially in RoR but I just don't think I'd have the time to do that - as you say, it is a relatively small application.

 

I am now leaning towards doing it in PHP due to the possibility of integrating it into Joomla, so I am going to go and do a bit of reading about the Joomla 1.5 API and see how stable it is (seems as it is still RC). The only problem I see with this is that in a few years time, Joomla 2 will be on its way in, therefore needing an update to the module.

[webman]

I would go with PHP, and use an open-source MVC framework such as Code Igniter which has loads of handy utility classes and an Active Record DB library.

 

Personally I wouldn't tie anything like this in with the main website (especially if it's a CMS) incase that changes in the future; and also because the data concerned are quite separate. But you could use something like XML-RPC

[arran]

C# looks good due to it being very easy to code with, but it isn't cross platform compatible

Take it you haven't heard of Mono. It supports Linux, Mac OS X, Sun Solaris, BSD and Microsoft Windows.

[torledo]

I would go with PHP, and use an open-source MVC framework such as Code Igniter which has loads of handy utility classes and an Active Record DB library.

 

Personally I wouldn't tie anything like this in with the main website (especially if it's a CMS) incase that changes in the future; and also because the data concerned are quite separate. But you could use something like XML-RPC

 

I personally think Symfony is the best of the PHP-based MVC frameworks.

Very intutitive.

[webman]

PEAR and command-line installers and generators? Not for me thanks

[localzuk]

C# looks good due to it being very easy to code with, but it isn't cross platform compatible

Take it you haven't heard of Mono. It supports Linux, Mac OS X, Sun Solaris, BSD and Microsoft Windows.

 

I have heard of, and used, Mono but it lacks a great number of features of the newer versions of .Net. Also, last I checked, making a cross-platform GUI application could be a faff, due to the libraries which handle that aspect being incomplete.

[webman]

One of the other benefits of web-based apps is that all clients already have the requirements to run it - a browser. No DLLs or runtimes required.

[maniac]

One of the other benefits of web-based apps is that all clients already have the requirements to run it - a browser. No DLLs or runtimes required.

 

That's precisely the reason why unless there's a really good reason not to, I develop everything I do in PHP (or ASP ocassionally) with bits of JAVA code for more advanced features on the pages. With a bit of time spent, pratically any type of application can be web-based these days, which makes it a whole lt easier if you make changes to it or change peoples workstations, no re-deployment to worry about!

 

For non-web based applications I tend to use VB.NET as it's very easy to learn and surprisingly flexible, and best of all it's free! Only problem I found out recently is for some reason you can't run a .NET application from a network share.

 

Mike.

[torledo]

One of the other benefits of web-based apps is that all clients already have the requirements to run it - a browser. No DLLs or runtimes required.

 

The ubiquity of the web browser is why so many enteprise applications are now almost entirely web based. Some ERP systems make use of enteprise Portals in order present data from the various enteprise applications and databases to the web client. If you like web-enabling the application without the need for a fat client. Enterprise Java had a head in all this start with the use of applets

 

But now with little tricks such as AJAX you can have some aspects of the traditional desktop gui functionality in the browser without going down the applet or activex route, and for true rich client apps you've got things like Flex. For small apps a web-app has very few notieable downsides

 

The tradeoff is always going to be performance of the app, but the performance gap is narrowing all the time.