Can you create Databased Driven Websites on a mac?

[imike77]

Currently I do graphic and website design using the programs photoshop, illustrator, HTML, and dreamweaver. I want to learn how to create databased driven websites for ecommerce. PHP and ASP are the two programming skills that I have been told are used for this. I'm looking to buy a new computer. Currently, I use mac and I like. However can you only use the PC for ASP and PHP programming for databased driven websites? Would I be better off with a PC?

[NusuniAdmin]

Currently I do graphic and website design using the programs photoshop, illustrator, HTML, and dreamweaver. I want to learn how to create databased driven websites for ecommerce. PHP and ASP are the two programming skills that I have been told are used for this. I'm looking to buy a new computer. Currently, I use mac and I like. However can you only use the PC for ASP and PHP programming for databased driven websites? Would I be better off with a PC?

I like php and mysql, a great match.

[ExoticFish]

i'm doing Perl and MySQL programming with no problems.

[gekko513]

You're forgetting jsp and plain old perl-cgi. You can use perl, php and jsp on a Mac. I'm not sure about asp, but 3 out of 4 isn't bad. (Who wants to use asp anyway? :p )

[RacerX]

Odd that WebObjects wasn't already brought up seeing as it has the same origin as Mac OS X. :rolleyes:

[Stampyhead]

Dreamweaver will support both PHP and ASP on a Mac. PHP has the upper hand on the Mac platform, however, as you can activate PHP and Apache under OS X (already installed on your machine but not active by default)and have your own development server right there on your Mac. Here is a link to an article explaining how to do this (http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/mx/dreamweaver/articles/php_macintosh.html)
PHP works great with MySQL, a free, open source database program. If you are new to both I would suggest getting Larry Ullman's book, "PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Websites." It's a great introduction to creating database driven websites and it has a lot of great examples. I bought it when it first came out and I still use it as a reference in my work.

[James L]

As mentioned, PHP is platform independent, and is already on every Mac you buy (as is an Apache server).

...how's that for easy?

ASP will be a problem, but bites anyway in my personal opinion (and I am not an overly anti M$ person). A Mac, a text editor like BBEdit, Photoshop, and PHP/MySQL/Apache equals design heaven!

p.s. The design industry is predominantly Mac based, don't forget! Also, most servers run a unix base, which Mac OSX is also. A much smaller percentage of the server world is based on windows/asp type technology. A Mac actually puts you closer to the industry playing field, imho.

[neoserver]

I have tired both languages and i find the of the two PHP was the easiest to learn, the documentation is great and there are great books to help in the learning process. I think you would be better off using PHP since it has mySQL support built in... not sure about ASP..

[Hoef]

PHP works great with MySQL, a free, open source database program.

I am new to this as well .... Can you create a database in MySQL that stores pictures together with info etc?.... Basically a stripped down iphoto but then web accessible. I am currently using Lotus Domino for that but like to migrate to mac (unix) platform.

[Knox]

I am new to this as well .... Can you create a database in MySQL that stores pictures together with info etc?.... Basically a stripped down iphoto but then web accessible. I am currently using Lotus Domino for that but like to migrate to mac (unix) platform.

You can, however it is not advisable to store the actual image within the database. The best method would be to store the information and let mysql give each photo a unique id number, then store the image in a directory using the id number as the filename.

There are a number of gallery applications written in PHP already however, so you may find you can use them rather than writing a custom one. By far the most popular is Gallery ( http://gallery.menalto.com/ ), although kinda ironically given this thread subject, it doesn't actually use mysql at the moment :)

[Hoef]

You can, however it is not advisable to store the actual image within the database. The best method would be to store the information and let mysql give each photo a unique id number, then store the image in a directory using the id number as the filename.

There are a number of gallery applications written in PHP already however, so you may find you can use them rather than writing a custom one. By far the most popular is Gallery ( http://gallery.menalto.com/ ), although kinda ironically given this thread subject, it doesn't actually use mysql at the moment :)

Thanks Knox ... That is good advice, I'll look into this. Do you also know/use some content management software that keeps track of your website "assets"?

[Knox]

Thanks Knox ... That is good advice, I'll look into this. Do you also know/use some content management software that keeps track of your website "assets"?

Pass :) Depends what you mean by assets really, however almost all the sites I've developed have used custom CMS so i'm not really familiar with what's available other than the generic PostNuke style systems.