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prakash · Nov 28, 2006, 12:05 PM

Hi

I own a Tax Consultancy, and I am interested in creating a web application for my clients.

Scope:

User CP:

Users login, and store their expenses, in a excel like grid. There will be different tabs, and clicking each tab should open a separate grid.Tabs can be Business expenses, Moving expenses etc.

Management CP:

Click on a user and download his expenses across tabs as a pdf.

My question is what framework is easiest and fast (quick ROI) to create this webapp, my current site is a php,mysql (xcart,vbulletin etc).I would ideally like to host it in my same server(LAMP).

1. ASP.Net(can it be hosted in LAMP webserver)
2.J2ee
3.Php/mysql
4.Any other framework suggestions

Also i use freelance programmers for my projects,so future availability of talent will also be a big plus.

Please give me your suggestions. I am starting the project in 2-3 weeks.

Thanks

Prakash

SirCastor · Nov 28, 2006, 12:21 PM

LAMP is by it's definition PHP/MySQL. It's a solid platform, high adoption rate and easy to learn. I'd recommend it.

mania · Nov 28, 2006, 02:07 PM

I started using codeigniter (a PHP framework) and its making things much faster (you don't have to code all the tedious stuff like database classes and form validation). its very fast and lightweight and uses MVC and has superb documentation and community. doen't have much ajax but you can add that. I just added fckeditor to it without too much heartache.

I havent tried Cake or Symfony or any of the other php frameworks that are popular these days.

prakash · Nov 29, 2006, 12:08 PM

Any suggestions on a php framework, that provides excel like grid functionality,where the users can input and save data after they login.

Thanks for the help.

besson3c · Nov 29, 2006, 12:17 PM

Check out GnuCash and CashUtil - Command line GnuCash. Using CashUtil and php exec, you might be able to display data from GnuCash queries, providing you can get the GC datafile online in a secure manner.

Otherwise, you may have to write your own Web-based Excel deal...

besson3c · Nov 29, 2006, 02:01 PM

PHP is sort of a Visual Basic type language for the web - very forgiving and it makes it easy to write bad code.

I don't think you want to mess around with .ASP/.NET on a Unix server (and I certainly wouldn't recommending ditching your Unix server for a Windows server either)

I don't know much about Java, but on the web it seems to be used for more complex projects, such as MLB.com and stuff...

There is ColdFusion, but I don't think it runs under Unix. Ruby, Perl, and Python do however...

If you're basically just providing a CMS, I'd just stick with PHP... simple, and a lot of resources available.

Mithras · Nov 29, 2006, 02:56 PM

I'd definitely check out the Ruby on Rails community, as that framework has attracted a lot of talented developers in recent years.
Possible sites:
Ruby Jobs : Listings
37signals job board

prakash · Nov 30, 2006, 01:47 AM

Basically I am planning to use some form of php framework(with ajax) and mysql and use my unix server.

ruby on rails is good (aka 27 signals) but development resources are expensive based on my
research.

.net and java looks like are too much for a web app.

Any more suggestions,insights will be helpful.

Thanks

SirCastor · Nov 30, 2006, 07:48 AM

Originally Posted by prakash

Basically I am planning to use some form of php framework(with ajax) and mysql and use my unix server.

ruby on rails is good (aka 27 signals) but development resources are expensive based on my
research.

.net and java looks like are too much for a web app.

Any more suggestions,insights will be helpful.

Thanks

One thing that I like to ask my clients when they want to build something is why they want to use what they want to use.

In your case, I want to ask you why do you want to use Ajax? I'm not trying to discourage you from it, and in fact I think in your case it would probably be helpful, but I find that people who aren't familiar with web technologies tend to be attracted to flash-bang type stuff and their reasons for employing them aren't really thought out, it's just the cool thing to do. (this is also a problem with Flash)

prakash · Nov 30, 2006, 04:38 PM

Hello Mr.Castor,

I do agree with you that I dont buy into the current ajax web 2.0 craze, but i like the rich client experience.

I really liked the simplicity in Remember The Milk

My need

1. User Authenticates

2. There is a grid with Different Tabs,

3. The user clicks a Tab and enters values into the Grid.

Say, Tabs Business | Moving | Childcare

The user clicks on Childcare and then keeps loggings his childcare expenses, by entering a date,expenses etc

4. Admin interface

Click a name and pull a user's expenses across tabs as a single consolidated pdf

So far with everyone's input, looks like i need to stick with a php framework and mysql.

Does anyone know any specific php frameworks , to make sure I need need not, reinvent the wheel.

Thanks

Prakash

mania · Nov 30, 2006, 09:29 PM

well, I am telling you codeigniter is so sweet - but you might check out the other biggies: namely cake and symfony.

prakash · Dec 1, 2006, 12:27 AM

Definitely Mania

CodeIgnitor is right on top my list for php frameworks, i saw the cool videos on their site.

Are you a php freelancer?

Millennium · Dec 2, 2006, 12:24 PM

The framework matters more than the language does. Most frameworks are language-specific, so it can seem to be a wash, but be careful not to mix them up. Languages are relatively easy to learn; it's the API that really takes most of the training effort, and most of the time the API will affect how difficult it is to do what needs to be done far more than the language will.

mania · Dec 17, 2006, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by prakash

Definitely Mania

CodeIgnitor is right on top my list for php frameworks, i saw the cool videos on their site.

Are you a php freelancer?

Uh yes I am - but... I am too busy right now. Soon I will show you guys a demo of a code igniter CMS I am writing and maybe it will be useful to someone.