PHP or ASP .NET

[gohitech]

Hello,
I am a visual basic program and I have also programmed in C for a few years.
I want to make my websites for dynamic and I was wondering which programming language should I learn, PHP or ASP .NET.

So far PHP is a better candidate becasue it is free so is Mysql. But i need advise for some experts.

I dont really want to learn both at this time. I want to emphasize on one all the way.

Thanks

[redcircle]

What kind of server do you have. Personally I would suggest PHP.

Like you mentioned it is free, 60% of the worlds webservers are running apache, apache and php go hand in hand. Also there are copious amounts of free information on how to do different things with php. www.devshed.com, www.phpbuilder.com Also they have great documentation at www.php.net

The debate about PHP vs. ASP can be very heated so I will refrain from talking down about an M$ product

[AlanMCSD]

If you are already a vb programmer, then .net would be the way to go. You can get a copy of Windows 2003 Web Edition and you will get the SQL engine, smpt, pop3, IIS for about 400 bucks.

You already know vb but the switch to .net is gonna take you a couple weeks.

Once you get started in .net you won't want to work with anything else.
It is deluxe.

[redcircle]

now for the otherside of the argument.

Since you know C

for about $0 you can download apache, mysql, php, phpmyadmin, imagemagick.

And the cool thing is after you have your scripts written you can upload them to almost any server windows/linux/bsd/mac without having to buy any more software plus you can find an endless amount of support online so you don't even have to buy expensive M$ books

[paulhiles]

Seems like gohitech has the 'best of both worlds' here... mind you, we're still waiting on his response!
Maybe he's got his hands full with whatever choice he's made! :c)
From what I've read of the responses, I think PHP wins it by a whisker.. but who knows what gohitech thinks?
maybe the following might provide a clue!

Hello,
I am a visual basic program

maybe he wasn't a real person after all? maybe he was just a program! ;-)

Paul

[AlanMCSD]

One other thing that is really nice is that if you learn vb.net - you can write applications that are not web based.

Drag drop controls works the same for windows apps, web apps, and also there is a .net runtime for cell phones.

So you can write code for just about any platform using one language.

PS>
While I understand that the language and platform is important, I always believed, and still do, that the better "CODER" will always write the better application, regardles of the language or the platform.