Change website from ASP to what?

[technoknow]

Hi, I've been using ASP to create dynamic web pages on a Windows server and now I need to move the site to a Unix server. I've been using an Access database. Do I need to change to MySQL database? What language should I use to communicate with the Unix server? Is there a way to write and test the pages on a Win machine before putting them on the Unix server?
If someone could point me in the right direction I'd be very grateful!
Jim

 

[sleipnir214]

You're going to have to move your data from Access to whatever database that unix-like OS is running. But that database could be MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, or a number of others.

Your choices for web scripting languages are very varied on non Win32 web servers. You have perl, PHP, python, and Java, to name a few.

If you are coming from the ASP/VBscript world, I recommend you have a look at PHP. PHP will be less of a learning curve for you than perl or python. PHP also runs on Win32 with IIS or Apache. However, PHP works best with Apache on a unix-like OS.

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TANSTAAFL!!

 

[technoknow]

So, correct me if I'm wrong. I need to know what database the server is running? With the Win server I just uploaded my .mdb file and connected to it, is it different in Unix?
I will look into PHP, thanks for pointing me in that direction.
Thanks,
Jim

 

[sleipnir214]

Access is not a database server. Access is a database engine. If you have multiple clients accessing a database through a database engine, typically multiple instantiations of the engine are manipulating the data simultaneously. This is why Access is notorious for less stability in multiuser environments, particularly across networks. It's a "too many cooks spoil the soup" scenario.

A database server, such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, MSSQL, or Oracle, runs a single database engine and uses client/server network communications to receive database manipulation requests from clients and return to clients either data, query status information, or error information.

Look at it this way: Access is like viewing an HTML file by opening the file in your browser from your local filesystem. Using a database client and server is like pointing your browser to a web server.

But having to know the database system should not be a suprise. You have to know you're using an Access database to be able to set up the ODBC connection, don't you? It's just now you're aware of more choices. (You can, by the way, run MySQL and Oracle on Win32, too. PostgreSQL, the last time I checked, is available but still a work in progress on Win32.)

The reason I pointed out that you need to know what database server your Unix environment provides is that you did not specify your Unix run environment. If you have your own server, you can use what you want. If someone else is managing the server or if you're planning on using a hosting provider, you'll probably have to use what's already have installed.

Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!!