[Phpsig] php as database manager?

[bill]

PHP is an excellent way to manage a database. You've hit some of the high notes.

Training is greatly reduced because so many people are familiar with filling out
forms.

PHP can ramp up to any amount of complexity you need.  Those who disagree are
generally speaking of a theoretical instance that doesn't exist, or a system so
large or complicated that your average programmer (or business) never sees it
anyway (think managing the info on US tax returns as an example).

Most of the sort of other needs you might have, like on-line training, are
easily done in PHP and people are both familiar with the techniques to use and
enjoy working with such systems.

I would not go into a project thinking that PHP was for the "small stuff" and
something else for the "complicated stuff."  Many times I have created a project
in PHP and afterwards the business sheepishly informs me that they had paid
someone else (usually an enormous amount) to do the same thing in MS but it
"never worked" or "never got done".  Major projects are designed to spec in PHP
and then some other company for whom I'm designing the project to integrate with
is amazed and admits later they've never actually seen a similar project that
actually worked.  If a project isn't pre-fab from MS the average MS programmer
cannot do it from scratch like millions of PHP programs are.  Having programmed
in both I do not believe the fault lies with the programmer.  I feel MS shops
operate at a significant disadvantage.

I have yet to encounter a business situation that was too much for PHP, and have
been using it extensively for all my clients for several years.  I try and avoid
thinking that it can solve every problem (and try and avoid sounding like I'm
saying so), but I am continually surprised how well it integrates with anything
else I need (like databases), and how easy it is to create what I need when it
doesn't yet exist.

kind regards,

bill hollett

Paul VandenBosch wrote:

> Is php a good way to manage a database?
>
> For example, say I have an inventory of equipment, and I want installers
> (employees) to add additional equipment to the database when it is
> installed.  These users might not be capable of using a proprietary
> database system.  But if you were to set up a php/html page, or series of
> pages, the installers could add information on their own.  This is just an
> example but the idea is that html form pages are pretty easy to fill out.
> If you only needed a limited number of ways to add information to a
> database, and only needed a few types of queries to get the information
> from the database, you might be able to create a simple database
> management system using php.  It would be simple but could be customized
> to fit your needs exactly.
> The information might be part of a larger database and might be used with
> a software product database system, so those who know how to use the more
> complicated system can get the information they need.  But getting the
> users to input the data gives you more data to work with. And most people
> seem to know how to fill in html forms.
> Anyone know of similar applications using php?  Or maybe there are better
> ways of getting information in a database?
> --
> Paul VandenBosch
> Guide to Sailing and Cruising Stories
> http://cruisenews.net
>
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