Hello
For a website I need a forum and I'm looking for code written in classic ASP. I know about phpBB and Simple Machines, but that's written in PHP.
I'm used to use (classic) ASP for websites, because I think ASP.NET is to much overkill for simple websites. Or should I definitely switch to PHP? I'm thinking about doing that for some time.
Suggestions?
(So 2 questions)
There is only one that is good, Snitz.
(I would seriously consider moving to .NET though if you want to stay on the MS platform)
Classic ASP is getting old and has problems in terms of scalability. I spent over a year converting classic ASP to ASP.NET for a high usage site because we could not get classic ASP to scale.
I know it is hard to change from what you know, but in the world of software - change is a constant. Going to PHP will save allot of problems in the future - it happened with FoxPro where Microsoft just stopped supporting it. So take the step to learn something new.
PHP is open source and still easy to write. It has a wonderful manual online so there is no direct cost in learning. Plus, you can write code directly on the page just like classic ASP, although modern development practices frown upon that.
PHP manual: http://www.php.net/docs.php
Plus you can always ask for help on SO.
I recommend you to jump to ASP.net, especially ASP.net MVC (IMO a bright spot in the MS portfolio), but if you want to start with something more simple, more similar to ASP Classic, you can jump to Microsoft WebMatrix
Asp.Net is a very powerful language and isn't too different that Asp. It did take a little bit of extra learning, but it was well worth it. was in very much the same boat as you are and can not stand how the WYSIWYG editors reformat all of the HTML. I've spent a very large part of my life using Notepad for all of my programming needs.
I have been using Visual Studio 2008 for my Asp.Net sites since it came out. I do not use the WYSIWYG mode, but rather always view the Source. This allows me to utilize the color coding of the code, provides access to IntelliSense and enables easy formatting. You can quickly comment or uncomment large sections of code, indent large sections instantaniously and pull up help files with the touch of a button. Using the Source Mode only, I have been able to maintain a very clean and usable set of Html, with all of the benefits of the WYSIWYG editors.
Using VS2008 or VS2010, it is not necessary to have any project files or DLLs that you manage, unless you are creating custom DLLs. Your custom controls can be written and accessed through Notepad, without the need to recompile. Personally, I usually open the Website via FTP Server and manage it from there. This does not require FrontPage extensions, but also does not require the separate development Server for using and editing offline.
The Config files are a necessary part of IIS and can be very beneficial. Fortunately, the Web.Config file is used primarily to store the configuration for your specific information such as your Database Providers, Membership Providers and security restrictions. A majority of the Config file is stored in Machine.Config and allows you to minimize the amount of information in it.
As I said, I have spent many years using Notepad and FTP to edit and manage websites. A large problem was always ensuring that the files are continually synchronized and you don't accidentally overwrite the newer files with older ones. Using VS in FTP mode takes care of this for you. Your local files are time stamped and if there is a conflict, VS will ask which edition should be used. Check it out. I think you'll find VS very beneficial.
Asp.Net is also used for the Ajax Control Toolkit, which is essentially an add-on of controls for web development. You can get more information on them at www.asp.net/ajax. They are very powerful and open source. For the bulk of us, you can use the pre-compiled Dll, which is a single file, and upload that to your Bin Folder. Short of that, all you need to do is properly reference the resource in your page and they are usable. It's a very simple process, but can save hours of writing JavaScript and client-scripted controls.
I hope this helps you out. Scott
I've used WebWizGuide.com in the past, by far the best, still actively supported, free to use (or a paid version is offered.)
The guy Bruce who runs it is extremely dedicated and passionate, and the code behind it is some of the highest quality I have ever seen, and that software which I used to write plugins for is how I got into coding in the first place!
I would definatly recommend this to you.