[Mapserver-users] Re: Perl mapscript

[pkishor_98]

--- In mapserver-users at yahoogroups.com, Mark Balman <Mark.Balman at b...>
wrote:
> Hi All
> 
> I want to start using mapscript but would like to know which is the
easier
> for a beginner - Perl or PHP? I tried to install php mapscript but
alas not
> yet! although I "think" I have installed perl mapscript ok but
really don't
> know where to begin, can anyone point me in the right direction..


0. go with what you know. However, since you _are_ asking for
opinions, here's mine --

1. Contrary to what folks say, Perl is NOT read only. That is the
highest piece of nonsense I have every heard. Perl is read only ONLY
if the person who wrote it in the first place was a lousy programmer.
Follow good rules of programming, comment liberally, make meaningful
variable names, and Perl will be as easy as English. Try to show off,
or learn bad techniques, and Perl will be as bad as Cockney.

2. Perl is an easy language to learn, and like English, it is easy to
mess up with. But, it gives you, the user, perhaps the greatest amount
of freedom to express yourself.

3. The biggest problem with Perl/Mapscript is that it does not run on
Windows easily (you have to run it under Cygwin -- I haven't done it,
but I have heard folks have). If Windows is not your platform of
choice, then Perl is definitely a very good option.

4. Perl and PHP are both well supported in Mapserver community. DM
Solutions have done a fantastic job of providing PHP examples. There
are enough Perl users who have put up enough helpful examples on the
wiki... so, both are equal there.

5. Perl users are usually not totally web-oriented (this is my
personal theory). Hence, there is usually less visual examples... Perl
has its background in a systems management scripting language... Perl
community will likely provide you with examples that you will then be
expected to greatly modify. Less handholding. PHP community is very
web-oriented. Visually appealing web-tools are more likely to be made
in PHP. More handholding.

6. Sean Gilles had good advice on Python, which I know nothing about
except that it is supposed to be a very good language as well (you'll
have to worry about whitespace, though ;-). Sean also mentioned
embperl. Here is what I have found -- Perl with HTML::Template is the
most fantastic solution for making web applications. I am currently
working on a fairly complicated Mapserver application that I am
building entirely using HTML::Template. Afaik, no other language has
anything similar to HTML::Template (remember, I said afaik). I am
absolutely, completely taken by HTML::Template, and if you try it once
you will understand. As soon as I have my app in a decent working
condition, I will release various templates on the wiki.

7. Perl has CPAN. If you want to learn one language with which you
want to do most of the work (not all, but most) on the web and behind
it... you will come to depend on CPAN.

8. Most any program can be written in most any language. This brings
us back to #0 above.