Typically, when people talk about 'native' database access, they're
referring to accessing the database using the database's native interface,
not that the language directly supports the database. (i.e.: not limiting
everything to the lowest common denominator). The advantage you get from
native access is speed. The disadvantage you get is having to change code
to access a different database.
It's similar to you speaking to a foreigner in their native tongue, versus
using an interpreter who knows a language you all know, but isn't native to
any of you. Communication will happen faster if you and the foreigner don't
have to talk to somebody else to talk to each other, and it will happen even
faster if one of you is speaking the other's language.
On the graphic creation topic, the difference between the gd DLLs (which
come with PHP) and the equivalent DLLs for ASP (which don't come with ASP),
is that the PHP DLLs are 'first party' (provided by the same group which
provides the language), while the ASP DLLs are 'third party' (provided by a
different group than that which provides the language). Also note the fact
that you don't HAVE to compile PHP's gd support as a DLL. It's completely
possible to compile PHP in such a way that it contains the php-provided gd
interface code instead of creating a seperate library. (Don't really know
why you'd want to always have the gd code active and taking up memory if you
don't want to use it, but that's a different story.)
- Theo
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Kimsal [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2002 12:10 PM
To: Philip Hallstrom
Cc: Robert Klinkenberg; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: PHP vs. ASP
Philip Hallstrom wrote:
> I don't want to start a war, but last time I looked PHP had native support
> for every database I'd ever heard of including Oracle, SQLServer, etc...
>
> Just don't want the guy doing the report that php is database limited...
>
"Native" support can mean different things, I think. "Native" to the
language?
Not really - there are wrapper functions which can be compiled in which
wrap around third party libraries to give PHP access to those libraries.
The windows port comes with many DLLs, but that's just it - they are
DLLs. If I use a DLL to create a graphic in ASP, everyone points out
that you have to use all these "third party modules" whereas PHP can do
it 'natively', which is at best an unfair comparison.
If PHP had 'native' support for SQLServer, I wouldn't have to go fetch
and compile the freetds library to get SQLServer connections to work
under Linux.
Michael Kimsal
http://www.tapinternet.com/php/
PHP Training Courses
734-480-9961
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