help!?!

[muly]

I was into php (apache and mysql) web development about 4 years ago. I am now a maths teacher wanting to return to programming ASAP! I was thinking of studying for the Java Sun Certification even though I have never programmed in java. Easier way back should be PHP, but I hear Java programming is better paying. Is this true? Any ideas? And what is the best way back into programming? Are the certifications any good? My degree is in computers and maths but I'm sure that doesn't count for very much...
HELP....

 

[EagleKeeper]

There is work & $$ in PHP/Web development.

There is also $$ in Java. - However, the big Java $$ require some experience.

It may be better for you to start with what you know and then cross train.

 

[troytime]

catch up on your php and mysql, then decide if you want to be a web programmer or a software developer

 

[Markbnj]

Originally posted by: troytime
catch up on your php and mysql, then decide if you want to be a web programmer or a software developer

Interesting dichotomy. Isn't web programming software development?

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: Markbnj

Originally posted by: troytime
catch up on your php and mysql, then decide if you want to be a web programmer or a software developer

Interesting dichotomy. Isn't web programming software development?

I believe it is the current incarnation of "VB isn't programming". 🙂

 

[muly]

Thanks guys. I think I know exactly what I should do.

 

[troytime]

Originally posted by: Markbnj

Originally posted by: troytime
catch up on your php and mysql, then decide if you want to be a web programmer or a software developer

Interesting dichotomy. Isn't web programming software development?

we're certainly entering an age where web applications can serve the purposes of standalone softwares and such, but the languages and methods for each are still different

writing code = writing code

compiling and assembling into installers and executables != uploading to a server


i think "software" implies something different than a web application...even though they're very similar

 

[drebo]

I think the people at Google, and pretty much every other rich web application developer/Web2.0 programmer, would strongly disagree with you. I know I sure as hell do.

If you don't thing that just as much planning, care, consideration and skill goes into the development of a large-scale (or even a small) web application, you've never done it.

Consider eBay or Miva or any other e-commerce type application. Do you honestly believe that they're less complex than their stand-alone application counterparts (MS RMS, Wasp, etc)? Granted, the power of web development has not yet been fully realized, but I believe it will be very soon.

Take, for instance, Microsoft's CRM. It's a completely web-based interface. It's polished (if a little clunky), useful, and insanely complex. Another example is Prognosis, which is a web-based patient management solution for doctor's offices. It's a lot cleaner than something like, say, MediSoft or Dentrix.

The web provides the perfect client-side framework for virtually any client/server application.

 

[troytime]

motherfvck, seriously

a good programmer can do both
but someone coming from programming windows applications will be a shitty web programmer for about 9 months before he or she can be produce a good app (not good code, a good app)

and it works both ways. someone only doing web apps will have a steeper learning curve moving to standalone applications than moving to a different server side language. again, i'm not saying it can't be done, a programmer is a programmer...i'm just saying there's a lean.

i'm not saying they're different beasts, i'm saying they're not the same and the industry vernacular is swaying that "software" is the traditional
and for the record, i work for a very large web site

 

[Markbnj]

i'm not saying they're different beasts, i'm saying they're not the same

That's almost sig-worthy 😉.

Seriously, I get what you're saying, but there are so many different levels of complexity in "traditional" software as well as web software that I don't really see it as a useful distinction. I do think distinctions between industries are useful, and types of software production, i.e. website vs. shrink-wrap vs. software as a service vs. libraries, etc.

Is someone writing a complex javascript library doing less programming than someone who is writing a C# library for use in a shrink-wrap app? I don't think the coding will necessarily differ in complexity, but the delivery environment will be very different, as will the production methodologies.