Which programming language should I go for?

Hello,

I am starting an online venture for which I need some programming done.

The site is based on www.coolsavings.com model of allowing the user to access free coupons. It will be divided into 3 parts.

The USER section (actual site where users browse/print coupons)
The ADMIN section (Where I can basically admin the site)
The ADVERTISER section (Where advertisers can see stats and add coupons etc)

The primary goals are SPEED and ease of use.

The specs of the program are as follows:

USER site features…..

1. Registration (no password – use email address as username – if email not found in system offer free registration) ( Registration can be completed in parts – initially as little info required as possible to increase registrations and then try and get more info from users)
2. Use cookies to remember user
3. Search capabilities by location, keyword and type
4. Browse coupon listings
5. Print coupons
6. Personalize automatically/manually?? User’s fav coupons
7. Offer of snail mailed coupons for users with no printing facility
8. Set up email alerts for specific coupons (coupons printable in email itself)
9. Online coupon codes redeemable in online stores
10. Tell a friend capability for coupons incorporating loyalty program points
11. Loyalty Programs – For every coupon printed users accumulate points redeemable for free stuff (chance of ppl wastefully printing/snail mailing coupons just for free stuff – SOLUTION: serialized coupons to see if how many are being actually redeemed –this may be an additional administration/programming burden)


USER site ADMIN features

1. Ability to get demographic info of users
2. ADE categories (ADE – Add/Delete/Edit)
3. ADE coupons
4. ADE users
5. Mass email users personalized emails (maybe integrate some other existing script)
6. Reports of coupons printed, Snail Mail requests
7. Individual company reports
8. Individual category reports
9. Loyalty Program fraud investigation


ADVERTISER site features

1. Create coupons
2. Reports (see above admin report features – use those)
3. Coupon tracking system (A tool for them to see effectiveness of coupons etc)
4. ADE coupons w/o moderation from our part




Please could you tell me what would be the best way to program such a system? Which programming language, architecture, database etc...

It will have to be a highly scalable system since we are looking at very high growth and figures of 5 million page views/month in a years time with 100.000 + registered users.

Thanks,
Clive Fernandes

This isn't a PHP issue and thus doesn't belong in the PHP forum. It should be in the Lounge; you'll get better replies there too. The only replies you'll get in the PHP forum will be to use PHP (most likely). Ask a moderator to move this to the Lounge.

Looks like its already shifted..great

Please don't cross post, I have deleted your thread in the perl forum.

Language zealots are going to tell you to go with whatever language they are most comfortable with.

Personally, I'd tackle with with mod_perl simply because a number of large sites are humming along nicely with it and it offers some VERY nice tools in the CPAN to make your job easier- HTML templatting code, reverse-index searching, database-independent drivers, etc.

I'd say you can't go wrong with mod_perl or PHP. Probably the best system would be a mixture of whatever language fits each task best. If you're a lone wolf programmer, mod_perl and PHP both allow very few people to be very productive.

A design tip- use a good HTML templatting system, DON'T mix HTML in with code. You'll be able to re-purpose your content and maintain it much easier if you do.

I'm sure others will weigh in.

Actually I think you have covered it nicely Hero.

thx..

A question.....

Everybody say ASP stinks.. but a lot of large sites use it.. coolsavings.com does...

Whats the deal??

Hero:

This topic is also in the HTML/JavaScript/CSS forum.

evilc:

If Hero doesn't get to it first, you should delete this post from any other forum you decided to multi-post it to.

Yes - alot of large sites do use ASP, thats what they feel comfortable using. There are more larger sites out there using PERL and to an extent JAVA - and alot of sites are using PHP; Yahoo! to name the biggest (working on the move as we speak).

Just because some sites use a technology doesnt make it good. A large number of sites use frontpage... that doesnt make frontpage a good tool for web development. I know ASP and used to program ASP. I am glad I moved to PHP since the power of the language is so far greater. Many companies feel "safe" using MS software.... its a sad thing that they have been so brainwashed by MS marketing.

That link really isnt appropriate since it talks about Microsoft software product activation, not about ASP or programming. This discussion is about what programming language to use... it shouldnt become a MS bashing thread. I use MS software at work and am skilled in both MS and Linux. I prefer Linux but am happy under either OS.

One really fast site i have experienced is rediff.com - In fact it is well known as the fastest site in our country, india.

I've seen it uses cgi, php, sjp.. almost everything - I guess this is in line with some ppl saying that we have to use exactly what is right for each task.

BUt how will they manage such a setup? First of all they will definetly require more than one server rite - one runnin linux and one win...

Also from a s/w engineering point of view is it a good idea to use so many diff languages...

Well they dont have to be on different servers since a lot of languages like PHP run on Win32 and Linux. Also CGI is not a language, its a webserver interface. CGI programs can be executables or scripts, it depends on how you make it. The language used varies.

I prefer to stick to one or two languages for an individual site since if you use Database mobules or templating systems you need to have a different module for each language... not possible.

This isn't entirely true.

HTML::Template is implemented in a number of languages, though it started in perl. PHP, java, ruby, and perl (obviously), I think there's a couple others out there too. As a templatting system, it's top-notch because it enforces just the right MVC balance, IMHO.

Whatever database indepedent driver you go with, make sure it's stable and *truly* database independent. Perl's DBI has been for years now, I know PHP has some modules (but no "standard" one yet, I believe) that fit the bill, though I've heard they aren't as full-featured as DBI. No biggie, I'm sure it's mostly convience methods they lack.

Frankly, I wouldn't really expect there to be a database interface that was cross-language (protocol like ODBC, yes. Interface module, no).