PHP vs. Perl

Hello,

I want to ask your opinion about doing a job better in Perl or PHP. I'm a novice at both, so I have full choice

The task is the following:
It is basically a formmail, but consisting of multiple (about 20-50) single formpages, which should finally be linked together to one single email. The sequence and total count in filling out the forms by the user is not fixed, but depends on user entries.
Of course it should be foolproof, i.e. not completed fills should be trashed after timeout, multiple users should use it at the same time, etc.
Password login is also mandatory.

I thought of creating the start form static and then let the script create all following formpages dynamically.

What do you think ?

Cheers,
Gerhard

>>a formmail, but consisting of multiple (about 20-50) single formpages..WHAT??
Well, PHP should give you the speed especially with database connectivity while Perl should give you a better form fields validation handling. In this case as you mentioned about 20-50 single pages, there isn't any difference in term of speed, so I prefer Perl over PHP.
However, there is a concern about whether this long form will have pretty great amount of submission or not. In addition, are you planning to do some logging? To flat file or db is also something that needs to be concerned about.
As for the 'password login', if you are going to use htaccess+htpasswd authentication, then there isn't any perl/php involved.
Since you indicated you are a novice at both, a question like "PHP/Perl, which is easier to learn?" should be asked..Well, my suggestion is, if you are more comfortable with Perl, go for it. Likewise, go for PHP if you believe it is hot and it's gotta be cooler than Perl.

Well, the thing is an architect's idea for an online 'construction consulting system' - an issue which is in fact very complex.

Of course you can pack the whole thing in a 100 pages wordfile and let the user mail it back, but the great thing should be, that by answering multiple choice questions, the user is led only to the questions that apply for him.

btw database connectivity or logging is not mandatory.

Gerhard

Then I highly suggest Perl over PHP. The form data carry over to the next form page seems to be a one way task. The only factor is the accuracy of the result. As a newbie to both, it's easier to learn the other obvious task - field validation.
Well, let's see what other members say URL