[Zope] Zope vs. ColdFusion for e-commerce development
Thomas B. Passin
tpassin@mitretek.org
Tue, 9 Nov 1999 17:48:55 -0500
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As a Cold Fusion user, I would say Cold Fusion is great, but it does =
depend on what you expect to be doing. If you were anticipating =
developing a lot of custom tags for Cold Fusion in C++, or a lot of Java =
applets, I'd say that Zope would be interesting since you can basically =
develop in Python, which is good, fast, and easier than C++.
On the other hand, it you were going to do basically standard stuff like =
hit ODBC databases and create frames, forms, and pick lists, and manage =
session variables, I'd say Cold Fusion is for you. I don't think that =
the price should be much of a consideration (but don't forget $300 for =
Cold Fusion Studio, which I highly recommend), since the cost of your =
time in getting up the learning curve will be dominant in either case. =
Possibly you could make do with the $1000 version, especially at first, =
to lower the cost. Cold Fusion is much better documented than Zope, and =
I think simpler as well.
As for the tagged language aspect, which both CF and Zope have, CF's =
tags are much simpler to understand and use.
But if you think you are going to need a lot of custom programming, it =
could be a whole other ball game. Zope could be great.
Tom Passin
From: Ben Galbraith <ben@galbraiths.org>
=20
=20
Zope Folks,
=20
I'm with a new e-commerce startup and we're currently evaluating the =
development tools we'll be using to create our website. The platform =
will either be Sun hardware running Solaris 7/Apache, or Intel/Linux =
boxes.
=20
We initially evaluated four solutions: mod_perl, PHP (using Apache =
module support), ColdFusion, and Zope. We've eliminated mod_perl =
because of maintenance nightmares, PHP because, well, we just did, and =
now we're down to ColdFusion and Zope. Initially I favored Zope, but =
there are a few concerns I have about it.
=20
First off, the size of the ColdFusion development pool and it's =
development history suggest greater stability and a more mature feature =
set. Second, it seems that ColdFusion offers all the functionality that =
Zope does and then some. Third, ColdFusion seems to offer similiar =
performance. Fourth, the database connectivity seems to be equal to =
Zope's. Fifth, their tag-based programming language seems to offer =
equivalent functionality to Zope's. Sixth, I can find more ColdFusion =
developers than I can shake a stick at, but I have to explain to =
everyone I meet what Zope is.
=20
So, as my lack of information leads me to believe, there are only =
two drawbacks to ColdFusion as compared to Zope: (1) I have to pay $3.5k =
for each license, and (2) Zope has a superior model for delegating =
ownership to different people for the website.
=20
Could you correct any misconceptions I have and explain to me why I =
should choose Zope over ColdFusion? I want to select the tool by Wed. =
or Thurs., so a quick reply would be appreciated.
=20
Thanks!
=20
Ben
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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>As a Cold Fusion user, I would say =
Cold Fusion=20
is great, but it does depend on what you expect to be doing. If =
you were=20
anticipating developing a lot of custom tags for Cold Fusion in C++, or =
a lot of=20
Java applets, I'd say that Zope would be interesting since you can =
basically=20
develop in Python, which is good, fast, and easier than =
C++.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>On the other hand, it you were going to do basically =
standard=20
stuff like hit ODBC databases and create frames, forms, and pick lists, =
and=20
manage session variables, I'd say Cold Fusion is for you. I don't =
think=20
that the price should be much of a consideration (but don't forget $300 =
for Cold=20
Fusion Studio, which I highly recommend), since the cost of your time in =
getting=20
up the learning curve will be dominant in either case. Possibly you =
could make=20
do with the $1000 version, especially at first, to lower the cost. =
Cold=20
Fusion is much better documented than Zope, and I think simpler as=20
well.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>As for the tagged language aspect, which both CF and =
Zope=20
have, CF's tags are much simpler to understand and use.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>But if you think you are going to need a lot of =
custom=20
programming, it could be a whole other ball game. Zope could be=20
great.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Tom Passin</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: =
5px">
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>From: </B>Ben Galbraith <<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:ben@galbraiths.org">ben@galbraiths.org</A>><BR><BR></DI=
V></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Zope Folks,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I'm with a new e-commerce startup =
and we're=20
currently evaluating the development tools we'll be using to create =
our=20
website. The platform will either be Sun hardware running =
Solaris=20
7/Apache, or Intel/Linux boxes.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>We initially evaluated four =
solutions:=20
mod_perl, PHP (using Apache module support), ColdFusion, and =
Zope. =20
We've eliminated mod_perl because of maintenance nightmares, PHP =
because,=20
well, we just did, and now we're down to ColdFusion and Zope. =20
Initially I favored Zope, but there are a few concerns I have about=20
it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>First off, the size of the =
ColdFusion=20
development pool and it's development history suggest greater =
stability and=20
a more mature feature set. Second, it seems that ColdFusion =
offers all=20
the functionality that Zope does and then some. Third, =
ColdFusion=20
seems to offer similiar performance. Fourth, the database =
connectivity=20
seems to be equal to Zope's. Fifth, their tag-based =
programming=20
language seems to offer equivalent functionality to Zope's. =
Sixth, I=20
can find more ColdFusion developers than I can shake a stick at, but =
I have=20
to explain to everyone I meet what Zope is.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>So, as my lack of information leads =
me to=20
believe, there are only two drawbacks to ColdFusion as compared to =
Zope: (1)=20
I have to pay $3.5k for each license, and (2) Zope has a superior =
model for=20
delegating ownership to different people for the =
website.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Could you correct any =
misconceptions I have and=20
explain to me why I should choose Zope over ColdFusion? I want =
to=20
select the tool by Wed. or Thurs., so a quick reply would be=20
appreciated.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thanks!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>Ben</FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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