PHP questions - % of web + finding a developer / host

[Zemfik]

I have a client who I simply don't have the time for any more.

I wrote his website in PHP and it's worked fine for over 6 years now.

I've told him to find someone else, but upon telling him I want him to find someone else:

1) he's only found one other guy, works in .net, wants to rewrite the whole website in .net because "nobody uses PHP any more", "PHP isn't secure", and it will take a month... I'd like to get this done before then...

I have searched and searched, but I simply can't find any statistics as to how many websites use PHP versus ASP/.Net/etc. so I can tell my client. "You should be able to find someone who does PHP because x% of websites use is (or x number use it)..." PS: I already tried google.

2) Outside of the Yellow pages, HOW would he find someone in his area (I'm in Philly, he's in LA) who does PHP that isn't a 14 year old kid with a web hosting template?

My backstory, FYI, this guy was like my first client, still is on my "introductory rate" (ie: FREE) and calls me every time he has any little problem. I simply want to get rid of him. I don't want to start charging because I simply don't want him to be my client.

[DimaYasny]

what are you talking about man? PHP is very widely used. and as it comes down to looking for a hoster+developer, you don't need one located right next door, the internet is worldwide

[somedude3488]

yeah, php is used a lot throughout the web. I work as a PHP/Database Developer for a fairly large web design company called Heritage Web Solutions, and they use php for most of their sites.

[richie513]

I know that in Australia, PHP is number one for any website. Hardly anyone here uses ASP simply because it costs to much and a pain in the backside to work with, this is why I switched from ASP to PHP. Who is this .net guy to say that nobody uses PHP anymore, or PHP is not secure. ASP is not much better, no language is 100% secure, and when developers find otherways for securing, crackers will just end up finding another way around it sooner or later. As far as I am concerned, PHP is a lot better than ASP, it's free, it's easy learn and use, and you can do just about anything you wan't with it. PHP has been around for a long time, and it will be around for a damn lot of years to come.

[richie513]

Ok, done some looking and have some stats for you.

These are the stats as of January 2008.

PHP: 78, 735, 581 domains, 50.61%
ASP: 55, 709, 926 domains, 35.81%

It is clear to see which is the more popular.
If you want to see the chart for these stats you can find it here PHP and ASP usage stats

[nav33n]

Well, these people have already told you which one is better and why. Here are my 2 cents. The maintenance of a php site is much cheaper than a asp.net site. (1st advantage for your client). The web hosting is also cheaper for php when compared to asp.net (2nd advantage for your client!). When it comes to security, you can't really say which one is secure. It all depends on how the script is written.

I wouldn't say ASP.net is bad. Asp.net is good with alot of built-in features and more advanced than php(eg. writing pdf's is pretty easy in asp.net, but in php, you know how difficult it is!) and the availability of hashmaps, etc.. But php is catching up!

When we compare the overall speed, php is much faster than asp.net. :)

php is as good as asp.net and its widely used(because 1. open source 2. cheap maintenance and cost). Why don't you ask your client to go and find someone else.(if you hate him so much!) :)

[sagedavis]

Those stats are great and I agree whole heartedly with Nav33 on his explination of what makes php so much more widely used.

The biggest problem that I have with asp in general is that it is not an opensource technology, which means, there are an ilite type of people using it. You can accomplish almost everything that ASP can using PHP if you mix in a few other things like AJAX and so on.

If you really would like to get rid of this guy, help him to interview someone else.

The truth is that, whoever he gets, will want to redo some of your code, especially if he shops around for the cheapest price. Those that charge less, are generally those that are new and want to get their feet wet, and don't know how to read and interprate someone else's code very well.
Sage

[silviuks]

Maybe your asp.net guy thinks that asp is more secure because it (pre)compiles the code. anyway a discussion about php vs asp.net will take too long and all you need is to finish your project.

now, depending of what kind of project you have. if is just a small/medium site I don't see why to use ASP.NET. if it's a very large project with a huge database ... maybe ASP.NET (JSP) would be a better choice

[msteudel]

Ok, done some looking and have some stats for you.

These are the stats as of January 2008.

PHP: 78, 735, 581 domains, 50.61%
ASP: 55, 709, 926 domains, 35.81%

It is clear to see which is the more popular.
If you want to see the chart for these stats you can find it here PHP and ASP usage stats

Sorry I know this thread is a bit dead, but in case other people come here looking for the same stats, the netcraft site shows APACHE vs MICROSOFT servers, not development languages. (unless I missed a link)

You can make assumptions that usually PHP is run on Apache, but there are certainly other development languages (Java, RubyonRails, ASP.net, coldfusion) that also run on Apache just as you can run PHP on IIS. Anyway I wouldn't use these stats regarding PHP vs ASP ...

[msteudel]

Just an FYI, I found this that has PHP vs ASP market share statistics not sure what "pas de" means ...:

http://www.nexen.net/chiffres_cles/phpversion/18284-php_statistics_for_march_2008.php