Web Hosting and Server-side Scripting

In order for your website to standout from the competition, it will need the backing of a dynamic server-side scripting language.  Hence the name, server-side scripts are executed on the web server and have many different uses.  For instance, the shopping carts and templates provided by your web host are created with server-side scripting.  To give you an idea of what is available, we will overview some of the most popular languages and describe how they can be used in your hosting account.

ASP

Active Server Pages or ASP, is a server-side technology created by Microsoft.  More advanced, this language is preferred by many businesses as some say its abilities to generate dynamic content are unparalleled.  ASP.Net can be considered as version two of ASP, a unique technology that enables you to use a number of compatible languages to design your site.  Both ASP and ASP.Net are generally found on Windows-based servers along with other Microsoft technologies such as FrontPage and MS SQL.

JSP

JSP, Java Server Pages, is the Java language designed for the server-side operation.  One of the most widely used languages for enterprise solutions, experienced programmers can truly excel with JSP.  Beneath the genius of this language is a genuine Java program known as a servlet, which works with HTML to create web pages.  The downside to JSP is that the Java language in general is robust and rather complex.  However, this language is powerful and enforces industry standard programming techniques.  If you’re able to learn it, you stand a chance of becoming a pretty good developer.

ColdFusion

ColdFusion is a proprietary scripting language developed by Allaire and currently distributed by Macromedia.  While the server edition is a commercial solution, there are free versions that can run on server applications such as Apache Tomcat.  If you are already familiar with HTML, ColdFusion makes a great solution as it mainly deals with HTML and XML.  This language will help you create dynamic web pages fairly quickly.

Perl

The Perl scripting language is primarily used for web-based applications.  Advanced, robust and very capable, Perl currently has thousands of free scripts available in open-source directories.  This language is a mainstay in web hosting and generally found in the more affordable monthly plans.

PHP

Hypertext Preprocessor or PHP, is a veteran language that has become incredibly popular over the last few years.  PHP is perhaps one of the easiest scripting languages to master, largely supported by a group of developers and users.  You will find many self-help resources and even books dedicated to it on the web.  As an open-source technology, PHP is included in cheap and expensive hosting plans alike.

Python

Though it is one of the oldest languages, Python is still not as popular as ASP, PHP or Perl.  However, this script is easy to work with and has a clean syntax that is perfect for typical applications.  Python is a multi-purpose language and also makes a good choice for graphic heavy programs and utility scripts.  If you are looking for a language that offers a little of everything, Python could be the answer.

What Language Do You Speak?

For the most part, the scripting language you choose to work with all depend on the provider’s operating system.  What you need to focus on is learning the language.  Start off simple and choose the one you find the easiest.  This will limit confusion and help you become a more proficient designer.

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Dec 18, 2008 : Scripting No responses yet

FrontPage vs. Dreamweaver

When it comes to easy web creation, beginners generally have two choices: Microsoft FrontPage and Macromedia Dreamweaver.  Both feature the WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor which allows you to design web pages like a pro.  Which one is better?  Lets see if we can pick a winner.

FronPage

Like other Microsoft products, FrontPage comes with a number of pre-designed templates ready for use.  Whether it’s a small personal site or large site for your online business, it can be created with FrontPage in a few easy clicks - simply enter some text and your images and that’s it.

The authoring capabilities this program offers is the reason it’s the preferred choice by many novice web designers.

One of the best things about FrontPage is that it allows you to view your pages exactly as they will appear in Internet Explorer and other web browsers.  It also tends to work in perfect harmony with other Microsoft technologies such as the MS SQL and MS Access database and the ASP programming language.  FrontPage interacts seamlessly with other Microsoft Office applications as well.  For instance, it’s simple to cut a chart you created in Excel and then paste it into your FrontPage working area.

The main drawback to FrontPage is that it uses tables with a fixed width by default.  This could be frustrating for someone who plans to create pages of various sizes.

Dreamweaver

The Dreamweaver program allows you to create templates of your own.  These templates can be used to edit dozens to hundreds of pages on your site with a simple click of the mouse.  The web pages you create with Dreamweaver usually result in clean HTML coding that looks nearly perfect in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Netscape and Opera.  Similar to how FrontPage interacts smoothly with other Microsoft applications, Dreamweaver works well with other Macromedia products.

Dreamweaver is amazing at handling SSI files and the server-side include technology in general.  Programming languages such as PHP and Python look great when incorporating them with this program while FrontPage excels when using ASP.  In most cases, the editors in both programs do a fine job at displaying CSS (Cascading Style Sheets).  However, Dreamweaver is more prone to error when entering style attributes and can terribly blemish your pages whereas FrontPage handles these error with ease.

Recommendations

As with most comparisons, there are advantages and disadvantages that come along with both editors.  Those mentioned here are the most significant and could weigh heavily on your decision.  In our opinion, FrontPage is more suited for beginners as it is much easier to use, comes with great support and provides numerous templates that allow you to create an entire website very quickly.  We recommend moving up to Dreamweaver when you become more familiar and comfortable with HTML coding.  Freehand coding gives you the ability to use tags and styles however you desire but errors can slow down the developing process significantly.

After mastering either program, the results you achieve will look as if you’ve been designing web pages for years.

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Dec 17, 2008 : FrontPage Hosting No responses yet

Shared Security Risks

If you are like many newcomers emerging online, you are working with a modest budget and looking for an affordable web hosting plan.  In this scenario, a shared host would be the most cost-effective option as you can easily find a plan for under $10 a month.  If this is the path you choose, be warned of all the potential security issues that will be shared.

How Shared Hosting Works

A company that offers a shared hosting service runs numerous websites on a single server.  This allows the provider to enjoy convenience and savings as the hosting customers are paying the costs of the server.  The problem with this situation is the flexibility today’s shared host offers its customers, freedoms that open up numerous security holes.  With the ability to code with dynamic scripting languages such as ASP, PHP or Perl, domain owners can make critical mistakes that have an adverse impact on the entire server.  They could also launch attacks on other users hosting on the machine.

Many pre-installed software solutions typically require you to permit the server to read, write and execute your files, leaving them vulnerable other users on a shared server.  Although software developers have come up with a several safeguards, there is no surefire way to protect data in a sharing hosting environment.  Some applications attempt to make files only available to the domain owner.  However, because there needs to be write access, many of these programs make it possible for other domain owners to write files to a particular domain.  The same functions that grants a user flexibility opens up the door for potential abuse on a shared server.

If a web host permits the use of sensitive functions such as EXE. (execution), you should be very cautious about incorporating add-on programs, including those useful applications that come included in the Fantastico script installer.  To be on the safe side, you should first contact a provider and ask if the server grants other users with access to functions that enable files to be written to your directory.  If the host permits the use of the execution function, you may want to consider moving to a different hosting environment, especially if you are storing sensitive data on your website.

Conclusion

One of the most secure solutions for hosting your website is a dedicated server as you have the entire machine to yourself and are not exposed to potential threats posed by shared users.  When you are looking to save money, this may not be practical.  If shared hosting is your only option, do a little research on the provider to ensure that you are getting a secure and reliable service.  Always make sure that other domain owners cannot access commands that allow them to write files to your domain.  You should also remain cautious when installing open-source applications and working with scripting languages.  These technologies should be kept up to date to ensure the best functionality and security.  While you can’t ensure 100% protection on a shared server, there are ways to limit your vulnerability.

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Dec 09, 2008 : Shared Hosting No responses yet

Introduction to Scripting Languages

It is safe to say that scripting languages play a tremendous role in powering the web.  Aside from having the ability to create web pages, these scripts are able to create entire applications as well.  In this article we will introduce you to the wonderful world of scripting and explain why these languages are so important.

The Purpose of Scripting Languages

Though very advanced, a computer cannot comprehend the commands of human speech.  For example, you just can’t speak aloud and tell the computer to open your MS Word application.  With scripting languages, the machine is able to follow commands and perform specific tasks.  While they all have the same basic functions, there are many scripting languages available, most of which have different capabilities.  Because the JavaScript language is event-driven, it typically waits for events to occur before taking action.  This script is most often used to create pop-up windows and web forms.  Another unique feature of JavaScript is its ability to change images when moving the mouse over them, similar to desktop scripting languages which are in the client-side genre as well.

Server-Side Scripting Languages

In general, client-side scripts are pretty much like any scripting language that uses other programs as interpreters.  With server-side scripting, the interpreter is located within a high capacity computer more commonly known as a server.  The interpreter inside of the server reads the scripting code and translates it to HTML so that it can read by a web browser which then displays the appropriate content on the user’s screen.  Some of the most widely used server-side scripts today are PHP, Perl and ASP to name a few.

Some languages have a wide range of purposes though most are primarily used to generate dynamic web pages that can interact with the visitor.  This dynamic form could be something as simple as one page letting a user know they are using the Firefox browser then giving a different notification when someone is browsing with Internet Explorer.  This is rather basic, though many scripting languages are capable of much more.  To give you an idea, some scripts are able to create web forms, shopping carts and blogging applications.

While training yourself on scripting languages, it is important to know that a script such as PHP is very different from HTML.  When used alone, HTML does not have the power to create dynamic web pages, giving it the label of a static programming language that simply forms the structure and at times, the styling as well.

Choosing the Right Language

The best way to decide on a script for your site is to first determine exactly what it can do.  You are more likely to get more use out of a server-side script such as PHP or Perl.  These are multi-purpose solutions that have a wide range of uses.  Best of all, they are open-source, meaning any provider offering them is likely to be cheaper.  Open-source scripts also tend to have a greater level of support than commercial solutions such as ASP and ASP.NET.

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Scripting for Your Website

Although most web hosting companies will offer basic site builders embedded with HTML coding, it is always good to have a little knowledge of other scripting languages, especially if you want your site to stand out.  There are a number of different scripts available; some are rather basic while others are more complex and offer unique features.  For this reason, you should first consider how easy a particular language is to work with before deciding on a favorite.

Keep it Simple

There is nothing wrong with having vast knowledge on a variety of scripts but you just may be wasting your time.  For instance, if you are hosting on a Linux platform with a provider that only offers PHP and Perl, all your knowledge on ASP scripting could be useless.  You should  consider other web technologies that may impact programming languages as well.  While the MS SQL Server can be converted to support scripts like PHP, this database system is more suited for ASP as they are both Microsoft products.  If you are essentially a webmaster in training, the amount of support a particular script has is also very important.  A good choice would be open-source solutions such as PHP, Perl or Python as they respectively have large communities of users who publish self-help resources throughout the web.

Scripting Features

After finding a script you feel comfortable with, it’s time to dig a little deeper to find out what it can do.  There are some programming languages specifically designed to remain current as new web technologies are developed.  One perfect example is AJAX, a toolkit Microsoft distributes to help ensure that developers are up to date with their ASP.NET scripts.  All the popular languages today can be greatly enhanced to do far more than create a simple web page.  With various add-on components, they can be used to create shopping carts, chat rooms and blogs just to name a few items.  By doing your homework on a specific script, you will have a better idea of what a particular web host can offer.

Recommendations

We recommend that anyone new to the world of web development go with an open-source language.  These scripts tend to be much easier to work with more resources available to help you grasp them faster.  As your online presence grows and the site becomes popular, you will be able to make quick adjustments to support the rapid expansion.

If you choose to script in a proprietary language such as ASP, take note that your web hosting plan may be a little more expensive.  Because the provider has to pay to use these technologies, they recover the costs by passing it down to their customers.  Being more advanced than most scripts, ASP is generally harder to learn and also lacks the support of open-source solutions.

You can get by without any knowledge on programming scripts, but that doesn’t mean you’ll get far.  These powerful web languages can work wonders at enhancing the appearance and functionality of your site.  All it takes is the knowledge of one script to give you that competitive edge needed to succeed online.

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Nov 07, 2008 : Scripting No responses yet