Looking for advice on which web language to use

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Speelgoedmannetje wrote:
Java. (as applet)

I don't think Java would be good for this... I would read up on HTML5. ECMAScript is your friend :-)

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motorollin wrote:
I'm not sure I want to use Java as it will limit the devices which will be able to use it. How easy is Java to learn? I've got some experience writing games in C++ so if the syntax is similar I will consider it.

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moto

Both Java and ECMAScript (or whatever you want to called it) are modeled on C++ (though a three use slightly different OOP paradigms)... So knowing any of them will allow easy working with the others.

As Speel knows, I'm rather keen on ECMAScript since every modern browser can run it... You can prototype quickly and it's very fault tollerant... The only thing I don't like is the Document Object Model, but once you learned it it's fine!

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Yeah, I would use a hidden iframe with a 10 sec refresh to sync the database... It you take the java route, to be honest you would be better off using C and SDL... Then compile a native version of the client for each target platform... Yes, I really don't like java :-)

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motorollin wrote:
Hmm, I wonder if this would be any better than JavaScript:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AJAX

"A primary characteristic is the increased responsiveness and interactivity of web pages achieved by exchanging small amounts of data with the server "behind the scenes" so that entire web pages do not have to be reloaded each time there is a need to fetch data from the server."

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moto

Yes AJAX would be perfect for this application... and the Logic language behind AJAX is JavaScript... That's where the J in AJAX comes from... Trust me, despite my ineptitude with German girls, I'm rarely wrong :-)


Anyway, don't you have some music homework to be doing? ;-)

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motorollin wrote:

bloodline wrote:
Anyway, don't you have some music homework to be doing? ;-)

Yes sir.... ;-)

Hahahahahha

Though if I'm honest, I'm a bit demotivated in that area at the moment :-(

I quite understand, I remember a great phrase... Professional means doing what you usually enjoy even when you don't want to...

Though by that token... I'm pretty musch a professional at every thing I do :-D

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motorollin wrote:
That's a good quote - so true! The problem is that your advice and suggestions have given me a lot to live up to! And unfortunately when I know something is going to be difficult or beyond my (current) abilities, I tend to lose motivation and give up prematurely. I've always been an underachiever... :roll:

I can assure you, there is nothing that I have suggested which is beyond your abilities... you just need to devote some time to it. Set aside an hour tomorrow with your keyboard and sequencer and have a bit of a play... even if your first efforts sound a bit forced, that's good because you know you are doing it right, then you just need to develop that! :-)

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Speelgoedmannetje wrote:
Actually, Bloodline, what are you so much against Java?

Very good question! The answer is manifold... And as such would take ages to explain... but I can summarise... I think it's inefficient, the problems that the original specification tried to solve don't exist any more and as such the focus is wrong. It tried to be between a VM and an Operating system... which makes it not very good at either... The Java VMs use a lot of CPU time... The JITs generate very slow code... When running Java on mobile devices, the battery life is severely reduced. Java is an ecosystem in it's own right... it keeps itself from the host system. Java Byte Code is not well suited to modern computer system, I think in the the last decade or so a better ByteCode could be developed... Hell 68K code running on Bernie's UAE JIT is more efficient!

For the purpose of Internet, JavaScript is much better... Though the DOM is a bit of a mess... fortunately, HTML 5 should fix all the problems :-)

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Yes Speel, I agree that javascript is not suitable large and complex tasks... But unfortunately, I don't think java is either, which is why I suggested Moto takes the C/SDL route... In js he can prototype quickly and work in any browser (including the iPhone and amiga)... With Java development is slower, more difficult and will need much more cross platform testing, the client will be a much heavier payload etc... By this time he would have been better off using C/SDL!

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motorollin wrote:

bloodline wrote:
I can assure you, there is nothing that I have suggested which is beyond your abilities...

Hmm, ok if you say so :-)

bloodline wrote:
you just need to devote some time to it. Set aside an hour tomorrow with your keyboard and sequencer and have a bit of a play... even if your first efforts sound a bit forced, that's good because you know you are doing it right, then you just need to develop that! :-)

I actually have something in mind for a synth bass part, including the instrument. But you said it's best not to focus on sounds yet. Am I allowed to make an exception in this case? :-) And if I do my music homework, can I play with AJAX please? ;-)

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moto

There are no hard and fast rules, anything that keeps you motivated is obviously a good thing. Programming synths is something I enjoy more than writing music, so sometimes I do just want to mess arround building a smally library of sounds to use at a later time :-)

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Speelgoedmannetje wrote:

bloodline wrote:
But unfortunately, I don't think java is either,

It isn't. Java is widely being used for the most complex processes in business. It's all java, and it works.

I'm well aware of the scale of Java deployment... At uni they teach you nothing else... Just because something is widely deployed doesn't make it good does it?