> > I suppose what I'm saying is that PHP DOES, absolutely does, > > have all the things you've mentioned. But the assertion that > > because IT does means that CF has "lost" is just sloppy > > reasoning. Both (or any number > > of) products can have the same advantages. > > True, sorry if it came across that way, maybe if I had said > that it has lost its lead in certain areas it would have been clearer.
Now that I can agree with. It's also a matter of both hosting providers becoming more sophisiticated (remember trying to find a host with ANY application server a few years ago?) and that amateur developers (well, some of them at any rate!) are getting damn good. > > The simple fact is that CF usage is growing wildly. Most of > > the sales of CFMX this year have been from new customers. It > > is a paid product and will continue to be a paid product > > (unless somebody comes up with a corporately attractive > > open-source model). As noted I lied there. The actual number (from Vern) is that 29% of CFMX sales have been to new CF users. Still high, but not "most". > > I personally think that it's telling that even costing as > > much as it does it's still popular and gaining popularity > > quickly. PHP is gaining popularity as well - perhaps because > > it's free, but there's definitely other reasons. > > > > The fact that both are gaining users simply says to me that > > both are damn fine products. If people just wanted free they > > would have stayed with PERL and Java. And if free really was > > all that mattered CF just wouldn't be doing so darn well. > > > > Jim Davis > > Again I agree, I don't expect CF to be free or open source, > that method suits some developments and not others. On the > other hand I would like to see MM give a little more > recognition to the lower end of the market, the comments > earlier in the thread about producing a Hosting edition of > the server is an excellent example. Yeah - I do like that idea (hey, it was mine!). ;^) CFExpress was a ptentially good idea as well. The danger there is that the market will become so diluted with versions that potential customers will become confused (MS has this problem with Office now). Also development costs (might) go up since much more testing has to be done. > Another idea may be to continue to market and support CF5 but > at a much lower price point than MX, make it available via > download only to cut distribution costs and MM should still > be able to make a tidy profit. Perhaps more importantly it > would increase the user base of CF - over time a significant > number of those people using the cheaper server are going to > upgrade to MX. I really like that idea as well. IBM just started doing that in fact. WebSphere 4.0 starts at $10,000 - but you can get 3.5 at something like $600 (I think obviously matching CFMX/JRUN). Corel does that as well: older versions of their graphics suites are much cheaper. Of course that still has some problems (especailly with support and such). But it would be a very good idea... I also give MM A LOT of credit for their developer edition philosophy: the fact that the demo server reverts to an unlimited dev edition is pure genius in my opinion. That right there eliminates one of the biggest obstacles to people learning. At the same time I think that they market that feature VERY badly. ;^) > I can also see where giving CF server away to certain > institutions could be good business, I don't know what its > like in the US but universities here tend to use ASP or PHP > on Web Dev courses as CF would be too expensive. That means > that every year there are fair numbers of students graduating > with those skills and looking for work. If you are looking to > employ people there are far more ASP/PHP candidates available > than CF, giving CF free to universities may help to redress > that balance. Last I knew there was actually a VERY attractive educational institution discount for all MM products. I know that they teach CF courses at the local UMASS campuses. Of course the "free" developer edition also addresses some of that (but, like I said, is marketed very badly). Jim Davis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?forumid=5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?method=subscribe&forumid=5 This list and all House of Fusion resources hosted by CFHosting.com. The place for dependable ColdFusion Hosting.
