Re:CF-based Forums....

[Brian Meloche]

The problem goes deeper than this... way deeper.  When you look at any CF application freely available, almost without fail, it will not install upon first attempt.  There is often something fundamental missing in the application, or the application itself isn't finished.  I have found many that simply will not work, have installation procedures that do not exist or use specific database elements that are not replicateable (even in applications written by wellknown CF developers).  I have found many, for example, with no Application.cfm.  I recently tried to install a Wiki that had an install that was fundamentally flawed, as the database install scripts could not run as written.  I spent 6+ hours cutting and pasting each piece of the install script to put it in the right order, and then I find out from the developer that the CFM files are also flawed.  There was one application that we paid for at my last contract (Steve, you may know about that place - a little agency in Nitro, WV - ring a bell?) where the application only worked after I spent 2 1/2 weeks re-coding it!!!!   It's quite pathetic...  When you look at most freely available PHP applications, they usually come easy to configure, with detailed install instructions, great documentation and have plugins or mods available that are also easy to use and install.  In the case of PHPbb, I have now been involved with 4 installations - all took a grand total of 5 minutes each.  The same goes for most other PHP applications I have installed.  When I look at CF applications, even some I have paid for, the installation process was a pain.  Why is this?  Well, there are many reasons.  First, given research I have done, PHP versus CF hosting providers is at about 6 to 1 - 6 hosts that offer PHP to every one that offers CF (comparewebhosts.com).  When you look at available applications (hotscripts.com), the number is even more staggering - 30 to 1.  Therefore, I conclude the following:  More people in shared hosting environments use PHP over CF by an enormous degree.  There are more installations of each PHP application over CF.  There are more PHP developers, especially as a hobby.  I am not criticizing CF developers or CF.  It is the best thing out there, by far.  Yet, when you look at the enemy... and you look back at yourself... you see that we are fighting a losing battle and we as CF developers had better learn from the examples of our "enemy" languages and realize that we had better start writing tight code and DEMANDING that CF be available at more hosting providers or else CF will just be a blip on the web application development timeline.  ColdFusion developers need to write applications that non-CF developers can install.  Those are my thoughts.

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