Your opinions please

[benharper_fan]

Hello all.

First off, let me just say that you guys have a great community here and Im glad I found this place. I just registered a couple days ago and have enjoyed reading the threads.

On to my question, and I know this subjective, but any opinions will help.

I am trying to decide on a server side language to use with Flash. My box will be configured as follows: Redhat Linux 7.2, Apache webserver (Jboss or Tomcat if I decide to go with Java) and MySql DB. For the time being, I want to concentrate on one language and get to know it inside and out.

CFML and any type of language used with ASP is out of the running. I have narrowed down my choices to the following;

PHP
JAVA
PYTHON

If anyone has experience using these languages with Flash and action script and which, if any integrate the best, I would like to hear your opinions or insights.

Thanks people

p.s. I am a complete Flash newbie, but the server side integration really interests me

[tg]

php would probably be quickest/easiest to learn. has a huge online community, with lots of help.

[IFZen]

I agree with tg.
PHP is fast to learn, write, test and implement. It's full compatible with your platform and there is a lot of moduels to handle many situations (XML, images, swf generation with the Ming module, etc... etc... even Sockets if you dare). Check the php.net site to see the list of possibilities.
One little bad point about PHP is performance. Even if it's quite fast, when you really need time efficiency you have to use a compiled and resident tool (like Java).

Whatever PHP rocks. :p

Good luck and BZen

[benharper_fan]

Thanks for your replies. I am actually leaning toward PHP, because
1. Im relatively familiar with it
2. Im a big fan of open source
3. Java is a pain in the ass

Python seems like it might also be a good choice being that it is also open source and from what Ive been reading, very robust and intuitive. But in all Ive read, I have yet to read about anyone who has used Python as a scripting language choice in conjunction with flash.

I look forward to everyones opnions.

Peace

[benharper_fan]

For anyone else that is interested in this subject, I just found this article.

http://www.macromedia.com/desdev/logged_in/mbrown_server_languages.html

Not a lot of info, but its something.

Peace