This thread relates to one I began in May/June 02.
I posed the question 'which is better - php/mysql or cold fusion?' and after a few contrasting responses I was advised that php/mysql would be my best bet, as the support network is better and its all free :-)

Anyway I went and downloaded all the necessary software, and having spent much of the summer learning the technology (in a fairly basic manner) and designing and implementing my new website using the skills I had learned.
OK so this is just a cheap plug for my website:
http://www.kickbin.com

however I just wanted to let any potential php/mysql students know that its quite possible to integrate this technology with flash and I can't imagine cold fusion being better. I can administrate my dbs using myadmin, I have successfully linked into worldpay's credit card system and everything works tickety boo - yep the site is a teeny bit bandwidth heavy - but thats not phps fault, just I'm fussy about my fonts displaying properly - and since Macromedia still haven't sorted out the issue with shared library fonts in dynamic text fields (CMON GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER MACROMEDIA!!!) I had not option but to do a spot of embedding here and there...
Anyway thanks to the guys who helped me to make the initial decision. Can't fault ya. I did find it a headfxxxk at times I will freely admit, but php is very similar to actionscript in many respects and if nothing else... and I will make this very clear...

Learning php vastly improved my actionscript skills.

In fact the last flash contract I was involved with I could not have undertaken without the extra knowledge of scripting I picked up learning php. It was purely actionscript based, but php got me used to switches and other tricks I had never really experimented with properly in flash.

Anyway if you want to check out the results of my hard work, the link's there for you above - I won't repeat it in case I get banned or something! Any comments greatly appreciated -so long as they're all good of course.

Oh yes and if anyone has any great site promotion tips...

Thanks again for your help guys. Php is the answer.
Paul