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[rcjordan]

it turned out well. (An inflation-adjustment retirement fund cash flow calculator). I kept tweaking and adding features and it grew to be a fair-sized piece of logic.  It's nice enough that it definitely needs to go up on my sites to generate buzz. It may even have potential for the smartphone app stores.

So now it's good enough that I don't want to post the javascript but want to hide the logic on the server.  Any way to avoid a total rewrite to php?

[lamontagne]

look into node.js

[perkiset]

I say go PHP and cloud the app for others.

Do you need an app framework to pull it off? I've been working on a new release of my base web app framework and I can let you have it if you'd like ...

[rcjordan]

>node

Good suggestion. Looks to be the only viable option for serverside js. But for my purposes getting it set up and working looks to be about equal to rewriting in php

>app framework

Thanks but I don't know enough about smartphone apps to really make that determination yet but my instincts about where the web is headed says smartphones are definitely the end game for this. Let me get back to you on that when I see more light at the end of the tunnel. And your offer is much-appreciated.

For now, unless someone has a Handy-Dandy JS to PHP Converter in their toolbox, it appears the best option is to go ahead and finish adding all the 'creeping elegance' options to the stand-alone js version.

This started as a tool for my own use. I had the program roughed-in and working good enough for me to use some time ago but then I eventually came to the realization that I could build a crude but effective "expert system" for Louise to use for her own financial planning if I died first. My recommendations about future inflation, expected rate of return, etc. could be set as default values. (My ivy-league-ish degree is in economics & commerce, btw, so I can guess at these values with more authority than the average guy on the street, hhh!)

Taking it up to a user-friendly level required a BIG jump in terms of UI and data entry error-catching routines because to be usable by John Q. it has to work perfectly the first time .....without reading instructions.  I also have to rethink/rephrase a lot of the eye-glazing terminology like "Present Value vs. Future Value"

[kurdt]

Node.js is my primary choice nowadays. I use PHP only if I need the power of curl like for example when I need great proxy support. Node.js has million + 1 modules from complete web app frameworks to webgl server-side implementations. I honestly think that it's gameover for PHP. There's simply no valid reason to use PHP anymore when javascript works both server & client-side. Plus if you have any doubt that your app will gain popularity, Node.js will save you a lot of money by being really, really fast so you won't have to buy another server so fast. But there's also lot to learn when you move from synchronous model to asynchronous model.