Need help concerning HTML and asp

[teebee]

I am in the process of starting to build a new website. I have noticed some web site have extensions with html (ex. www.abc.com/xyz.html) and some with (ex. www.abc.com/xyz.asp). What is the difference. I am also seeing some pages with something like cgi in the address line, also what is that used for and maybe someone can tell me at what part of the web site would you use these extensions. I have built a very small but yet simple web site for my buisness before using the html extension, but now i am seeing my compeitors with the asp instead. Someone please set me straight on this matter.

[mouse]

asp is a server side language, like php. Cgi is present where perl is used. A .asp or .php extension indicates the page has been generated or parsed in some way by the server. This may be by extracting data from a database, as part of a template, or numerous other things.

With an html extension, no server side processing occurs (unless your server is set p to parse html but that's an aside) the pages are sent direct to the user's browser for display.

[teebee]

So if i am going to build a web site to advertise my products and eventully add a shopping cart to the web site which one is best for me to use html or asp?

[mouse]

Well. You'll need to use a server side language if you're to build a shopping cart. Firstly the decision will likely be between ASP and PHP. The former is a Microsoft technology usable only on ISS servers, the second an open technology more for use on Linux/Apache servers. Both are as capable as one another, php has some great internet support. You'll notice in the address bar, php is used to run this forum.

You really need to decide what you want to do and use the chosen language appropriately. You'll probably find you have a combination of html and other pages. In an online store situation you have to consider methods of storing information, such as a database, again this is down to the type of server you're running; an Apache/Linux will probably use MySQL for example.

We have php, php&mysql and ASP sections of the forum with some experienced users that will be able to help you choose which route to take since many have had the same decisions to make in the past.