Comments on: Why would I want to host on Coldfusion? http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/ Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:52:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: The Feed-Squirrel Blog » Blog Archive » ..An open question to Adobe http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-27834 The Feed-Squirrel Blog » Blog Archive » ..An open question to Adobe Mon, 30 Jul 2007 09:09:13 +0000 http://blog.feed-squirrel.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-27834 [...] There’s been a lot of talk lately surrounding the pricing of Coldfusion, and it’s comparative cost with other application server products (ASP.NET, PHP etc etc). See Adam on Life, the crumb and even Feed-Squirrel for a small sample. This is why I was somewhat stunned to see that Adobe have decided to ramp the cost of the enterprise edition of the new CF8 up by 25% to $7,499. [...] [...] There’s been a lot of talk lately surrounding the pricing of Coldfusion, and it’s comparative cost with other application server products (ASP.NET, PHP etc etc). See Adam on Life, the crumb and even Feed-Squirrel for a small sample. This is why I was somewhat stunned to see that Adobe have decided to ramp the cost of the enterprise edition of the new CF8 up by 25% to $7,499. [...]

]]> By: Andy J http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-12730 Andy J Sat, 26 May 2007 00:52:17 +0000 http://blog.feed-squirrel.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-12730 I've got to back 'Old Age CF Developer' commets. I've used hostingatoz.com for some friends sites die to the cost and have found them excellent! It's always a case of looking and deciding what kind of site you are running. I’ve got to back ‘Old Age CF Developer’ commets. I’ve used hostingatoz.com for some friends sites die to the cost and have found them excellent! It’s always a case of looking and deciding what kind of site you are running.

]]> By: Old Age CF Developer http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-11998 Old Age CF Developer Mon, 21 May 2007 17:31:50 +0000 http://blog.feed-squirrel.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-11998 I thought it would be helpful for you people to share the company I am hosted with for last 6 months. I am with http://www.hostingatoz.com . The starter CF Hosting plan with them is for $19.99/year . I have seen small downtime (2 times, I think) in last 6 months but it is too good at the prices they are offering CF 7 MX Hosting. Moreover, I am hosting a few personal sites only... so I love them :) I thought it would be helpful for you people to share the company I am hosted with for last 6 months. I am with http://www.hostingatoz.com . The starter CF Hosting plan with them is for $19.99/year . I have seen small downtime (2 times, I think) in last 6 months but it is too good at the prices they are offering CF 7 MX Hosting. Moreover, I am hosting a few personal sites only… so I love them :)

]]> By: Russ Johnson http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-11413 Russ Johnson Thu, 17 May 2007 15:26:35 +0000 http://blog.feed-squirrel.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-11413 The higher cost of hosting is hurting the opensource CF arena as well. Look at the number of opensource PHP and Ruby apps vs. the opensource CF apps. Lately it has improved since RIAForge opened up but still WAY behind for a language as old as CF. Lack of opensource apps like the CMS mentioned above (although there are a few choices out there like FarCry) will continue to hurt the adoption of CF. And Im afraid that unless the CFStandard server were free, its going to remain that way. Hopefully pojects like Railo and Smith with help this cause but I think its too early to make that call. The higher cost of hosting is hurting the opensource CF arena as well. Look at the number of opensource PHP and Ruby apps vs. the opensource CF apps. Lately it has improved since RIAForge opened up but still WAY behind for a language as old as CF.

Lack of opensource apps like the CMS mentioned above (although there are a few choices out there like FarCry) will continue to hurt the adoption of CF. And Im afraid that unless the CFStandard server were free, its going to remain that way.

Hopefully pojects like Railo and Smith with help this cause but I think its too early to make that call.

]]> By: Jamie http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-9223 Jamie Wed, 02 May 2007 23:25:30 +0000 http://blog.feed-squirrel.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-9223 Keep in mind that the cost of CF plans isn't always due to licensing as well. I talked to the CEO of HostMySite (I'm a senior employee there) and alot of the cost is due to market demand as well, plus the company's own business model. For instance, our prices aren't the cheapest because quite frankly our support is in a different class than that of most other hosts (I won't name them but you know who they are). With us you call and instantly get a TECH regardless of the time of day or year, and that tech can usually solve your problem or if not can get it to someone that can within minutes. So we market to high availability sites more than lower-end 'mom and pop' sites because they're the ones that really need us. If you can tolerate your site being down for an hour or two then there are definitely cheap hosts that will get the job done for you. Keep in mind that the cost of CF plans isn’t always due to licensing as well. I talked to the CEO of HostMySite (I’m a senior employee there) and alot of the cost is due to market demand as well, plus the company’s own business model.

For instance, our prices aren’t the cheapest because quite frankly our support is in a different class than that of most other hosts (I won’t name them but you know who they are). With us you call and instantly get a TECH regardless of the time of day or year, and that tech can usually solve your problem or if not can get it to someone that can within minutes. So we market to high availability sites more than lower-end ‘mom and pop’ sites because they’re the ones that really need us. If you can tolerate your site being down for an hour or two then there are definitely cheap hosts that will get the job done for you.

]]> By: Eric http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-9188 Eric Wed, 02 May 2007 16:07:57 +0000 http://blog.feed-squirrel.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-9188 Not plugging directly...but I can say we use Crystal Tech for their CF licensing structures....and as a benefit, they are rock solid. 16.95 appeals to my clients for small sites, up to 49.95 for bigger ones....so anything short of VPS or Dedicated, you can find it cheaper. Before I came around to them 3 years ago, I had to use PHP based CMS frameworks....which is still the case sometimes today. There is no open source, non-profit low cost CMS out there for CF...and that hurts the product as well. Clients ask why pay a CMS license when Joomla works perfectly well for their needs? I have to look them in the eye and agree. I've been with CF since 3.1 and these marketing/product points being discussed here have always pained me. Not plugging directly…but I can say we use Crystal Tech for their CF licensing structures….and as a benefit, they are rock solid.

16.95 appeals to my clients for small sites, up to 49.95 for bigger ones….so anything short of VPS or Dedicated, you can find it cheaper.

Before I came around to them 3 years ago, I had to use PHP based CMS frameworks….which is still the case sometimes today. There is no open source, non-profit low cost CMS out there for CF…and that hurts the product as well. Clients ask why pay a CMS license when Joomla works perfectly well for their needs?

I have to look them in the eye and agree. I’ve been with CF since 3.1 and these marketing/product points being discussed here have always pained me.

]]> By: Jamie http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-9081 Jamie Tue, 01 May 2007 19:51:16 +0000 http://blog.feed-squirrel.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-9081 Yup, you've got a point - CF does have a licensing fee so it will be inherently more expensive than php/.net. I just wanted to point out that the difference in cost isn't quite as large as your original post makes it out to be. Personally I love CF as a language, but then I've never had to pay for hosting in my life thanks to my chosen occupation. ;-) Yup, you’ve got a point - CF does have a licensing fee so it will be inherently more expensive than php/.net. I just wanted to point out that the difference in cost isn’t quite as large as your original post makes it out to be.

Personally I love CF as a language, but then I’ve never had to pay for hosting in my life thanks to my chosen occupation. ;-)

]]> By: Neil http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-9079 Neil Tue, 01 May 2007 19:32:10 +0000 http://blog.feed-squirrel.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-9079 @Jamie - I had noticed the difference in setup aside from CF, but more importantly, I really believe Adobe need to do something about the other $36 dollars (which as it happens would get me an entire PHP VPS). For instance, if I didn't have that $36 paid, I could still get .NET or PHP, so why would anyone want to spend more for CF? @Jamie - I had noticed the difference in setup aside from CF, but more importantly, I really believe Adobe need to do something about the other $36 dollars (which as it happens would get me an entire PHP VPS).

For instance, if I didn’t have that $36 paid, I could still get .NET or PHP, so why would anyone want to spend more for CF?

]]> By: Bill Brown http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-9069 Bill Brown Tue, 01 May 2007 18:15:39 +0000 http://blog.feed-squirrel.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-9069 I fully agree that ColdFusion hosting costs are a major hurdle for web application developers - particularly for beginners deciding how to invest their learning time. For several years I pushed ColdFusion as the main application server learning tool at our university's web development program. Student's loved learning it, but were always disappointed with the hosting costs and lack of open source resources. Eventually we had to switch to PHP due to demand. Most students have plenty of time and very little money. Trying to sell them on "it's quick to learn" over "it's free" is very difficult. The free developer version of ColdFusion is great, but it needs to be combined with inexpensive hosting solutions. Microsoft saw this when they announced free video hosting for Silverlight. I hope Adobe will do something similar for ColdFusion 8 and web hosting. It doesn't have to be free, but perhaps subsidized to be competitive with .NET and PHP solution options out there. A great solution would be to have ColdFusion on something like MediaTemple's Grid Hosting - an inexpensive way to host multiple sites with the ability to scale easily. I fully agree that ColdFusion hosting costs are a major hurdle for web application developers - particularly for beginners deciding how to invest their learning time.

For several years I pushed ColdFusion as the main application server learning tool at our university’s web development program. Student’s loved learning it, but were always disappointed with the hosting costs and lack of open source resources. Eventually we had to switch to PHP due to demand.

Most students have plenty of time and very little money. Trying to sell them on “it’s quick to learn” over “it’s free” is very difficult.

The free developer version of ColdFusion is great, but it needs to be combined with inexpensive hosting solutions.

Microsoft saw this when they announced free video hosting for Silverlight. I hope Adobe will do something similar for ColdFusion 8 and web hosting. It doesn’t have to be free, but perhaps subsidized to be competitive with .NET and PHP solution options out there.

A great solution would be to have ColdFusion on something like MediaTemple’s Grid Hosting - an inexpensive way to host multiple sites with the ability to scale easily.

]]> By: Nat Papovich http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-9068 Nat Papovich Tue, 01 May 2007 18:14:31 +0000 http://blog.feed-squirrel.com/2007/05/01/why-would-i-want-to-host-on-coldfusion/#comment-9068 Be fair, Neil - the CF VPS plan at HMS is DOUBLE the hardware specs as the PHP one. I'm no HMS fanboy, so I do agree with you. These prices are not conducive to widespread adoption of ColdFusion in the middle and low-end market. Perhaps Adobe could release a VPS-specific pricing model? Be fair, Neil - the CF VPS plan at HMS is DOUBLE the hardware specs as the PHP one.

I’m no HMS fanboy, so I do agree with you. These prices are not conducive to widespread adoption of ColdFusion in the middle and low-end market. Perhaps Adobe could release a VPS-specific pricing model?

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