Let’s start with VPS. What is it? What do I need to know about it?
My webhost told me that they support nodejs but they didn’t tell me until I tried to upload my site that it only works with their VPS contract. I have now idea what that is and how it might differ from other hosting services. I’m looking to learn.
As for the other question about monitors . . .
I find myself constantly going from VS Code to some other app. VS Code gives me a decent file explorer list and allows me to open terminals, but that about takes up the available screen space on my 24" monitor. It’s just too small for multiple windows.
I’ve been thinking about solutions. I have very limited space and can’t do much about that. I might be able to stack 24" monitors one above the other and I might be able to go to a slightly bigger monitor - maybe even a 32" - but not any bigger. A large monitor with multiple windows that display up to say 4 ‘panes’ is my idea of an ideal set up that would allow me to have VS Code in one pane, my localhost in another, another for searching, etc.
The more I thought about it the more I became convinced that hard-core coders have faced - and probably solved - this problem; but it also occurred to me that it might be a personal choice issue.
In any case, I thought I’d seek your input on the matter. Have you found a comfortable solution? If so, what did you do?
Shared Server: You rent space on a server, shared with as many folks as your web host chooses to put on the same server with you. CPU, Memory and Network bandwidth are all shared by whomever’s site eats them up first. I.e. someone else can put a CPU hog site out there and your site will feel the impact.
Private/Dedicated Server: You rent your own complete server, and your site gets all the CPU, Memory and Network bandwidth of that server.
Virtual Private Server: Using fancy virtualization technologies, your web host creates “virtual private servers”, several server environments on a single server. They can allocate via the virtualization tools, certain percentages of CPU, Memory or Network bandwidth to each of their customers. So you have what feels like a Private Server, but in actuality you are sharing a single server.
Costs correspond, you would want one if you are needing and willing to pay for a faster running or more consistently running site. Most hobby/small sites will be on a shared server.
Thanks, tracknut. I was finally able to get my search foo together and got a hit. Your information is what the search yielded.
I have avoided PHP for as long as I can. I was trying to stick with javascript for both front and backend but that entails nodejs which entails a VPS; so, I’m now cartwheeling to PHP. I only developed one js script for the backend and will need about 20, so now is the appropriate time to abandon my dream of not having to learn PHP.
On the good side of the situation, once you get your arms around “it’s on the server and spits out html code to the client”, PHP is much easier, in my experience, than JS. You can write good old procedural code that looks much like many languages that our earlier generation of programmers are used to writing.
I do not see this advantage in PHP. In node express you have more or less one entry point from where you can call whatever functions or methods you want. If you don’t want to use classes you do not need to (even if I would recommend doing so as it is much nicer).
I am developing software for over 45 years now also and I also know the „good old ANSI-C times“. It was hard to understand the new ways of programming for me also but I digged into it until I get familiar with it and most of it I dontvwant to miss anymore.
Same with PHP and NodeJS. After decades of using PHP as backend, I now use Node for nearly 5 years and I will never go back.
About the monitor problem. I do not know how it is with windows (I quit windows over 15 years ago and switched to MAC. A step I would also never go back even if the first weeks were horrible ) but I would guess there is a similar functional in modern windows versions.
On my MAC I can switch between screens with a hotkey or even a mouse swipe (Magic Mouse) so I do not need multiple monitors as long as I do not need to compare something on one screen with content on the other. At home I work with a 30“ Studio Monitor and another 30“ Lenovo Monitor. But I can also work when I am traveling with my 13“ MacBook Pro. Of course not sooo comfortable but still productive.
I find multiple monitors to be a less expensive solution than larger monitors - add a second 24" screen (if your hardware supports it) and you’ve double the available screen resolution, jumping up to a 32" doesn’t do that, and will either be poor quality or very expensive. I’m actually using 22" screens that I’ve had for free from local Facebook recycle groups.
I can’t say how VS code will handle multiple screens, as I don’t use it. I can “spread” the browser across both screens if I want to - I don’t, because these have quite wide borders, the down side of older monitors. I just have the coding window on one (I use notepad++ at the moment) and the browser on the other.
I use PHP, but that, i suspect, is more a result of availability at the time when i first learned (I’ve been doing this lark for… gods… 25 years now?) and then just sticking with what i know. I imagine someone coming into it new now would be able to pick up PHP or Node at relatively the same speeds, and be able to do everything in their chosen path that the other could do. shrug I dont necessarily think there’s an advantage of one over the other, besides PHP having more current …support isnt the right word. Availability? Amongst hosting providers (but Node’s is growing rapidly, and no doubt it will soon be just as prevalent, if it isn’t already). Everyone will have their own preferences about which feels better to use.
Personally, my answer to the monitor thing has been “Yes.” I run multiple monitors, and my main is a 49" ultrawide (that I run as two displays side-by-side). My work setup has 4 monitors of various sizes (basically, I packrat any of the equipment being thrown out/left laying around, and add it to my collection.) I don’t think i could do without at least 2 monitors.
I’m not quite sure what you mean by “between screens”… between applications? or between desktops?
Between applications is just Alt+Tab (or Alt+Shift+Tab to go in the other direction of the app stack).
Windows… I think 10+? Maybe it was in 7… has the concept of Multiple Desktops, yes. The change key combination is a little awkward - WIN+Ctrl+Left/Right. The keystroke combination to create a new desktop is WIN+Ctrl+D.
I took it as Desktops, maybe thinking of it as “virtual screens”, switching one to the other om a single monitor.
It sounds like it’s space that is going against a second monitor. Not sure it that’s desk space or room space. If your desk is too small for two monitors to stand on it, you can get stands that fix to the desk with a single stem.
This was my desk in a previous job with such a set-up. The footprint on the desk is minimal. Another option is to wall mount them behind the desk. Or even a bigger desk, if room space allows.
) but I would guess there is a similar functional in modern windows versions.