PHP right for me?

[Ewbiwon]

Worst as in its core libraries naming conventions are inconsistent (to start with). Look it is a very biased feeling. Functionally PHP is great and does the job.

I just do not get these "high in demand" comments. Maybe it is but compared ton the likes of java and c# it is trailing. Maybe somebody can compare the salaries they offering?

I used to do a lot of python. It is a very easy and great language but with obvious faults. Using spaces as code blocks becomes a problem when people on the team start using tabs. They look the same but are different - merges can become a pain and code will stop compiling and you'll have to hunt for these th characters.

PHP is just web though whereas python (like c#, Java, Golmag and the like can be used for standalone programs and scripts).

I don't mind the web only factor as in this day and age, the web is a good place to be. Though how much of a jump is it to, say now C#? are the fundamentals the same or is it starting from scratch?

This is why it's in high demand: http://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/programming_language/all

Web devs aren't only employed to write new projects but also to maintain existing ones.

That is true and I guess with the growth of internet users in SA. Everyone is going to want a website that's more than just HTML

PHP is quite powerful, and so is Ruby. I develop in PHP, for various reasons - a large community being one of them.

It's been said many times that PHP isn't the greatest language. Sure, it isn't. But it is indeed evolving. Over time, it will become what people want it to be.

That said, PHP is a good start for beginners.

Those are the magic words

 

[Hamster]

I don't mind the web only factor as in this day and age, the web is a good place to be. Though how much of a jump is it to, say now C#? are the fundamentals the same or is it starting from scratch?



That is true and I guess with the growth of internet users in SA. Everyone is going to want a website that's more than just HTML



Those are the magic words

Programming fundamentals are the same for most languages.

The only reason people are saying PHP us good for beginners is because of the community. Big deal - a good book will be just as useful for something like c#. And there us a big community for it as well..most languages have a supportive community.
If you want my honest opinion (at the risk of starting a flame war), PHP is a waste of time. Go Java for cross platform and .NET if you just want **** to work
Python is useful for scripting (like your little multi-tool in your pocket) but it is a dumb choice for anything big. And if you want to be a hipster there is JavaScript (node.js for server side).
PHP and VB just have no place in the modern world (unless you want to be a maintenance dev...?)

 

[semaphore]

Programming fundamentals are the same for most languages.

The only reason people are saying PHP us good for beginners is because of the community. Big deal - a good book will be just as useful for something like c#. And there us a big community for it as well..most languages have a supportive community.
If you want my honest opinion (at the risk of starting a flame war), PHP is a waste of time. Go Java for cross platform and .NET if you just want **** to work
Python is useful for scripting (like your little multi-tool in your pocket) but it is a dumb choice for anything big. And if you want to be a hipster there is JavaScript (node.js for server side).
PHP and VB just have no place in the modern world (unless you want to be a maintenance dev...?)

Tell that to the corporations who's entire platforms run with it.

 

[koeksGHT]

Tell that to the corporations who's entire platforms run with it.

Honestly, whatever works.

No use fighting over whats better, pick something and use it. Preferably something well supported.

 

[semaphore]

Honestly, whatever works.

No use fighting over whats better, pick something and use it. Preferably something well supported.

Please read what he wrote. He is the one making asinine comments regarding python.

 

[gkm]

I also think start with C#, Java, Ruby or Python. Or maybe even easier, sign up for this course: https://www.coursera.org/course/pythonlearn

I also do not want to start a language flame war, but I agree with Hamster. Problem I have with PHP is, while it is good for building websites, it is not a good foundation language. In other words, IT is always moving on and if you do not have a good foundation, you cannot move with the times (and this applies to more than just PHP), then you get left behind and start to struggle to find work or at best have to just maintain old broken applications. Build your development house on a good foundation for long term career happiness, if you want to make that your career.

 

[Hamster]

Tell that to the corporations who's entire platforms run with it.

I speak from my experience with one particularly big system, you should know exactly which one

Speed is not the issue, but the refactoring is a pain in the ass.

 

[Thor]

I also think start with C#, Java, Ruby or Python. Or maybe even easier, sign up for this course: https://www.coursera.org/course/pythonlearn

I also do not want to start a language flame war, but I agree with Hamster. Problem I have with PHP is, while it is good for building websites, it is not a good foundation language. In other words, IT is always moving on and if you do not have a good foundation, you cannot move with the times (and this applies to more than just PHP), then you get left behind and start to struggle to find work or at best have to just maintain old broken applications. Build your development house on a good foundation for long term career happiness, if you want to make that your career.

What would you recommend as a good foundation ?

 

[semaphore]

I speak from my experience with one particularly big system, you should know exactly which one

Speed is not the issue, but the refactoring is a pain in the ass.

They pretty much went against the conventions and standards

 

[semaphore]

What would you recommend as a good foundation ?

Science, principals, theory. Languages are easy to learn.

 

[gkm]

What would you recommend as a good foundation ?

Learn a modern general purpose language as a good foundation. I have listed four that I think are good options. Also try to skill up on databases, since most real applications need to use them somewhere somehow.

Then you need to learn the foundations of computer science. A computer science degree is always a good call for that, but it is a long road. Well worth it in the end, in my opinion. If you know the fundamentals, then learning specific languages becomes easy, since they all have to follow/obey the same fundamentals.

If you want to start working in the mean time, then the general purpose language may be good enough, or you may need to learn something more specific as well like PHP, Javascript or ASP.Net. General purpose languages match more jobs, so are a better bet in my opinion than special purpose languages for getting that first job.

 

[CheekyC]

IMHO if you want to start programming in the web domain, I would rather go the JavaScript route. Then throw in some HTML/CSS

 

[<![SoUL-rEapER]>]

I wouldn't call it a go to language. In fact it is a horrible language in my opinion and you won't find a lot of jobs out there asking for it.

But it has a lot of support and a lot of sites are written in it and it us a good choice to get something up and running in a hurry/low cost.

Me, I'd go with C# or Java and use angular/jQuery/[insert us library flavour if the week]

But ask anyone and you'll get different opinions (except everyone will and should agree that PHP is the second worst language out there, right after VB)

/Flamesuit on :twisted:

VB still remains as one of the highest paid skills in the field of Electronic/Electrical Engineering

 

[Seriously]

VB still remains as one of the highest paid skills in the field of Electronic/Electrical Engineering

Simply because so many Industrial applications and systems were created using it over the years. Geez I still have to maintain systems where the aps were created using VB3 running under Win7. Used to be running Win3.11 originally when created.

Scarce skill pay well.

 

[<![SoUL-rEapER]>]

Simply because so many Industrial applications and systems were created using it over the years. Geez I still have to maintain systems where the aps were created using VB3 running under Win7. Used to be running Win3.11 originally when created.

Scarce skill pay well.

If it was such a scarce skill, it wouldn't be high in demand. It's a language that's been obliterated in IT, but it's still going strong in Electronics. One of the reasons is that we don't have the privilege of several hundred MB's of storage space. VB still dominates particularly in rapid prototyping and GUI's.
It still has it's uses. Regarding it as outdated/useless proves ignorance. Same goes with PHP. If you find the syntax annoying, then that's a personal opinion. Don't mix facts with opinions.
http://www.payscale.com/research/ZA/Job=Electrical_Engineer/Salary

 

[Seriously]

If it was such a scarce skill, it wouldn't be high in demand. It's a language that's been obliterated in IT, but it's still going strong in Electronics. One of the reasons is that we don't have the privilege of several hundred MB's of storage space. VB still dominates particularly in rapid prototyping and GUI's.
It still has it's uses. Regarding it as outdated/useless proves ignorance. Same goes with PHP. If you find the syntax annoying, then that's a personal opinion. Don't mix facts with opinions.
http://www.payscale.com/research/ZA/Job=Electrical_Engineer/Salary

???? Not sure what you on about. I never complained about the syntax. I related my experience which bring the bread to my table. Many companies have these systems still functioning in production and process environments and they battle to find people to maintain them. Therefore my valid claim of scarce skills pay well.