Posted by Colin McKinnon on 06/06/05 16:29

MARK wrote:

> OK,
>
> So do you guys have a language preference. Do you think PHP is the way
> to go for a long term play? What are the negatives of the languages?
>
> Does it deal well as an OO language?
>

I think so.

My main caveats with PHP are that:

1) you can get namespace collisions
2) good project methodologies aren't as widely available as for Java
3) if you've got to develop non-web-based applications - its not the best
tool for the job.


However the first 2 issues vanish when you apply a test-driven development
methodology. PHP now has a number of good unit-testing tools and at least
one continuous integration tool (Rephlux). The 3rd issue - well, is it
really an issue?

The benefit that drove the whole 4GL thing was all about productivity. PHP
is most definitely NOT a 4GL (if you don't assume that object orientated
programming languages are by definition 4GLs) however like most dynamic
languages (Python, Perl...) it does give results very quickly.

You are currently getting stung for choosing a proprietary solution which is
costing you more while its customer base shrinks (and hence development
slows). Why on earth would you make the same mistake again?

I could go on for hours - but I'd have to start billing you for my time.

Yes...PHP is an appropriate solution - what else did you expect at
comp.lang.php?

C.

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