Re: [PHP-EVANGELISM] Bad rep?

Hello Graham,

GR> How do I know this? Well, looking at the job market in the UK, it seems
GR> that most, if not all, the people looking for PHP skills (a small, but
GR> increasing, number) rate the value of those skills at something
GR> considerably less than basic HTML coding. In fact, if you went for a PHP
GR> job, you'd probably get better paid for making the tea...

It seems that not very much PHP programming is done in companies that
have larger complicated websolutions. Please don't quote the few famous
companies that use PHP - we know them very well.

And they are right, until PHP has real multithreading (with the new
hyperthreading Pentium-IV - it's a must have) and an application server
we won't see much better paid PHP jobs. This would requires much more
skills then a simple "load-process-(store)-output" schema of todays PHP
pages.

As the boss of a company i would never pay so much for PHP programmer,
because the solutions that can be developed with PHP are not so
difficult. Not difficult means also i can hire some students that do
it for 750 Euro a month (which is a lot for a german student - even if
he studies computer science). If it is more complicated i would
convince the customer to use java or something else where i can get a
lot of money.

GR> What can be done, if I'm right?

Move to PHP5 quickly and write some kind of application server.
Increase the solution range and it will get better. But even with
this i don't expect that a PHP programmer will ever get the same
then a Java programmer (in the average of course).

And remember that the qualifications you need for webprogramming is in
general not very high, no matter what language you use. No wonder
why Webprogrammers are called a new generation of "Manchester steel
workers" - working 12 hours for a handfull of bread and water.

Best regards,
 Lothar                            mailto:[email protected]