Computer science is considered an engineering discipline in most institutions. And I think that's good... we need people out there to develop OS's, create database servers, etc. PHP can be effectively used in this curriculum, but C seems a lot more to the point.
The place where PHP could (and should) make inroads is in the web development curriculum that is generally split off from the formal computer science programs. I think that split is a good thing even if it is made for the wrong reasons... and while one can quibble about "real programmers" and such, these programs that encompass web design, web mastering, systems admin and networking are the real ground for advancing PHP. Many institutions, like the one I teach for, are entrenched in ASP and Java because that is understood by administrators as "a good thing to do" and because it is often easier to find instructors with these skills (or at least the certifications). But there are inroads being made. I have typically taught web design, internet and networking. Now I finally am getting a chance to teach a PHP/MySQL class as part of the web development curriculum (finally as in we finally found good instructors to take the other courses so that I would have time). Also, these programs are typically staffed by a cadre of aduncts. If you have PHP skills and teaching skills and you can basically donate your time for the peanuts that are offered (and the fun of it), there is a place for YOU to help promote PHP. Someone else remarked that certifications would advance PHP. There is something to that, particularly in the corporate marketplace to USE it. More often, in my experience, PHP is slow to be adopted in the corporate environment because MS is so entrenched, and because MS' firm establishment on the desktop means hiring MS people, who naturally promote and hire other MS people, and administrators often equate using other technologies with abandoning their desktops. Certification has an equally negative aspect, though, unless stringently and particularly administered and granted, which would defeat the marketing ends. c -- Chris Lott http://www.chrislott.org/ -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To contact the list administrators, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]