PHP is popular because it is geared for the server-side web scripting lang, and simpler and easy to use, than popular free alternatives at the time (such as Perl and Java's JSP).
Python became popular primarily because its ease-to-read syntax. Btween the two, PHP is much easier to use, and much a pleasure to program in. Python is a pain in the ass. PHP is functional. The language is not elegant, lots of inconsistancies. However, it's a joy to use for any practical task in its web scripting field. PHP has one of the best documentation among open source computer languages, i'd say top 5. Python is a twist, with half-assed lambda, a culty community thinking "computer science R us", and it has this OOP obsession. The Guido guy do not understand functional programing, but has the pleasure to actitively badmouth it. References: • Language, Purity, Cult, and Deception http://xahlee.org/UnixResource_dir/writ/lang_purity_cult_deception.html • What Languages to Hate http://xahlee.org/UnixResource_dir/writ/language_to_hate.html • Lambda in Python 3000 http://xahlee.org/perl-python/python_3000.html • Python Documentation Problems http://xahlee.org/perl-python/python_doc_index.html • Examples Of Quality Documentation In The Computing Industry http://xahlee.org/perl-python/quality_docs.html • Xah's Perl and Python Tutorial http://xahlee.org/perl-python/index.html • Xah's PHP Tutorial http://xahlee.org/php/index.html Xah ∑ http://xahlee.org/ ☄ -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
