> PHP will always be better for the "web designer turned scripter" set
Funny, I think the same about Ruby/RoR, it just seems like a perfect crowd/match for "web designer turned scripter" mindset - looks like it is marketed to the same crowd too. PHP mostly marketed itself to "script kiddies", albeit not on purpose. It gained a huge following, and with it came lots of inexperienced kids that could "do stuff" easily. Mainly installing phpNukes, at the time, and modifying phpBBs etc. To say that Rails requires more programming skill than PHP is a moot point considering that developing web application, whatever the nature, could be done in both Ruby/Ror or PHP (with from scratch work or some framework) - thus it relates to the same problem set. Why would solving the same issues in one language/framework require a larger skill set then? It is as if you are saying RoR programmers are l33t, PHPs aren't - which doesn't make any sense, because I believe there are many great programmers and programs written with both.
"I think the same about Ruby/RoR, it just seems like a perfect crowd/match for "web designer turned scripter" mindset"
And that is probably one of the greatest strategic weaknesses of Rails - it will be used by those who shouldn't use a web framework, who will make every silly mistake and that could tarnish Rails reputation beyond repair.
Not necessarily. As you can witness, PHP attracted lots of "newbs" and guys that generally don't have a clue, or are just installing drupals, joomlas and whatnots while proclaiming or being proclaimed as PHP gurus. It did get a badge of being a shit language to php, like visual basic (which rightfully deserves so IMO - php does not), but it did fine. Culling of the masses that don't have a clue happens spontaneous, and usually follows them being hoarded into a separate camp - compare to the "normal" hard working php guys and joomla, drupal stuff.
Am I the only one completely underwhelmed by Drupal? The UI is awful and the demo doesn't even have a decent editor. Whomever revamped Wordpress needs to get in touch with the Drupal folks yesterday.
Funny, I think the same about Ruby/RoR, it just seems like a perfect crowd/match for "web designer turned scripter" mindset - looks like it is marketed to the same crowd too. PHP mostly marketed itself to "script kiddies", albeit not on purpose. It gained a huge following, and with it came lots of inexperienced kids that could "do stuff" easily. Mainly installing phpNukes, at the time, and modifying phpBBs etc. To say that Rails requires more programming skill than PHP is a moot point considering that developing web application, whatever the nature, could be done in both Ruby/Ror or PHP (with from scratch work or some framework) - thus it relates to the same problem set. Why would solving the same issues in one language/framework require a larger skill set then? It is as if you are saying RoR programmers are l33t, PHPs aren't - which doesn't make any sense, because I believe there are many great programmers and programs written with both.