

The real reason why no one should use PHP - dkhenry
http://docs.php.net/manual/en/internals2.apiref.php

======
risratorn
It's getting really sad to see people come up with really anything to bash on
PHP. Can't we just build the most fantastic tools and apps with whatever we
want instead of giving off at the tools we use to create them?

I've been using php for almost 10 years and I didn't even know the C-api isn't
documented on php.net. But what do I care? It's like saying you won't drive
your car to work because there are no usage instructions of the carburator in
your car manual. Seriously ... WTF? Let it go.

~~~
RollAHardSix
That is a great analogy. Hope you don't mind if I steal it?

I've noticed this on HN, too many people are bleeding-edge, cutting-edge and
seem to forget that best tools for the job are what's in your toolbox. You
might not carry around a power miter but you will probably have a small hand-
saw.

PHP is a lot of things, but it's also taught at the local community college,
and it's quick to pick-up even without collegiate education. That vastly
widens my possible talent pool, my rapid development process, or training of
my employees.

~~~
risratorn
Thanks, depends on what you want to use it for ... if it's to bash on php no
... else feel free to "re-use" it ... stealing gets you in jail :p

------
dkhenry
There is no documentation about the internals of PHP. You are left groping
through others source code to do anything useful. For comparison here is
Pythons documentation

<http://docs.python.org/c-api/index.html>

------
SkippyZA
The lack of internal documentation may turn away a small bunch of people, but
definitely not a reason to discredit the language.

~~~
dkhenry
This has less to do with the language and more to do with the ecosystem. If
you ever get to a point where you need to extend the language your out of luck
with PHP. Sure for most PHP users who cares they are just using it as a
glorified CGI interface ,but if your building a product off it think twice you
will reach a point where you will either have to rewrite everything or wade
through the undocumented internals of PHP.

~~~
Produce
If it's such a big deal to you, why don't you contribute some documentation?

------
debacle
The guys who write the PHP interpreter are egotistical, not very good at C,
and make poor decisions.

And it's a very good reason not to use PHP - the best reason. The poor
implementation of namespaces, anonymous functions, and the issues with the OO
implementation of PHP core classes (like SoapClient) leaves _much_ to be
desired.

~~~
batista
Don't let the door hit you on your way out of PHP-saloon.

~~~
debacle
I still write PHP every day, and I'm not planning on moving away any time
soon, but there's a reason so many people crap all over PHP.

------
oinksoft
This isn't a reason at all ... if I'm trying to sell web software as a product
and not as a service, there's a very good chance I'm going to write it in PHP,
and neither myself nor my customers will care that PHP internals lack
documentation.

------
pan69
And yet still, it's powering half the Internet...

------
vampirechicken
PHP stole my sister's bike.

