Why is PHP so... unglamorous?

[stef686]

I've been looking around the net the past couple of days trying to find some decent, top quality tutorials and articles related to PHP and I've noticed something.

PHP seems so boring.

I've been a PHP developer for many years now and love using it, I wouldn't use anything else. I wanted to compile a list of the best PHP tutorials I could find but they are few and far between.

Yes there are plenty of tutorials out there, but if you look at tutorials related to other languages and technologies (javascript/photoshop/flash) for example, they are just poor.

I know things like Javascript and Photoshop do things that are shinier, they do cool things and achieve great looking results. But there's no reason PHP tutorials can't be done in a similar fashion - it's not just about the end results! Very few that I found were well written, had lots of clear examples, even downloadable code. Few interesting or inviting titles.

In my opinion - it's time to sex PHP up! There's no reason why it can't be!

And please, if I've missed the ball on this one and you know of so really good PHP stuff I may have missed do let me know

[Dan Grossman]

Have you checked out any of SitePoint's PHP books? They're quite nice, and closer to tutorial style than most programming books.

I switched to PHP after reading a 10-part tutorial published on this site just after it opened 9-10 years ago. That tutorial became Kevin Yank's "Build Your Own Database Driven Website With PHP & MySQL" book.

[stef686]

Yeah, SitePoint is one of the exceptions to the rule - one of the few sites I found with good tutorials on it, and I own a few of their books too. Wanted to expand further than one site though.

[BJ Duncan]

I agree, and certainly sounds like a great project. I'd be interested in assisting if you wish to collaborate ideas etc...PM me if you would like me to assist.

[Evoken]

I agree with that you are saying. If you check the Ruby on Rails site (for example) you'll see them presenting it in a cool and attractive way. It seems that PHP has an image problem. Rachel Andrew has a post about this on her blog.

I love two of her books that I have (HTML Utopia and CSS Anthology) and I would really like it if she made a PHP book. I would buy it in a heartbeat.

[stef686]

Rachel Andrew's post makes good reading, looking at RoR it's all done in a way that makes it seem exciting. And cheers for the offer BJ! If this does end up being something I'll be sure to PM you.

[SpacePhoenix]

Have you checked out any of SitePoint's PHP books? They're quite nice, and closer to tutorial style than most programming books.

I switched to PHP after reading a 10-part tutorial published on this site just after it opened 9-10 years ago. That tutorial became Kevin Yank's "Build Your Own Database Driven Website With PHP & MySQL" book.

There is a new edition (4th edition) of Kevin's book coming out in June. The 3rd edition of his book was the 1st book on php that i bought and I found it to be an excellent introduction to programming with php.

[Cups]

I know things like Javascript and Photoshop do things that are shinier, they do cool things and achieve great looking results.

That's because they sparkly things at the presentation level, pulling JS scripts, loading up the DOM with the correct data and including the correct graphic files is what PHP does.

Its often called "the glue language of the web" - how do you want to sex up glue?

Its like trying to sex up spanners.

Move on, nothing to see here ...

[oddz]

Comparing Photoshop to PHP. That is quit the comparison…

Maybe its boring because well… if you don't enjoy it it is boring,lol.

Most people writing PHP tutorials aren't designers so you can't expect their layouts to look amazing. That is why they are programmers not visual communicators.

Same thing can be said about visual communicators. Most visual communicators go into a gazing blank stare when one talks to them about anything code related.

Even though there may be some overlap with the innovation of the web visual communication and programming are still worlds apart.

You can't expect one to have the skills of both if they clearly identify with one.

[stef686]

Just to be clear I wasn't comparing Photoshop to PHP, and I certainly don't think PHP is boring, I enjoy it.

My point is good php tutorials can be done, they just aren't. And I do see your point about programmers not being designers, but that's not stopping people collaborating. A designer and a developer could do an great job if they put their heads together

Comparing Photoshop to PHP. That is quit the comparison…

Maybe its boring because well… if you don't enjoy it it is boring,lol.

Most people writing PHP tutorials aren't designers so you can't expect their layouts to look amazing. That is why they are programmers not visual communicators.

Same thing can be said about visual communicators. Most visual communicators go into a gazing blank stare when one talks to them about anything code related.

Even though there may be some overlap with the innovation of the web visual communication and programming are still worlds apart.

You can't expect one to have the skills of both if they clearly identify with one.