[hzy]

Because it has near-zero barrier to entry. That doesn't speak highly of PHP as a language, just on how its deployment strategy is designed.

[debacle]

I don't think Facebook or Yahoo chose PHP because it was easy to write.

[varikin]

I think that is exactly why Mark Zuckerburg chose PHP when working on TheFaceBook back in 2003 and 2004. It was easy to write and deploy.

[Cloven]

you are incorrect.

[debacle]

Yahoo's rationale for choosing PHP:

"The short development cycles needed to stay ahead of the competition demand a web-centric scripting language that is easy to maintain and update."

http://public.yahoo.com/bfrance/radwin/talks/yahoo-phpcon200...

They didn't choose Python, or Ruby, or Java, because none of those languages are as expressive or shut-up-and-get-out-of-my-way as PHP. Just because a high schooler can write PHP doesn't mean it's a toy not also meant for world class engineers.

[Cloven]

PHP is more expressive than python, ruby, or java. I see.