[adjwilli]

I program mostly in Objective-C nowadays, but I started professionally with PHP. When I first started Objective-C, I found it really constricting in comparison. In PHP you can do things a thousand ways, most of the terrible. In Objective-C, specifically with Cocoa, things are a lot more rigid and prescribed. I found this frustrating, but love it now. It's made my PHP better too when I do occasionally go back. It forced me to think more about architecture. I also understand why my CS dept taught us Scheme first, not Java.

To link that back to the post, this is the type of constriction he's talking about to make better programmers. Cocoa and Objective-C restricted me to only writing at least halfway decent code. With PHP, because of it's flexibility, you're free to get things done quickly, but in a terrible way. Sure with PHP you can do things right too, but it takes a lot more self-discipline and also a priori knowledge.

Sorry to post yet another rag on PHP.

[Androsynth]

Its not ragging when its constructive with a thoughtful argument.