[zapt02]

The mysql extension is not dangerous in any way, don't spread FUD. The reason for not deprecating it sooner is that very large projects depend on it. These projects may have been ten years in the makings and aren't in any way unsafe because of the mysql extension. Software like WordPress and Drupal still use and support the mysql adapter and run on a huge percentage of the web today.

I agree a lot of people read insecure tutorials, but it allows even beginners to write fairly advanced web sites. If the choice is between easy and available and difficult and hard to use, I'd rather have the first option available. On the web, ideas, timing and execution is important, not how amazing your code looks on the backend. A lot of great software may not have been created had it not been for how easy PHP is to get started with. As a community we are trying to educate people to code properly. It's an ongoing process.