Continuing to Learn PHP

 Continuing to learn how to program with PHP. Have you considered that .. even tho you might point your browser to a particular PHP page (*.php) .. no PHP code is returned to your browser? (Only HTML.)

PHPThat's because all the PHP code contained in the page gets 'executed' (by the PHP engine) on the server. (Actually, 'interpreted' might be a more accurate term. Or 'processed'.)

Say, for example, you like a particular HTML page, or something IN that page .. and you want to see how they did it. You can 'View Source' and look/see. Heck, you can even inspect their CSS.

But you can't do this with PHP .. which makes it more difficult to imitate cool tricks you might stumble across on your wanderings around the web. This is one of the big differences I'm seeing with PHP .. compared to learning HTML and CSS.

Same goes for the forum web page .. where you actually request a Perl script (YaBB.pl) .. yet no Perl code is returned to your browser.

In reflecting on learning PHP .. and more specifically » programming in general (.. because learning to program is what I'm really after) .. it has become clear that I'm interested in the CULTURE of programmers.

I've read (perhaps wrongly) that programmers live in a culture that's based on meritocracy .. where your status is based on your professional & technical skills (.. rather than who you know, or who your daddy is, or how well you suk up to the boss, or even seniority).

That aspect of the programming culture has always attracted me. Now, certainly I know how to play the game the old fashioned way. (And I'm pretty good at it.) But there's something attractive about the cold, hard realities of competing in a pure meritocracy .. if such a thing does in fact exist.

••• today's entry continues here below •••

One of the terms commonly used when referring to database-driven web sites such as those that employ PHP is » powerful. That's another reason why I'm drawn to PHP. In retrospect, it was definitely a good decision to start (learning to program) with PHP.

EXERCISE » Been working out ~ 2 months now. Yesterday I achieved my goal of being able to dead-lift my own weight (190 lbs .. of blue steel & sex appeal). Was able to do 5 repetitions. Totally torched my legs (.. doing both dead-lifts & squats), but feel no major soreness today.

I selected that goal/weight cuz I know from past experience that that's where I start to feel strong. Having a strong set of wheels (legs) feels good. My chest-strength was the thing that declined most during my year-long layoff.

About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Rad published on May 18, 2010 5:18 AM.

Jung's Synchonicity & Junger's War was the previous entry in this blog.

Rad Intro to SQL & Databases is the next entry in this blog.

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