Just wanted to chime in another anti-PHP voice. I used to think like "Shippou" - it's just a tool, it's the programmer's fault if he uses it wrong. But after many years of coding I realized that PHP really IS that bad, and the "it's programmer's fault" really doesn't fly.

"Smart" tools are designed exactly to prevent the user from repeatedly shooting themselves in the foot. Good tools don't have as many safeguards, but also don't encourage bad practices either. And then there's PHP, the bad tool, that gives you enough rope to hang yourself with while constantly nudging you saying "DO IT, DO IT, COME ON, PROVE YOU'RE A MAN!"