PHP

PHP is not so difficult to learn. It helps if you have programming background (in any language: C, C++, Java, Javascript, Basic, anything), even better if you know Perl because PHP syntax is very similar to Perl. Actually now I prefer PHP to Perl, it's a lot easier.

If you know nothing about PHP, I would suggest you start with something simple like inserting date on your page, etc (I think webmonkey has some tutorials about PHP). Then try to write simple script. For me, I wrote a script to insert banner every page of mine. What it does is just open a text file and print all the banner code there to HTML pages. Voila! automation for my site (and I still use it now). Another way, get other people's script and try to understand how it works.

That's how I learn. I'm not sure if it will work for other people. If you have problems, go to discussion groups and search their archives. Most of the times you'll find the answer. I would recommend http://www.phpbuilder.com or http://php.faqts.com

Hope I answer some of your questions. Happy learning

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What is oodie?

Adam,

I too, like oodie, now prefer PHP to Perl. It was much easier to learn. If you learn like me, go to the book store and get a good book. Supplement what you have learned from the book with a few PHP tutorial sites and discussion forums. A good discussion forum for PHP is http://www.devshed.com/cgi-bin/ubb/Ultimate.cgi (hope that doesn't get deleted).

The only project I've done in PHP/MySQL so far was at http://interwovendesign.com/PHP . It's a shopping cart for my wife's off-eBay stuff that she sells.

The whole project was done in HTML, PHP and MySQL. There is web based administration too. It was a fairly easy project for even a beginner in PHP.

Off Topic: Go to http://bbspot.com/News/2000/6/php_suspend.html and read the 'story' on PHP. LOL

John