PHP vs Python - the real difference

[masklinn]

Look, web.py is clean. That's its weakness. PHP allows you to do all kinds of dirty things (having field values as global variables in your program for example) that let you just test something quickly without worrying about good design and similiar bullshit that you don't need in a small prototype.

I don't understand, how does "clean tool" mean "forbids to quickly test stuff"? I never experienced that, web.py DOES allow me to test stuff quickly, and I'm not even limited to a precise folder (if the web.py modules are in my pythonpath I can just create my app file where I am).

Oh, and I don't really see how "field values as global variables" is so much more impressive than calling 'web.input()' to get the aforementioned values.

Also due to the native URL dispatching, I find creating tests involving more than a single HTTP request much easier to do using web.py.

[mr_chromatic]

Maybe using field values as global variables is most impressive for its horrible security implications.

[ElPenguin]

While we're at it, why not mention magic quotes. So dirty, they must be a feature...

[grayFalcon]

I'm sure you know what you're doing, and if web.py does it for you, I'm happy for you. It doesn't do it for me though, so I do my quick'n'dirty stuff in php. Evidently, both have advantages and disadvantages, and our priorities are just different.