the future of php ( in my opinion ) is largely dependant on how many small to large corporations incorporate php into their development. If these companies can start seeing how PHP benefits them both productivly and financially, you will see PHP take an even stronger hold on the web.
As businesses go to the net every single day and along with businesses looking for a cheap but productive way to do what they need, PHP tends to be the answer by far.
Overall cost is the main kicker. PHP is free #1, which makes it a no-brainer choice when it comes to budget. You can do anything in php that you can do in any other language as far as data goes. But when you get into the actual design and layout of pages, Java, CSS, and others are going to be more so your way to go..
Overall though, the future looks good. Being a PHP coder right now at this point may not get you the job you want, but mark my words my friend, in 2 years at least, you will see a drastic change in the employeement field making your efforts to learn the language be not at all in vain.
Consider this. If you go with Java right now and decide not to use PHP, then in 2 years time when PHP does take a firm and complete hold of how data is managed on the net, where are you going to be? Right back at step one trying to learn the language. It's gonna take you a few months of development to learn the language first of all, and then you are gonna be at a loss trying to catch up with the rest of us.
However, if you start now and learn the language as best that you can, then you will find yourself in a very profitable position.
What I'm trying to say is this: given php's possiblities, the continuing development of PHP, and the ease of use of PHP, it suprises me more companies haven't
already reliazed php's potential for their business. However, it WILL happen. I for one will be glad that I took a chance at learning this language. Not only has it strengthened my coding ability, but it also has taught me valuable methods in the maintaining of a website, and it's security, and working with code to strengthen both. And what's more, I'm sure everyone who has ever used the language and coded in it feels the same (if not more so..).
So, it's a 50-50 chance. Maybe php won't become more than it is right now, but you have higher probability of it becoming much, MUCH more.
but that's just me
