NYCPHP Meetup

[Hans Zaunere]

--- Jon Baer <jonbaer at jonbaer.net> wrote:
> Hans Zaunere wrote:
> 
> >I think a PHP cert. would be valuable, not only to those who hold one, but
> >also to the language, as a confirmation of a technology's seriousness -
> >again, in the eyes of the manager/director.  This would be a great
> project,
> >but very time consuming, IMHO (preparing a test and course material, etc)
> >  
> >
> I think PHP though is just one element, can't have really one without 
> the other, for example if you look at this course:
> 
> http://gracie.santarosa.edu/web_training/php-cert.shtml

It's funny that you mention how much PHP is related to other technologies. 
While I was home over Thanksgiving, my dad (who had taught me C in the early
days) had wanted to get a crash course in PHP.  Thinking this would be a good
way to spend some father-son time, I said sure (I expected him to catch on
quickly) but as I began talking about PHP and such, I realized how many
smaller things it's dependant on - SQL, HTML/etc, Apache interaction, MySQL
(in this case) interaction.

> Stating that SQL is mandatory along with Unix admining is not pretty 
> neutral in my opinion but there are parts that should be included with a 
> PHP Developer certification ... you then have the option that if a 
> business required work w/ Oracle vs. MySQL that certification either way 
> will not matter, the person w/ more Oracle experience will win out even 
> if its against the "better" PHP programmer.  (Would this be true?)  

In some cases, I think so.  But as many of us have come across, there are
many different facets of PHP - possibly "PHP Designer", "PHP Developer", and
"PHP Architect" (divied up further into Oracle/MySQL/PostGreSQL/etc) tracks? 
Sure, each overlaps a bit, but there really is a focus on signigicantly
different technologies in each area.  And, as I found, trying to teach/learn
PHP, as simply a language, is about exciting and rewarding as
teaching/learning C (ok, I know - it's fun for some).

> I think most/some of certifications are such a sham, much like the 
> wireless networking exams now, but there are not many options when 
> people have not met face to face and a developer is working project to 
> project for his paycheck.  Good personality, clean certificate, and a 
> smile? :-)

Sure.  A cert, while ambiguous to the developers themselves, can often cut
through a lot of the uncertainty that an employer has about an employer.

H

=====
Hans Zaunere
New York PHP
http://nyphp.org
hans at nyphp.org