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https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/questions/112998/to-php-or-not-to-php/

I have an answer to the question that has a decent number of upvotes on it. The question is erratic in its flow and it isn't clear on what the real question is. It was moved from SO to here and then closed for a good reason. However, it is a really good question in essence and is one I've seen come up numerous times.

However, it may be of better help to reword the question and then close it as a duplicate of What are the benefits of PHP?, especially because both mention web applications specifically.

It also might not be worth doing anything. Thoughts?

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  • The last sentence of your question is It also might not be worth doing anything. Thoughts?, but you seem to have a very specific opinion on the matter. Why not contribute your own answer expressing your views and let the community decide?
    – yannis
    Nov 30, 2011 at 5:21

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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Editing a closed question just to close it as a duplicate doesn't make much sense. You could try and edit it, but I don't think you'll get enough support to reopen it, unless of course you make an original and on topic question out of it. The close reason is less important than the fact that the question is closed.

For this particular question, I think the sooner it gets deleted downvoted to oblivion the better. Almost all the answers have large amounts of misinformation and unsubstantiated opinions, and it gets a lot worse in the comments, as its usually the norm with holy war questions. And if you had sensed the holy war potential before answering, you shouldn't have contributed to the madness.

And it's far from being a good question, "what language you should learn next, including which technology is better" questions are off topic, as per the faq. That being said, I've also voted to close the other question.

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  • Uh, you are the starting the holy-war in the comments, bucko. I believe the essence of the question was not 'what do i learn next' nor 'what is better?' but rather: is PHP a good language choice for web applications? If you define what web applications are, that is definitely an answerable question.
    – Levi Morrison
    Nov 30, 2011 at 0:39
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    How deep are you willing to dig to get to the essence of the question? Every holy war can potentially be reworded to a sane discussion, but why bother? If you feel there is a good question in there, why not just ask it? The only real benefit of rewording the question would be that your answer would be the highest voted, but how's that a benefit for the community? And "is PHP a good language choice" calls for comparison, which is "what is better" territory, unless you very clearly specify the question. "good language for web applications" is not that specified.
    – yannis
    Nov 30, 2011 at 0:51
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    "web applications" is so large a territory, there's a Stack Exchange for them...
    – yannis
    Nov 30, 2011 at 1:10
  • My answer is not tied to anything in particular. And I suggested that it would be closed as duplicate of the other question. My answer could then be merged. I think there is a valid question in there somewhere, and you seem hell-bent on destroying it.
    – Levi Morrison
    Nov 30, 2011 at 3:43
  • My answer is not tied to anything in particular. That's the one of the problems of such questions, they generate generic & vague responses of little or no actual value to a software development community. My answer could then be merged that's not the way it works, you could delete it and answer the other question. You'll lose the upvotes though. you seem hell-bent on destroying it Yeap, I do, because I truly believe there isn't a valid & on topic question in there... BUT all of the above is just my opinion... you should ignore me (and let's put a full stop here).
    – yannis
    Nov 30, 2011 at 4:18
  • 'My answer could then be merged that's not the way it works, you could delete it and answer the other question I'll just quote the faq: This question covers exactly the same ground as earlier questions on this topic; its answers may be merged with another identical question. I'm done now.
    – Levi Morrison
    Nov 30, 2011 at 4:43
  • Sorry I was unclear: Transforming a closed question to become a duplicate of another, for the sole purpose of the answers on the closed question to be merge with those in the open one is not the way it works. And of course for answers to be merged, all answers on question A should be relevant to question B, I'm hoping you are not proposing we disregard the other answers just because yours has more upvotes.
    – yannis
    Nov 30, 2011 at 5:18

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