Php

#1 PHP is really straightforward once you just get started with it. Writing HTML and style sheets to meet standards and work correctly on all browsers is a little more to chew, in my opinion.

For a rather helpful script to help you see what extensions you have, and therefore what functions you have available to you check out the user-contributed comment on this page. It will serve a double purpose: all the functions that script spits out will link you directly to the php.net documentation on that function.

PHPNuke, I've heard, is rather bloated. It supposedly has functionality that sane people just don't need.

Tips:
- When you use a global varable in a function, you have to explicitly state it. You have to put "global $g_myVariable;" (where $g_myVariable is the name of your global variable) in the function.
- When something seems really difficult, go check the documentation. There are a lot of functions that usually do all tough stuff for you.

Good luck to you, sir.

#2 All flavors of nuke are full of security holes.

PHP Nuke is the worst of them all. Do a search on sourceforge for portals. There way better ones out there.

#3

Quote:When something seems really difficult, go check the documentation. There are a lot of functions that usually do all tough stuff for you.

I second that. You hopefully already know about the nice .CHM file. Also, be sure to check out the online, user-commented docs if you really get stuck. The advice and discussion there can prove invaluable, even if it is sometimes contradictory.