For a while now I have said how in my area at least the PHP MySQL jobs did not pay what ASP.net and Java/JSP/craplets positions were paying. This has I am happy to say changed. PHP/MySQL or LAMP development is now finally in the good graces of big business. So what has changed?

Well for one Both PHP and MySQL have had major releases that take them on par in many respects with commercially viable languages. PHP 5 and its OOP design ability is a major step forward. Having just got into OOP and cut code work down by at least 40% I can see the appeal to it.

Add to that the Zend php certification(running out of time for the easy one BTW). Now there is a bench mark to tell if you know what I need you to know. MySQL also is revamping thier courses and cetification.

PHP GTK 2.0 desktop GUI development is the next area I see growth in. This has QUITE a bit to go to compete with VB.net. But in GTK 2.0 once again we take another step to get there.