I *like* PHP. It has its quirks, but I've not yet used a language that didn't. The C-like syntax is comfortable and easy to grasp, and I spend less time thinking about my environment and more time working on solutions. The double-clawed hammer analogy only works when there are regular hammers available. I would contend there are not. There's hammers without claws, hammers without handles, hammers with axe heads instead of flat heads. Once you reach a certain level of understanding in ANY language, you will have encountered enough quirks and oddities that you'll hate the damn thing. I think this is perfectly natural; it doesn't only happen with programming languages. Ever heard the phrase "familiarity breeds contempt"?