heads first server side programming language

Hello everybody!
I would like to ask your opinion. I've read many other opinions, and still not sure which way to go.
Am new at the programming, I just started learning php while ago and I realized that php is not really that advanced. I also know there are more advanced languages such as ruby, python, perl, java and others, but I don't know much about them.
In the other hand web sites like google, myspace, facebook and ebay based on php as far as I know..

So can you guys describe a little, or reference me to a good source about what language is commonly used for what, and what are their main advantages and disadvantages.

I am trying to decide if I want to get in php in depth or move on to another language.

Thanks is advance.

Hi,

I don't have any useful links for you, but I do have some info that may help.

I am on a year work placement as part of my undergraduate degree. We have a very large website at work and it is written in php with postgres database to store info about pages etc.

We have a couple of small javascripts on a handful of pages and a couple of css files, but the rest of the files are almost all php (which output the xhtml).

I didn't know php before I started here (It isn't included on my course) but it is definitely one of the most useful things I have learnt.

Stick with the php.

Yeah, php is not included in my course ether. I was all exited about learning Flash, Dreamweaver and other stuff. Than one night I've read whole w3schools course about JS and I was pretty exited about it. I talked to couple people in programming industry, and they suggested to learn php, and gave me couple books suggestions, which I am reading right now.

All though, php has one small issue when it gets to advanced apps. It can not process data with out software that would send it back to php (maybe I am wrong?).
So you can't really write an application in php that would scan the server and would pull all needed info (maybe I am wrong to).

php is the most useful thing I've learned this year I have to say :)

All though, php has one small issue when it gets to advanced apps. It can not process data with out software that would send it back to php (maybe I am wrong?).

and that's why you use ajax to tie it all together