Mfcttrf

I've got a small private project that basically consists of adding server logic to a bunch of static HTML pages. PHP looks like the best tool for the job because this is exactly what it was originally designed for (I know that inserting <? ?> blocks inside HTML is not how it's done today but for the task at hand, this looks good enough).

What stops me is PHP has such a tremendous stigma associated with it. "Everyone knows" that only brainless code monkeys or penniless students in sweat-shop jobs at the bottom of the food chain are worthless and desperate enough to touch this cesspool of horrific experience, and they are going to have no hope of anything better ever in their life since PHP's design is so rotten that it makes anyone working with it mentally incapable of doing things well.

(And looking through PHP question at Stack Overflow only cements this impression. I didn't see such a concentration of square wheels in any other tag.)

So I'm afraid that if anyone learns that I did any work in PHP, they will not take me seriously ever again and/or instantly write me off as "defiled forever", unsuitable for anything other than the aforementioned "sweat-shop jobs". Worse even, anyone who's jealous could use that against me, and decision makers will listen to them since, well, "everyone knows"... Hiding this is also not an option since I wouldn't be able to look otherwise good people in the eye knowing that I must be hiding something that would change their opinion of me forever.

Of course, I can write such people off as stupid and unreasonable but that won't work if they are the majority (I don't know if they are) so I would have to gradually write off everyone that way.

How justified are the above concerns? Can you back it with facts rather than just opinions?

Having experience doesn't make you less desirable. A lack of experience makes you less desirable.

You may not use PHP in any job you get, but I don't see how having the experience would be harmful.

If you don't want people to know you've worked with PHP then don't mention it. Simple as that.

I once used Front Page Server extensions for a web server. Do you think that if people find that out that they'll shun me? They won't. If they're not hiring me to implement Front Page Server extensions then having that experience isn't relevant. If they are hiring me to implement Front Page Server extensions then having the experience is directly beneficial. Either way, having the experience isn't harmful to me.