like "Active server pages" for asp, "Pxxx exxxx reporting language" for perl, and php?

curisous to know

just for fun

Pre hypertext processing, or ive been up too long.

2. What does PHP stand for?

PHP stands for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor.
http://au3.php.net/manual/en/faq.general.php

PHP, which stands for "PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor" is a widely-used Open Source general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for Web development and can be embedded into HTML. Its syntax draws upon C, Java, and Perl, and is easy to learn. The main goal of the language is to allow web developers to write dynamically generated webpages quickly, but you can do much more with PHP.

taken from php dot net

PHP Stands For:

Pe Hi Pe :D

or as the above said:

Hypertext Preprocessor

Peace,

"PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor" is actually a backronym. It originally meant "Personal Home Page."

It's "Personal Home Page"

This should help also:
http://www.linux-mag.com/2001-07/php_01.html

Seems PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor & Personal Home Page Tools are correct :)

Originally posted by astraeuz
It's "Personal Home Page"

Personal Home Page was it's name back in PHP/FI days

Why not get the name directly from the horses mouth... PHP's website:

http://uk.php.net/manual/en/faq.general.php#faq.general.acronym

2. What does PHP stand for?

PHP stands for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor. This confuses many people because the first word of the acronym is the acronym. This type of acronym is called a recursive acronym. The curious can visit Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing for more information on recursive acronyms.

This page http://uk.php.net/history will give you a decent response to how the old PHP became the new PHP


PHP/FI, which stood for Personal Home Page / Forms Interpreter
[snip]
PHP 3
The whole new language was released under a new name, that removed the implication of limited personal use that the PHP/FI 2.0 name held. It was named plain 'PHP', with the meaning being a recursive acronym - PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor.

PHP - HyperText Preprocessor
PERL - Practical Extraction and Report Language

You can search for a number of abbrevations like this in the following link http://www.wmo.ch/web/www/WDM/Guides/Internet-glossary.html

Perl isnt a recursive acronym, and technically PHP might be better termed as a recursive abbreviation, as opposed to say, GNU.

PHP was abbreviated as "Personal Home Page" in old days. Now, as it has evolved to a rich featured, efficient and highly scalable web programming language, it is abbreviated as "PHP Hypertext Preprocessor'.

PHP was Personal Home Page Tools, now its just PHP. No one actually calls it PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor.

Originally posted by RealSecurity
PHP was Personal Home Page Tools, now its just PHP. No one actually calls it PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor.

Read before you post.

Its stated in the official FAQ.

And, the title of php.net is :

PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor

Originally posted by fyrestrtr
Read before you post.

Its stated in the official FAQ.

And, the title of php.net is :

PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor

You're a community guide? That person is correct, not sure where your attitude is derived from.

Originally posted by Samuel
You're a community guide? That person is correct, not sure where your attitude is derived from.

Please read my post above, post #9 where I explain and give links on the PHP site to details about the name.

It was called Personal Home Page but is now a recursive acronym for PHP: Hypertext Processor.

Originally posted by Samuel
You're a community guide? That person is correct, not sure where your attitude is derived from.

My "attitude" is derived from the official php website (as posted by others and mentioned here many times).

And for one last time, just read the official FAQ located at http://www.php.net/manual/en/faq.general.php#faq.general.acronym


2. What does PHP stand for?

PHP stands for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor. This confuses many people because the first word of the acronym is the acronym. This type of acronym is called a recursive acronym. The curious can visit Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing for more information on recursive acronyms.

Ahh so condescending is the rule eh? ALl righty

Personal Home Page Tools This is what it was first called, its what it was called when I first started using it. So what its changed, the user was still correct. I need to find Daniel Pearson to back this up, user on this board DanielP

The fact that its changed makes the original assumption incorrect. You don't call Thailand Siam still do you? It was once called Siam, now its called Thailand.

I still agree with that user no matter how many analogies you use. There was nothing wrong with their post.