A. Java is an object-oriented programming language equipped with a powerful set of general API and enterprise-level API for developing many types of software applications. Moreover, there is a tremendous amount of commercial and open-source Java-based software tools and frameworks, e.g. Websphere,
Struts, JUDE, BIRT, etc.
B. php is a simple scripting language for web pages.
To attempt to compare Java and php is a trivial exercise, in my opinion.
[ November 13, 2008: Message edited by: James Clark ]