Why Zend Framework (and *.* Framework, for that matter) is good for PHP

Recently, there has been a fair amount of fear over the Zend Framework. This kind of reaction always surprises me. As I see it, there are two reasons to fear a new software project

1. the developers plan to patent it
2. the developers plan to close the source and charge a lot of money for it

Zend, obviously, has no plans for either.

What most PHP developers fail to appreciate is that a higher standard for all is the natural result of competition within open source code. Obviously, inter-operability is crucial when there are multiple ways to solve a problem, as the ability to unplug one solution (like PEAR::DB, for instance) and then plug in another (PEAR::MDB2) is a great asset.

If I have one piece of advice for Zend, it would be to make one of the stated goals to provide interfaces to existing solutions, wherever possible, so that users who are entrenched in a PEAR solution, for instance, can start using the Zend Framework with minimal migration pain - and vice versa.

As PHP developers, we have three choices. We can either lead, follow, or become roadkill. To create high quality solutions (the reason we use any programming language, remember ), it is better to have more high-quality choices.

I am excited for what this will do to other established projects like Horde, PEAR, and so on. The potential for spurring positive change is immense.