In a new posting from DevShed today, there's talk of how much PHP is becoming more like Java - and why the Zend folks seem to be supporting the change.

PHP5 has been unleashed to the developer community, boasting of an improved object model on the path of becoming "fully integrated with Java."

This comes with the recent partnering of PHP's driving company, Zend, with Sun to create proprietary PHP software to work with Sun's Web server. The re-writing of the object model is great, especially for Zend's business plan and possibly for many Java developers. However, what does it all mean for the PHP community at large and their development needs?

The article goes on, talking more about why developers like PHP (over 89% said because it's "easy to develop with") and what they want for the future of the language. Zend seems to have other plans given that whatever direction the Zend Engine goes, PHP is going (and they keep moving more and more towards Java). The authors suggestion can be summed up in two words - "amplify simplicity".