Without getting off topic about what a good programmer is etc - One thing to point out that is relevant is the fact that there are a lot more beginner programmers than non-beginner programmers out there - all the content being generated around forums for performing specific tasks (code snippets and QA) created an insane feedback loop for the PHP community - I think that this is where PHP really beats out everyone else - There is much more google searchable support than any other language out there. Fast ROI of your time/instant gratification which fuels beginners to learn more/ask more questions generating more content and answering more questions.