Let's make a small amendment to your simple statement. >The simple explanation is: people use Javascript because it's a good language. That's the big factor in

Let's make a small amendment to your simple statement. >The simple explanation is: people use Javascript because it's a good language. That's the big factor in Javascript's success. >The simple explanation is: people use PHP because it's a good language. That's the big factor in PHP's success. Doesn't feel right, does it? Google and corporate sponsors are incredibly important in building the ecosystem of programming language. Traction may be the single major defining characteristic of language success and one can certainly buy traction with money and influence.