1.2. Installing PHP, Apache, and MySQL (the Hard Way)
One of the biggest hurdles for new programmers is starting. Before you can write your first line of PHP, you must first download Apache and PHP, and usually MySQL, and then fight through installation instructions that are full of technical jargon you might not understand yet. This experience can leave many developers feeling unsure of themselves, doubting whether they've installed the required software correctly.
In my own case, this hurdle kept me from learning programming for months, even though I desperately wanted to move beyond plain ol' HTML. I unsuccessfully attempted to install PHP on my local machine not once, but three different times before I was able to run my first PHP command ...
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