ADVANTAGES OF PHP OVER ASP.NET

PHP and ASP have always been rivals in the programming world, even long before ASP.Net was released as ASP's successor. The ultimate answer to which is the better language rests largely in the developer and how the language is utilized.
Beyond developer comfort with a given language, there are several other more practical aspects to consider and I believe firmly that this is where PHP shines.

1. Cost
   When you look at the cost of a L.A.M.P (Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP) environment vs. IIS/ASP.Net, there are several factors to consider:
   
   1. Hardware Cost
      The requirements of running a L.A.M.P server are minimal; you can get away with a far less expensive machine than if you were installing an IIS/ASP.Net system.
      
   2. Software Cost
      In the Microsoft world you need to purchase a license for the server; you need to purchase a license for IIS; and you need to purchase a license for the SQL server. In the L.A.M.P world, there are no fees because all of the software is free and open source.
      
   3. Time
      Time is money and when it comes to rolling out a L.A.M.P server, I can personally get the job done in about an hour depending on the internet connection speed I'm using. In the hour it takes me to get a L.A.M.P server ready for deployment, you will probably find your Windows counterpart still installing security updates and software patches.
      
2. Resource Allocation
   A L.A.M.P environment uses considerably less of the server's resources which in turn allows the server to be used to host more web sites and use less memory than does the combination of IIS and ASP.Net. This advantage also means that the server running PHP can work more efficiently with less expensive, less powerful hardware.
   
3. Reliability
   Because the L.A.M.P combination is open source and community driven, so is the support and documentation that comes with it. Along with having a huge community for support, you also have software that is designed around standards compliance from top to bottom.
   
   While Microsoft has made great strides in standards compliance over the last few years, it is still a company that was built around proprietary formats and methods.
   
4. Ease of Development
   ASP.Net with Visual Studio or Sharp Develop (free) can be a very powerful combination for a developer. For simple applications, you can literally drag and drop your way through most of the development. Whether or not this damages the overall quality of the application you roll out is topic for another conversation, but I can honestly say that I prefer having full control over my software and that intimate knowledge with each line of code allows me to fix issues quickly and properly.