I think times are changing in regards to PHP, especially when you consider developing new software / scripts. Using a good PHP framework can help you a lot with rapid application development. Many of my friends who are programmers use these frameworks, one of the most recommended is Yii framework -
http://www.yiiframework.com
So my question is: what is your opinion on frameworks?
I think if chosen carefully, they can significantly increase productivity without need for strong hardware. Not speaking of changes / updates which are much easier in object oriented environment.