Same same, but different

Question

I have noticed that:
//JS
var x = 5;
document.write(x * x++);
will print 25, but
//PHP
$x = 5;
echo $x * $x++;
will output 30!

now, this is something, so
how a average programmer can explain this to his/her grandma?

Answer 1

It gets better, right?

http://php.net/manual/en/language.operators.precedence.php

You know, when it's not even consistent between versions of PHP... (rhetorical /sarcastic question).

Answer 2

i have never worked with php, but this is really bad design if it's true.
all other languages follow order of operation. why php?

Answer 3

It depends on the level of programming knowledge of the average programmer's grandma. (I think it would be an interesting study.)

Answer 4

I have noticed this on PHP challenge playground when I and my opponent both missed the correct answer. And the one who originally posted the question offered both 25 and 30 as solution, so he knew about that already....