Rarely do I post what I would call "opinion pieces" (that is not to say my average post is not littered with opinionated statements), though I occasionally read some while trolling through tech and PHP related news and blogs. While doing so recently I came across an article with a title similar to "40 things bad PHP programmers do".  As I scanned the list I thought the ideas where all valid, if not a bit over zealously stated in an effort to make the point. This and a recent job interview (in which I did not get the job) got me thinking again about something I have pondered for a long time: How does a programmer balance practical limitations with best practices that can be difficult and time consuming to adhere to?