Java is great when it comes to portability/multi-platform…. it stinks with resource management/garbage collection (a topic MC server operators are only too familiar with). I have a site for Bukkit plug-in tutorials, but it’s fallen by the wayside as I do other things (I will pick it up again, just rewriting some of the tutorials I lost….).
There are days I really wish it was something a lot tighter but, considering it started as one person developing a game for 3 platforms it’s fine ;).
For learning Java itself, I recommend The New Boston java tutorials ( http://thenewboston.org/list.php?cat=31 <— Beginner series); there are 3 categories there ranging for Beginner to Advanced and it is good stuff (I still refer to a lot of that stuff). O'Reilly Learning has a decent guide to Java programming available through Android market (can't remember the name off hand), and finally Pragmatic Programmer has some good Java books (however, most of them are advanced topic/specialty framework).
And PK; PHP really shines when you use it as object oriented. The beauty of it (which the developers deserve kudos for) is you don't have to, but when you do, the language really shines (mostly larger applications).
