php 4.3.0 for shell scripting and compiling from source

[Benedict Verheyen <benedict.verheyen@pandora.be>]

Hello,

i'm used to work with php for creating dynamic webpages.
I want to try to make shell scripts with it too and the 4.3.0
version is able to do this. I know php already a bit and
don't want to learn perl script so that's the reason why i want
to go with php. That and the fact that i like c++.

1. i saw that there isn't a 4.3.0 version available in the archives
yet. Now if i get the source from the website, what's the best
way to compile and install it on the system?
Should i read the debian maintainer guide to learn how to
build my own packages and make a package from it?
Is this the debian specific way when you want a package
that isn't available yet?

2. If i would want to use extra modules, i suppose i should
compile them too and make packages of it?

3. Has anybody else used php for shell scripting purposes?
Any sites with shell scripts? I've seen a lot site with scripts
for webcreation but none with shell scripts.

Regards,
Benedict