Website in PHP to Python: framework/database/scalability
<p>I've been working on a somewhat large website written in PHP. It's around 7,500 lines from start to finish. Recently, me and a few friends were throwing around the idea that before we move any further along in its expansion in PHP, we should take a step back (temporarily), convert it to Python, and overall, it will be structurally better off – cleaner, faster, easier to maintain, etc. Note, the website is not launched, but nevertheless, it's certainly underway and significantly developed in PHP. I am, for the most part, unfamiliar with Python frameworks, and I am skeptical as to how a framework may or may not hinder/improve scalability. (Needless, to say, as far as web-development goes, I have only ever done the "old-fashioned" method of opening up a text-editor and starting to type...no frameworks, nothing.) Also, I am accustomed to working with MySQL. Does Python and whatever framework I would end up choosing integrate easily with MySQL, or is there a far better option I have not yet considered? 
My questions are then:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>What are the advantages of Python (with a framework) over PHP?</p></li>
<li><p>Would the performance/maintainability be worthwhile to justify this<br>
conversion?</p></li>
<li><p>What framework would be most advantageous in this situation? (I've
heard good things about Tornado, TurboGears, Webpy, Django...)</p></li>
<li><p>When using a framework and Python, what is the best alternative to MySQL, or is MySQL perfectly acceptable?</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Prior experience is what I am lacking in this regard, so if you have any please feel free to share. Thank you!</p>
