Porting ASP code to PHP

Hey all, I am an applications programmer for a mid-sized ASP. Recently, I have been given the task to take our existing e-commerce application written in ASP, and re-write it in PHP. We did a risk analysis study of the pros and cons of using PHP for this application, and everyone agrees that PHP is the way to go. However, just last week, management, along with my senior programmer (who does NOT know PHP), decided that instead of re-writing the application, we will PORT the ASP code to PHP. By port, I mean: prefix all variables with $, change syntax to be PHP-specific (<> becomes !=), but do NOT take advantage of php's built-in functions, do NOT change any programming constrcuts, do NOT change any programming logic. Now, I'm in the middle of a heated political battle with management, who does not understand that porting is a bad idea, and that re-writing will: a) produce a much better application b) take less development time c) cause less bugs d) create a more efficient system So, my request to all developers on the list: Do you have any experience PORTING (as described above) ASP to PHP? How hard was it? What was the outcome? Why would you NOT do it? What reasons are there for NOT doing it this way? Thanks. -Mike K.