Hiding the source!

Hello, At the outset, I *love* PHP. I am new, but boy am I impressed with the sheer simplicity of the language! Now, that said, I'd like to ask the gurus in here some questions. My seniors tell me Java is the way to go because we can compile the code and hide the source. He claims that this is a big drawback of PHp + CGI type technologies. What do people usually say to counter these comments? What are the tips/tricks to hide code in PHP and CGI? Any kind of encryption/decryption at runtime? (Pls forgive me if this sounds stupid! ) Thanks a bunch in advance! Ben