Re: POSIX regex

Andi Gutmans wrote:

There are clear things we want to change (like register_globals) because we believe that ultimately they have a significant benefit to our users with controllable downside (there is an easy one line workaround which we can document for people to get their old apps to work). There are other areas where breaking BC makes sense. But saying we should just break it across the board and not even consider having a good upgrade path for our users is unreasonable. I believe we can have a very good PHP 6, which is pretty much in sync with many of your feelings, but that provides a well documented and reasonable upgrade path (unlike VB -> VB.NET).

I never said we should break BC just for the hell of it. The goal must be that PHP6 feels and behaves like PHP. Its not about high-jacking PHP to come up with the language we all wanted instead.

So let's not oversimplify this situation. We have to continue to make trade-offs.

Sure, but you are suggesting to delay decisions indefinitely. Either you are saying this because you already decided that you don't want this change, or you are accepting that our users will be unable to prepare themselves for what happens in the future. This of course will make it that much harder for them to take the plunge into PHP6.

Btw, one of PHP's strengths has been in high performance sites and with a Unicode=on only mode this would take quite a hit (but it's not the only reason why I need we need choice). In any case, I think on this question it does make sense that we start making "informed" decisions by understanding the migration path better, as opposed to just basing decisions on gut feelings. Maybe that kind of learning experience will proove me wrong (which may be so).

I have not seen any proposed way of finding out this migration path besides lets wait. Lets wait is not the answer. What I asked for was exactly a decision on how far we are willing to go with the breakage and more importantly the fundamental decision about how we approach unicode in PHP6. The on off switch is not something that makes sense to delay until forever. Its a big decision and once its decided other things will become much easier (like PHP6 development or deciding the impact of other potential BC breaks). regards, Lukas