RE: [PHP-DEV] Re: Short syntax for array literals [...]

> -----Original Message----- > From: Rasmus Lerdorf [mailto:rasmus@lerdorf.com] > Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2008 11:44 PM > To: Antony Dovgal > Cc: internals@lists.php.net > Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Re: Short syntax for array literals [...] > > At a certain level everything is just syntax. There is nothing about a > "for" loop that can't be done with a "while" loop. All OO code could > be > written procedurally as well. PHP has always made an effort to match > the expectations of the typical web developer. 14 years ago the > typical > web developer knew Perl and C, so a lot of syntax was borrowed from > those two languages. > > Then kids started coming out of universities with Java on their brains, > so PHP adopted a Java-like OO syntax. Today's web developer is > typically writing half their app in some variety of Ecmascript, either > Javascript or Actionscript and this array syntax is second nature to > all > those folks. > > We have to be very conservative and pick our spots when it comes to > evolving the language syntax, but we also can't bunker down and get > stubborn and expect the world to stand still around us. If we had > taken > that same position at PHP 2, PHP 3, PHP 4 or even PHP 5 just because a > handful of developers were content with the current state of things, we > would be in serious trouble today. I agree completely and this is exactly the situation where in the past we did evolve the language. We've been rightfully so conservative about it but I think this case is really a no brainer. There's a minority here who thinks it's confusing but besides it being a small minority, as Rasmus says, a large part of our user base especially the new ones entering development will be very used to this syntax and it will make their lives easier. +1 from me (in case my previous email without the vote wasn't clear :) Andi