So, are we in agreement that, within the scope of this RFC, type hinting is going to be limited to and match parameter type hinting?
On Dec 22, 2011, at 3:35 PM, John Crenshaw wrote: > From: Paul Dragoonis [mailto:dragoo...@gmail.com] > >> On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 6:41 PM, Rasmus Lerdorf <ras...@lerdorf.com> wrote: >> >>> On 12/22/2011 07:08 AM, Keloran wrote: >>>> i would love to see this expanded aswell (the way type hinting on >>> function >>>> variables was supposed to be), so that it could be >>>> >>>> string, int >>>> >>>> e.g. >>>> function int test(bool $tester) { >>>> if ($tester) { return 5; } >>>> return 99; >>>> } >>> >>> Return type hinting needs to be aligned with parameter type hinting, >>> and as has been pointed out many times on this list, type hinting for >>> interchangable scalar types is a really bad idea. It will push all >>> type checking up to the caller of the underlying functions/methods. >>> PHP is primarily a Web scripting language and the Web isn't typed. >>> Having stuff like this break: >>> >>> if(age_check($_POST['age'])) { do_stuff(); } >>> >>> because the author of the age_check() function added an int type hint >>> just doesn't make any sense. It would cause everyone to have to start >>> casting things everywhere, just in case. eg. >>> >>> if(age_check((int)$_POST['age'])) { do_stuff(); } >>> >>> This is not a step forward. If the author of age_check() really >>> doesn't want to accept type-juggled arguments, then it is easy enough >>> to do a strict type check in the function itself. This puts the effort >>> in the correct place and doesn't encourage this type of coding. >>> >> >> I agree with Rasmus. >> >> My opinion: >> This isn't java, if you want a strongly typed language, there's plenty out >> there, but we're not looking to make PHP more like Java and the rest, if it >> was like Java then it wouldn't have been successful for the web as it >> is/was. PHP is popular because of the way it was from the start, if php >> _needed_ scalar typehints then it wouldn't have been as popular. > >> There is need for the existing Typehinting for class types so you don't need >> to have is_a() function calls. This makes sense. > >> Scalars are VERY powerful in PHP, because of its loose typed nature. Having >> a 'numeric' typehint makes sense, because it can be an int, float, or >> string. Adding typehints like 'int' and 'float' will only piss people off, >> and make PHP more difficult and less fluent to code in. > >> Lets not go there please.. > >> Thanks, >> Paul Dragoonis. >> >> >> >>> >>> -Rasmus >>> >>> -- >>> PHP Internals - PHP Runtime Development Mailing List To unsubscribe, >>> visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php >>> >>> > > Slightly off topic, but I keep seeing this problem: > > "PHP is not language X" is a terrible argument. This is a smokescreen > designed to insult the other person, belittle their concerns, and avoid > discussing the real issue. This doesn't advance the discussion at all. > > Concluding that PHP is popular because you can't {insert requested feature > here} is also ridiculous but it happens again and again whenever language > features are discussed. PHP is popular independent of not {insert missing > feature here}. It is popular because it was on the scene early, has good > server support, and does an excellent job of making it trivial to handle most > simple web requests. > > Nobody wants to be told to shut up and go use language X. > > Let's discuss things on their own merits. > > /rant > > John Crenshaw > Priacta, Inc. > > -- > PHP Internals - PHP Runtime Development Mailing List > To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php > -- PHP Internals - PHP Runtime Development Mailing List To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
