NYCPHP Meetup

[Steve Solomon]

Well, OK, so you are complaining about PHP when your code isn't even
aware that it is comparing integers with strings and comparing variables
that have no value?  On second thought you are correct in that PHP
should be smart enough to realize your code has no idea what it is
doing.  Java would surely pick that up instantly.

-----Original Message-----
From: talk-bounces at lists.nyphp.org [mailto:talk-bounces at lists.nyphp.org]
On Behalf Of John Campbell
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 11:23 AM
To: NYPHP Talk
Subject: Re: [nycphp-talk] Why do "cool kids" choose PHP to build
websitesinstead of Java


On Jan 14, 2008 8:17 AM, Kenneth Downs <ken at secdat.com> wrote:
> Elliotte Harold wrote:
> > Michael Southwell wrote:
> >
> >> ah, no, these answers are exactly right, given that $a is an 
> >> integer, $b and $c are strings, and $d is unset. $b and $c when 
> >> converted to integers for the purpose of comparison in #1 and #3 
> >> turn into 0
> >> (zero) so the comparisons are true. #2 compares two different
strings
> >> and so is false. #4 compares 0 to the integer of unset and so is
> >> true. #5 and #6 compare strings to the string of unset and so are
false.
> >>>
> >
> >
> > Yes, this is what PHP does. It's just that what PHP does is insane. 
> > It does not match any normal, logical thought process.
> >
>
> A content-free emotive statement.
>
> It would be more accurate to say that it follows a set of principles 
> you do not share, namely, weak typing.  We would expect you as a java 
> dude to prefer strong typing.  Strong typing to me is inappropriate in

> a web layer, and reduces my productivity.  Is it insane?  No, just 
> incompatible with my design goals and methods.

I am with Rusty on this one.  PHP is insane in this regard.  Consider
the following statements:
1+1=2
if a < b and b < c then a < c
if a=b and b=c then a=c

I am a bit of a purist, and I hold these three rules to be self-evident
and violations of these rules put one outside the realm
of a normal logical thought process.   PHP violates #2 and #3,
therefore PHP is insane.  Other weakly typed languages do not violate
these rules.  This is not about weak vs strong typing, although it is
much easier to get basic logic right in a strongly typed language.

If you still don't understand the problem, then take this quiz: what is
the output of the following statements? var_dump(true + true);
var_dump(null < 0); var_dump(null < -1); var_dump(null < 1);

Regards,
John Campbell
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