The great thing about PHP is that it's basic. It's like C, a basic language structure, with some basic libraries. Then you add extensions to it, you don't have to use them. I don't know of any programmer that is satisfied with everything that is included in one language. Java is great, but I would like to be able to use some of the GD extensions for it, and I can't. With PHP I can write an extensions and poof, there you go.
Agreed, there are some problems with changes in the php code that break things, documentation problems, but that's a QA/Doc issue, and the community, the QA folks, the Documentation people are working hard on improving this. We could do like Java and add zillions of procedures to do everything, but you know very well that we would still find programmers that complain that we didn't include this foo or that bar. You can contribute to improving the PHP code, either by submitting new extensions, or by submitting PHP code in the PEAR library. I don't think anyone here would deny anything you submit, as long as it respects the PHP coding standards, PEAR coding standards, and doesn't break things. The people that contribute to PHP are very open, and your contributions are very welcome. Do not forget, however, that PHP is open source, not like Java or .NET, that the PHP core development team is about 20 people, that the QA folks are trying their best to keep things working and are also working on stronger regression tests, that PHP support is voluntary, and that we don't get a cent ($ or euro, same) for what we contribute here. We need people like you to improve the code, the standards, the libraries, but we need people like you to contribute, not just complain (argh, i'm asking for trouble). I've convinced my company today that we should ensure that our ODBC API is compatible with the PHP unified ODBC, do some tests, and update our code or the .h php headers if necessary. I'm working on adding support for our proprietary procedures to php to allow it to access our proprietary file system. I can't wait to see your contribution to the php code and procedures so that PHP becomes your prefered language compared to Java. Fab. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ken Egervari" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 6:42 PM Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Re: The PHP Platform > Usually that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" attritude is just the thing > to make a technology less and less useful and eventually it'll be > antiquated. Eseentially, it is already is. Don't get me wrong, just > because it's out of date doesn't mean it still isn't useful. I just think > that even in an opensource community, there would be leaders and people > looking towards the future. > > As for your comments on .NET and Java extensions, if i wanted to use those > technologies, I would use them for everything. If someone is using .net, > they are probably taking advantage of all the other cool features that it > provides. > > Like I said, I think its time PHP started moving forward and developed a new > vision for itself and the community. > > Ken > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jim Winstead" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 6:01 PM > Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Re: The PHP Platform > > > > Ken Egervari <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > I actually find your post rather immature as well assuming that I just > want > > > free custom tools. I think you need yourself need think to think about > > > software reuse and improving productivity. It's an important software > issue > > > now as it was 20 years ago and I don't see PHP making any leaps towards > > > that. I'm merely stating that it should start to play catchup now, > > > especially with PHP 5 being in development. > > > > i didn't assume you wanted free custom tools. i guess i overstated my > > point a bit. let me try to rephrase: > > > > why should we work on your grand vision for php's future, instead of the > > one that we are already collectively following? > > > > keep in mind that the following are tremendously lousy reasons: > > > > 1. sun and microsoft are doing it. > > 2. people who aren't already using php won't use php if we don't. > > 3. people already using php won't use php anymore if we don't. > > > > i think you need to learn more about how an open source community > > functions. how it sets priorities, how it communicates, and how it > > achieves progress. your "we"-must-do-this sort of diktat is a futile > > approach. > > > > as to my own feelings of the value of reuse and improving productivity, > > perhaps i see more value in reusing the components available in the java > > and .net platforms through technologies like soap, ext/java, and > > ext/dotnet, rather than cloning them in php. > > > > jim > > > > -- > > PHP Development Mailing List <http://www.php.net/> > > To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php > > > > > > > -- > PHP Development Mailing List <http://www.php.net/> > To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php > > -- PHP Development Mailing List <http://www.php.net/> To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
