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Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2024 02:02:52 +0200
To: "K Sandvik" <ksandvik@dotsandblobs.com>,
 "Mike Schinkel" <mike@newclarity.net>,
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [Pre-RFC Discussion] User Defined Operator Overloads (again)
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From: rob@bottled.codes ("Rob Landers")

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On Wed, Sep 18, 2024, at 01:12, K Sandvik wrote:
> Operator overloading is indeed a very overloaded topic concerning comp=
uter languages.=20
>=20
> But my 0.02 cents is that it's a good thing to have provided it solves=
 one or more of the problems such as:

Hey Kent,

> * Will the code be easier to write, maintain, and read?

Just imagine being able to ignore the whole DateInterval class. Maybe on=
e day we could write $datetime + =E2=80=982 minutes=E2=80=99 and it =E2=80=
=9Cjust work=E2=80=9D instead of writing PT2M or using special libraries=
.=20

Another example is to consider how most people do time durations in php:=
 5 * MINUTE_IN_SECONDS. or something like this. They are usually stored =
as integers. If you had a units library of time, you could write 5 * MIN=
UTE where MINUTE is a one minute unit object (Which also begs the questi=
on of whether operators are =E2=80=9Cconstant expressions=E2=80=9D when =
defined=E2=80=A6) so that a unit object is stored instead of an integer,=
 preventing mistakes or having to dig through the code to find out what =
units =E2=80=9C$timeout=E2=80=9D is in.

> * Will this help with optimizations?

I=E2=80=99m not sure what you mean by this.=20

> * Will this provide new paradigms that are useful for architectural so=
lutions?

I think it could. For example a Host + Port + Path objects could result =
in a URI object. Or a DI container could use it to express service depen=
dencies more succinctly.=20

> * or anything else practical and not based on the idea that 'php needs=
 it as it's available in other languages?
>=20
>=20
> --Kent

I think it is worth pointing out that you can already do =E2=80=9Coperat=
or overloading=E2=80=9D in PHP, so long as your operators are emojis and=
 you don=E2=80=99t mind how it looks=E2=80=A6 =F0=9F=98=82

https://3v4l.org/gQKTb

In all seriousness though, php has classes because other languages have =
classes. It=E2=80=99s a valid argument but maybe not a strong one.=20

=E2=80=94 Rob
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<!DOCTYPE html><html><head><title></title><style type=3D"text/css">p.Mso=
Normal,p.MsoNoSpacing{margin:0}</style></head><body><div><br></div><div>=
<br></div><div>On Wed, Sep 18, 2024, at 01:12, K Sandvik wrote:<br></div=
><blockquote type=3D"cite" id=3D"qt" style=3D""><div>Operator overloadin=
g is indeed a very overloaded topic concerning computer languages.&nbsp;=
<br></div><div><br></div><div>But my 0.02 cents is that it's a good thin=
g to have provided it solves one or more of the problems such as:<br></d=
iv></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Hey Kent,</div><div><br></div><block=
quote type=3D"cite" id=3D"qt" style=3D""><div>* Will the code be easier =
to write, maintain, and read?<br></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>=
Just imagine being able to ignore the whole DateInterval class. Maybe on=
e day we could write $datetime + =E2=80=982 minutes=E2=80=99 and it =E2=80=
=9Cjust work=E2=80=9D instead of writing PT2M or using special libraries=
.&nbsp;<br></div><div><br></div><div>Another example is to consider how =
most people do time durations in php: 5 * MINUTE_IN_SECONDS. or somethin=
g like this. They are usually stored as integers. If you had a units lib=
rary of time, you could write 5 * MINUTE where MINUTE is a one minute un=
it object (Which also begs the question of whether operators are =E2=80=9C=
constant expressions=E2=80=9D when defined=E2=80=A6) so that a unit obje=
ct is stored instead of an integer, preventing mistakes or having to dig=
 through the code to find out what units =E2=80=9C$timeout=E2=80=9D is i=
n.<br></div><div><br></div><blockquote type=3D"cite" id=3D"qt" style=3D"=
"><div>* Will this help with optimizations?<br></div></blockquote><div><=
br></div><div>I=E2=80=99m not sure what you mean by this.&nbsp;</div><di=
v><br></div><blockquote type=3D"cite" id=3D"qt" style=3D""><div>* Will t=
his provide new paradigms that are useful for architectural solutions?<b=
r></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>I think it could. For example a=
 Host + Port + Path objects could result in a URI object. Or a DI contai=
ner could use it to express service dependencies more succinctly.&nbsp;<=
/div><div><br></div><blockquote type=3D"cite" id=3D"qt" style=3D""><div>=
* or anything else practical and not based on the idea that 'php needs i=
t as it's available in other languages?<br></div><div><br></div><div><br=
></div><div>--Kent<br></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>I think it =
is worth pointing out that you can already do =E2=80=9Coperator overload=
ing=E2=80=9D in PHP, so long as your operators are emojis and you don=E2=
=80=99t mind how it looks=E2=80=A6 =F0=9F=98=82<br></div><div><br></div>=
<div><a href=3D"https://3v4l.org/gQKTb">https://3v4l.org/gQKTb</a><br></=
div><div><br></div><div>In all seriousness though, php has classes becau=
se other languages have classes. It=E2=80=99s a valid argument but maybe=
 not a strong one.&nbsp;<br></div><div><br></div><div id=3D"sig121229152=
">=E2=80=94 Rob<br></div></body></html>
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