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References: <4a3c6ce7-102d-4cfe-a7a8-35630715b870@gmail.com> <604225b1-b36e-435d-aa96-43b3d6658598@gmx.de>
In-Reply-To: <604225b1-b36e-435d-aa96-43b3d6658598@gmx.de>
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2025 19:37:13 +0300
Message-ID: <CAGwLL8U3jNT1RpqJZksKBwHW_YGX4SK68MtH_AOnSFDVyLsjMw@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC brainstorm] Approximately equals operator
To: "Christoph M. Becker" <cmbecker69@gmx.de>
Cc: Niels Dossche <dossche.niels@gmail.com>, PHP internals <internals@lists.php.net>
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From: i.miroslavov@gmail.com (Iliya Miroslavov Iliev)

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>IMO a step in the right direction, but it doesn't solve the problem that
>the developer might not even know which equality operator to apply.
>Thus, I proprose the whatever (?) equality (=3D) is right (->) here (!)
>operator, e.g.

You mean something like:
```php
function str_aprox(ClientData $_, string $value1, string $value2) {
    if ($value1 ?=3D->! $value2) {
        return (bool)random_int(1,0);
    } else {
        return (bool)random_int(0,1);
    }
}
```
This sounds reasonable. I approve!

On Tue, Apr 1, 2025 at 7:16=E2=80=AFPM Christoph M. Becker <cmbecker69@gmx.=
de>
wrote:

> On 01.04.2025 at 00:03, Niels Dossche wrote:
>
> > We live in an imperfect world, and we often approximate data, but
> neither `=3D=3D` nor `=3D=3D=3D` are ideal comparison operators to deal w=
ith these
> kinds of data.
> >
> > Introducing: the "approximately equal" (or "approx-equal") operator `~=
=3D`
> (to immitate the maths symbol =E2=89=83).
> > This combines the power of type coercion with approximating equality.
> > Who cares if things are actually equal, close enough amirite?
> >
> > First of all, if `$a =3D=3D $b` holds, then `$a ~=3D $b` obviously.
> > The true power lies where the data is not exactly the same, but "close
> enough"!
>
> IMO a step in the right direction, but it doesn't solve the problem that
> the developer might not even know which equality operator to apply.
> Thus, I proprose the whatever (?) equality (=3D) is right (->) here (!)
> operator, e.g.
>
>   $value1 ?=3D->! $value2
>
> I leave the trivial implementation as exercise to the reader, while I'm
> porting the even more powerful rmmadwim TCL command[1], which,
> incidentially, also had been proposed on an April 1st.
>
> [1] <https://core.tcl-lang.org/tips/doc/trunk/tip/131.md>
>
> Christoph
>


--=20
Iliya Miroslavov Iliev
i.miroslavov@gmail.com

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<div dir=3D"ltr">&gt;IMO a step in the right direction, but it doesn&#39;t =
solve the problem that<br>&gt;the developer might not even know which equal=
ity operator to apply.<br>&gt;Thus, I proprose the whatever (?) equality (=
=3D) is right (-&gt;) here (!)<br>&gt;operator, e.g.<br><br>You mean someth=
ing like:<br>```php<br>function str_aprox(ClientData $_, string $value1, st=
ring $value2) {<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 if ($value1 ?=3D-&gt;! $value2) {<div>=C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 return (bool)random_int(1,0);<br><div>=C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 } else {</div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 return (bool)random_int(0,1);=
<br><div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 }<br>}<br>```<br>This sounds reasonable. I approve!<=
/div></div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div =
dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Tue, Apr 1, 2025 at 7:16=E2=80=AFPM Chr=
istoph M. Becker &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:cmbecker69@gmx.de">cmbecker69@gmx.de=
</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:=
0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">=
On 01.04.2025 at 00:03, Niels Dossche wrote:<br>
<br>
&gt; We live in an imperfect world, and we often approximate data, but neit=
her `=3D=3D` nor `=3D=3D=3D` are ideal comparison operators to deal with th=
ese kinds of data.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; Introducing: the &quot;approximately equal&quot; (or &quot;approx-equa=
l&quot;) operator `~=3D` (to immitate the maths symbol =E2=89=83).<br>
&gt; This combines the power of type coercion with approximating equality.<=
br>
&gt; Who cares if things are actually equal, close enough amirite?<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; First of all, if `$a =3D=3D $b` holds, then `$a ~=3D $b` obviously.<br=
>
&gt; The true power lies where the data is not exactly the same, but &quot;=
close enough&quot;!<br>
<br>
IMO a step in the right direction, but it doesn&#39;t solve the problem tha=
t<br>
the developer might not even know which equality operator to apply.<br>
Thus, I proprose the whatever (?) equality (=3D) is right (-&gt;) here (!)<=
br>
operator, e.g.<br>
<br>
=C2=A0 $value1 ?=3D-&gt;! $value2<br>
<br>
I leave the trivial implementation as exercise to the reader, while I&#39;m=
<br>
porting the even more powerful rmmadwim TCL command[1], which,<br>
incidentially, also had been proposed on an April 1st.<br>
<br>
[1] &lt;<a href=3D"https://core.tcl-lang.org/tips/doc/trunk/tip/131.md" rel=
=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://core.tcl-lang.org/tips/doc/trunk/=
tip/131.md</a>&gt;<br>
<br>
Christoph<br>
</blockquote></div><div><br clear=3D"all"></div><div><br></div><span class=
=3D"gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_s=
ignature"><div dir=3D"ltr">Iliya Miroslavov Iliev<div><a href=3D"mailto:i.m=
iroslavov@gmail.com" target=3D"_blank"><font color=3D"#6aa84f">i.miroslavov=
@gmail.com</font></a><br></div></div></div>

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