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Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2005 11:42:29 +0100
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To: Derick Rethans <derick@php.net>
Cc: Sebastian Bergmann <sb@sebastian-bergmann.de>,
	internals@lists.php.net
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] PHP 5.1
From: cschneid@cschneid.com (Christian Schneider)

Derick Rethans wrote:
> On Thu, 3 Feb 2005, Sebastian Bergmann wrote:
> 
>>Derick Rethans wrote:
>>>This adds operator overloading to user classes?
>> Yes, have a look at Johannes' Complex example [1].
> 
> Okay, mega Yuck then. Although it looks cool, I consider it as a bad
> practise. It confuses the hell out of people that they can add two
> objects. Use C++/Java if you want this...

I couldn't agree more. I like PHP not because it is the most compact or 
flexible of all languages but because the syntax is quite simple.

Try explaining someone who just learned PHP and doesn't know your code 
where to find the implementation of
$c = $a + $b;
as opposed to
$c= $a->add($b);
or
$c = Complex::add($a, $b);

Another little thought how confusion can easily happen with operator 
overloading: $b = $a + 42; works but $b = 42 + $a; doesn't, i.e. the 
overloaded addition isn't commutative.

Just my 2 Rappen,
- Chris