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Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:38:19 +0200 (EET)
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] why we must get rid of unicode.semantics switch ASAP
From: tokul@users.sourceforge.net ("Tomas Kuliavas")

>>>> 5) this is yet another reincarnation of ze1_compatibility switch.
>>> Which is the worst mistake ever imo - If you wanted PHP 4 you would
>>> simply
>>> use PHP 4. Now if you want PHP 5 just damn use PHP 5.
>
>> And if you don't control PHP version used by end user? Only bad in-house
>> apps are written for one specific PHP version and setup.
>
>   you're point being? Without the requested change here you would have one
>   more version, resulting in PHP 5.*, PHP 6.*-unicode, PHP6.*-native.

there is only a little difference between php5 and php6 with
unicode.semantics off. php6 with unicode.semantics on design is broken. It
replaces standard functions that worked same way through all PHP4-5
versions and forces use of code that is totally backwards incompatible.
binary and unicode typecasting triggers E_PARSE errors in older PHP
versions. I can't mix PHP6 and older PHP code in one script or library or
function.

PHP introduced changes similar to unicode.semantics=on with mbstring
function overloading. When I learned about it, I've stopped trusting ereg
and string functions. With mbstring overloading I still have options to
disable broken design. With unicode semantics I am forced to use features
provided by interpreter instead doing things the way I want and having
better controls over script.

PHP with unicode.semantics on is more suitable for novice developers who
are not familiar with character sets and lazy developers, who want their
PHP4-5 code to become Unicode aware without any changes on their side. If
PHP4-5 code works with multiple charsets and 8bit data, it will break in
PHP6.

I don't care if you remove this setting. I'll find the way to make my code
work. but don't expect me to remain silent if you say that it is a good
thing. It is good for PHP codebase. It is not good for portable PHP script
developers. Removal of setting forces developers to drop 5.2.0 and older
versions or to maintain two library versions. If setting remains,
developers can ask to turn it off. PHP_INI_SYSTEM is php.ini and
httpd.conf.

-- 
Tomas