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Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:02:49 +0000
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To: Graham Kelly <sgkelly4@gmail.com>
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Q on Primitives
From: nrixham@gmail.com (Nathan Rixham)

Graham Kelly wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I think the reason there aren't more primitive types in PHP is because of
> the nature of the language. One of the main features of PHP over say, C (and
> even Java), is that the memory managment is completely transparent to the
> devloper. This means that it really shouldent matter to the devloper how an
> integer is  implimented on the machine. Same with doubles and chars.
> Granted, I can see some reasons why forcing the data to be of a specific
> length or type would be handy, but I dont know if there would be a wide
> enough requierment for this to actually impliment it as a language feature.
> Plus, you usually can find a way around it anyway :). But basically, if your
> interest in byte and char are for conserving memory then dont be worried...
> PHP does a fairly good job with your memory and this wouldent actually
> translate into a memory savings on the machine.

mainly it was for the strictness and for the extra speed gained by 
having a primitive at php level, to implement using say class Byte 
(which I have done) is seriously heavy processor and memory wise for 
something so simple.. especially if you consider an implementation of 
ByteArray..

obviously there isn't much call otherwise this would have been 
implemented back at v4 or at least 5; however I for one would love to 
see this simple little bit of support added.

Would open up masses of avenues, including the ability to make some 
decent orm's for php (much easier to map "byte to byte" than "scalar 
might be a byte but is really an integer to byte" if you know what I mean.

regards!