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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Re: Is it true that short_open_tag is deprecated in PHP 	6?
From: philip@roshambo.org (Philip Olson)


Today this topic may be the cloudiest and most heated in all of PHP.  
Here's the factual history of our poor little short_open_tag directive:

------------------------------------------------
php.ini values : short_open_tag
------------------------------------------------

PHP 4, 5_0
  * Default behaviour   : on
  * php.ini-dist        : on
  * php.ini-recommended : on

PHP 5_1, 5_2:
  * Default behaviour   : on
  * php.ini-dist        : on
  * php.ini-recommended : off

PHP 5_3:
  * Default behaviour   : on
  * php.ini-development : off
  * php.ini-production  : off

------------------------------------------------
php.ini descriptions : short_open_tag
------------------------------------------------

In 5_2 our reason for discouraging it is:

; - short_open_tag = Off           [Portability]
;     Using short tags is discouraged when developing code meant for  
redistribution
;     since short tags may not be supported on the target server.
; Allow the <? tag. Otherwise, only <?php and <script> tags are  
recognized.
; NOTE: Using short tags should be avoided when developing  
applications or
; libraries that are meant for redistribution, or deployment on PHP
; servers which are not under your control, because short tags may not
; be supported on the target server. For portable, redistributable code,
; be sure not to use short tags.

In 5_3 it's:

; This directive determines whether or not PHP will recognize code  
between
; <? and ?> tags as PHP source which should be processed as such. It's  
been
; recommended for several years that you not use the short tag "short  
cut" and
; instead to use the full <?php and ?> tag combination. With the wide  
spread use
; of XML and use of these tags by other languages, the server can  
become easily
; confused and end up parsing the wrong code in the wrong context. But  
because
; this short cut has been a feature for such a long time, it's  
currently still
; supported for backwards compatibility, but we recommend you don't  
use them.

------------------------------------------------

This history strongly suggests PHP is hoping and subtly forcing the  
world to stop using this directive, and although it's not deprecated  
the wording and treatment makes it feel it could be any day now. This  
situation must be clarified before 5_3 is released, and will likely  
require our BDFL to do it.

In related news, what came of this RFC? It still says "Under  
Discussion":

   - http://wiki.php.net/rfc/shortags

Regards,
Philip