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Date: Wed, 03 Dec 2003 22:51:40 +0200
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Subject: StudlyCaps
From: andi@zend.com (Andi Gutmans)

Hey,

I think we should come to closure on this discussion because it's becoming 
hard to catch up with.
I'd like to finalize this issue for PHP (the C part) so that we can release 
Beta 3. I think what PEAR does is really up to the PEAR dev team (although 
I think it would be nice for them to be consistent with PHP itself).
The facts are the following:
a) Existing PHP functions use underscores.
b) Some external object models such as Java use StudlyCaps.

The immediate decision we have to make is if PHP's OOP functionality (class 
names and method names) use underscores or studly caps.
I think for (b) 
(interfacing with external object models) the answer is obvious. Do what 
you need to do to expose the external object model, and thus use StudlyCaps 
where applicable. That's kind of obvious IMO. If the external object model 
has underscores then use that.

However, I think what we do with PHP's object model is not that obvious. 
Although I'm quite indifferent to these when I program (I usually use the 
most popular method with the language I'm using) I think there are two 
advantages for using underscores:
a) functions already use them thus we are consistent across the board 
(something we historically don't excel in).
b) StudlyCaps doesn't know how to deal with one character words such as 
IAmAndi. which would be something like i_am_andi in underscores. You often 
find yourself having to do two capitol letters one after another and it 
ruins the whole thing. The same thing happens with acronyms, for example, 
PHPObject (no differentiation between PHP and Object).

I think that even if some OOP developers prefer the studly caps, using 
underscores might even have an advantage of differentiating between PHP 
methods and the user's methods.
Let's not turn this into a religious war. I think everyone here understands 
the pros/cons. Let's try and reach a decision quickly and make sure we 
adopt it, because indecision is worse than making the wrong decision :)

I apologize for the long letter. Please don't copy me :)
Andi