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Date: Sun, 21 Oct 2012 14:39:37 +0200
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To: Nikita Nefedov <inefedor@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Generics proposal
From: cschneid@cschneid.com (Christian Schneider)

Am 21.10.2012 um 13:33 schrieb Nikita Nefedov <inefedor@gmail.com>:
> No, this is useful in any OOP-language where there is such thing as =
type, and people need to validate types.

I question the "need to validate" types part. I'd say you're better off =
using a completely different language if you want to use strong typing. =
For PHP: Embrace duck typing, write less boiler-plate code (thus =
reducing the need for "smart" IDE) and be happy :-)

> I unerstand what you are saying about PHP being an easy language, but =
in opinion if you don't want to use that feature you can not use it, as =
you can not use typehinting in functions for example.

That's the same as saying you can ignore most of the C++ feature and =
that will make it a simple language. That's neither true for developers =
nor users of the language.

Example on why this is are
1) Makes language harder to maintain as there is more (and more complex) =
code implementing it.
2) Makes documentation bigger so users have first to figure out what =
part to read and what part to ignore.
3) Makes it harder to write portable user-land libraries as the =
application and the different libraries might use different (clashing) =
paradigms. See error codes vs. exceptions as an example of this.
4) Makes it harder to have extensions like APC as they have to implement =
more features.
5) Makes it harder to write alternative implementations.
...

So yes, I agree with Rasmus that this is not a good fit for PHP.

- Chris