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Date: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 13:13:39 -0800
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [VOTE] 64 bit platform improvements for string length
 and integer
From: smalyshev@sugarcrm.com (Stas Malyshev)

Hi!

> There is no PHP 6.  If there was this RFC would have had two simple 
> options; merge for PHP 6.0, merge for both 5.6 & 6.0.  The 
> justification for the latter option being that 5.6+ would provide a 
> more reasonable upgrade path for 6.  It may not be meant this way, 
> but suggesting we merge this into PHP6 simply sounds disrespectful. 
> There's no point in targeting some ethereal release, that's just a 
> way of kicking this down the road so it can be ignored for a little 
> longer.  Without a plan forward to a release, even merging to Master 
> is just another place for this to languish.

There is no PHP 6, that is true. But there will be, unless we consider
this patch a good way to close the project and go home. I hope nobody
thinks that way. Thus, there will be PHP 6. And not as some pie in the
sky, but as a next version, which needs to happen. Yes, we do not have a
release plan or roadmap for it yet. But I think we realize the need for
it and we can work on it. If this does not happen, we can also realize
it did not happen in time for bringing this patch in for 5.7 - *with*
the knowledge that PHP 6 is not realistic anymore, knowledge that we do
not have now.
I do not see how it is disrespectful to suggest a high-risk change
should be happening in a major version which is supposed to cause major
breakage. You may agree or disagree but this has nothing to do with
respect. I can't speak for others but I can speak for myself in saying
that these concerns are not just kicking the can down the road in hope
that eventually this patch dies off. This is a real and genuine concern
about the disruption caused and I actually do want this to happen - just
not in a way that would make 5.6 the release to never use for a huge set
of customers.

> And yes, I know there has been some (hopefully) serious discussion
> on PHP6 recently, but that happens every year.  Maybe it will happen 
> this time?  IMHO, if PHP 5 has slipped happily into middle age and 
> cannot fathom such change anymore, then perhaps this community
> should create a roadmap to a new branch where more progressive
> development can be realized.

This branch is exactly what we're talking about when we're talking of
PHP 6.
We must realize that we have dual responsibility here, with both
progress and existing base support being at least equally important,
arguably the latter even more important, even if less glamorous.
Thus, we have to maintain the balance. And if we have big changes that
are necessary, then it may be actually make that revolutionary branch be
more than just talk.
-- 
Stanislav Malyshev, Software Architect
SugarCRM: http://www.sugarcrm.com/
(408)454-6900 ext. 227