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Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2014 19:37:51 +0100
Cc: PHP internals <internals@lists.php.net>
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To: Stas Malyshev <smalyshev@sugarcrm.com>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [RFC] Bare Name Array
From: ajf@ajf.me (Andrea Faulds)


On 1 Jun 2014, at 19:13, Stas Malyshev <smalyshev@sugarcrm.com> wrote:

> You can already do stringKey =3D> 3 :)

Yes, but then you=92ll get:
	Notice: Use of undefined constant stringKey - assumed =
'stringKey' in Command line code on line 1

> And saving characters is not really
> a big priority.

Well, we already replaced array() with []. I think it is reasonable to =
consider saving characters in other places. It=92s not a *big* priority, =
no, and we shouldn=92t do it excessively, but if common cases are =
cumbersome, we should try to deal with them.

Array literals with string keys and dereferencing arrays with string =
keys are extremely common in PHP. So I think this reduction would =
benefit most users, especially those who deal with JSON and the like =
(which I do a lot in my on code), as this makes declaring arrays to be =
serialised more convenient. Also, foobar: just looks nicer than =93foobar=94=
 =3D>, especially when you have syntax highlighting.

> Changing language syntax and making millions of people
> to learn new syntax just to save a couple of chars does not look like =
a
> big win to me.

We did it for array(), I think we should do it again. Also, yes, =
millions might have to learn the new syntax, but I think it is simple =
and intuitive. It is not difficult to learn, and hey, perhaps millions =
can benefit, especially since both target very common cases (I expect =
they=92re the most common, except for numerical indexes) when dealing =
with arrays.
--
Andrea Faulds
http://ajf.me/