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Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 16:47:46 +0100
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To: Andrey Andreev <narf@devilix.net>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [VOTE][RFC] Scalar Type Hinting with Cast
From: ajf@ajf.me (Andrea Faulds)


On 14 Sep 2014, at 16:40, Andrey Andreev <narf@devilix.net> wrote:

> ... and I responded to this in the next paragraph. Userland doesn't
> case about internal differences, that's why they're called internal
> and why people outside of php-internals have for so long been puzzled
> why we only have array and object type hints.

"Internal functions=94 refers to functions from extensions. It has no =
relation to internal*s*, the mailing list.

> That's exactly what I'm talking about ... we already have a syntax for
> strict typing, (and I want to put an emphais on this) *regardless of
> the reasons why, we do have strict type hints*. I don't understand why
> everybody is pretending that PHP doesn't have that feature just
> because we're talking about scalars here.

Nobody=92s arguing we don=92t already have strict type hints. I=92m =
arguing strict hints don=92t make sense for scalars. Note that we =
document strict (array, object) parameter types and non-strict (scalar) =
parameter types in the same way in our documentation.

> Speaking strictly from a userland perspective, using that same syntax
> for something different will be inconsistent and will cause confusion.
> That another syntax could be used for strict typing in the future is
> just not a serious thing to say.

Why is it "not a serious thing to say=94? I don=92t understand.

> You can't say it's the worst of both worlds when you have both worlds
> in their entirety.

No, you can. Allowing both options can be =93the worst of both worlds=94. =
This is just a trivial matter of semantics, though.

> And most importantly, they have always been two
> separate worlds because they just don't make sense otherwise.

Have they? We already mix strict and non-strict typing in PHP. Functions =
taking objects, internal or not, will error if you pass the wrong type =
of object. Internal functions taking scalars will not error and instead =
cast, at least most of the time.
--
Andrea Faulds
http://ajf.me/