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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Thresholds of backwards compatibility breaks
From: lester@lsces.co.uk (Lester Caine)

On 09/11/14 21:59, Rowan Collins wrote:
> None of which has anything to do with E_STRICT. Strict notices aren't
> indications that behaviour has changed; since we have E_DEPRECATED, they
> shouldn't even indicate behaviour is about to change; they just indicate
> that there might be a better way of doing what you're doing. I don't
> know why you consider them to be in the same category as code
> compatibility at all.

That the traditional method of using PHP5 is no longer politically
correct is the problem here. One can not use both methods of working at
the same time, and since in many cases the third party libraries HAVE
been upgraded and require a later version of PHP even to run, HELPING
users who had perfectly functional sites based on code that was created
using what are still current tutorials but which no longer produce
acceptable code is the main problem here. To pretend that PHP5.4 and
later can safely run legacy code is the problem, and these are BC breaks
that people are pretending have not happened simply because they assume
they can be ignored.

One method of working may be to configure a PHP setup which blocks any
use of e_strict compliant rules and make sure only legacy compatible
code is running. Then legacy sites can be kept running without the
effort of converting the code to clean e_strict compliance. The main
question that should probably be asked is if PHP7 will maintain this
source of confusion or ONLY allow e_strict compliance? Certainly I'd
prefer to see this on plugged. It is all to easy to have some upgrade
override your settings and introduce random breaks in things. THAT is
still a major source of agro, with third party libraries overriding
settings after one has ensured there were set correctly. It's not SIMPLY
ensuring that the hosting is set up correctly, it's the fact that any
library can screw that up!

-- 
Lester Caine - G8HFL
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