I think there is something we can do around this...
Reviewing the php array functions it seems to me that a new API would benefit from some sort of more intuitive organization, possibly around meta concepts specific to use.
For example, I want to re-order an array (order is a meta-concept in this description) how I specifically want to re-order the array is a sub-concept or sub-property of this general thought process. If you're following me then an intuitive API would look something like array functions condensed into a small handful of more generalized functions that take an argument to specify their exact behavior. I.e.
array_order($my_array, 'sort', 'alpha', 'asc');
as a rough idea or breaking away from the traditional API a bit further
array_order->sort($my_array, 'alpha', 'asc');
I'm offering this as a general representation of the idea to organize and condense the API not as a fully flushed out representation of the end result so useful feedback would be around the concept and not the semantics hastily hatched code examples.
- Bill