Re: [PHP3] Re: [PHP Template] Re: [PHP3] PHP Template Engine spec revision 0.52

On Tue, 21 Mar 2000, Andrei Zmievski wrote:

> On Tue, 21 Mar 2000, Zeev Suraski wrote:
> > If it can be sophisticated, it means that people who want to read it would
> > have to be familiar with this spec, thoroughly, even if they're already
> > quite fluent in PHP.  That's the bad thing.  Having the ability to decide
> > whether it's simple or complicated is not a plus, it should be simple by
> > definition.
> 
> Being fluent in more than one language is not a bad idea, I think. Don't
> limit your options.

But requiring a user of PHP to be fluent in more than one language - is.
If he wants to learn another language, so be it, but PHP itself should not
feature two 'competing' languages.

> 'if' was an easy example. Compare this:
> 
> {section}
> 	Headline: {@headline}
> 	{if #LAST}
> 		<hr>
> 	{/if}
> {/section}
> 
> with this:
> 
> <? for ($i=0; $i<count($headlines); $i++): ?>
> 	Headline: <? echo $headlines[$i]; ?>
> 	<? if ($i == count($headlines)-1): ?>
> 		<hr>
> 	<? endif; ?>
> <? endfor; ?>
> 
> No contest for me.

Well, no contest for me either.  Undoubtfully, the different syntax does
not call for adding a whole new language on top of the existing language.
You're essentially saying that you don't like PHP's syntax - it's your, or
your designers' right, obviously.  But if they don't like it, they
shouldn't use it;  We shouldn't add a new syntax to PHP to make them
happy.  The JSP/VB example applies here.

Zeev

-- 
Zeev Suraski <[email protected]>
http://www.zend.com/