Re: Are PHP5 features worth it?


"Niels" <zorglub_olsen@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:3A.D0.24871.C1A28854@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi list,

I'm writing a PHP program and I've got a number of concerns. The program
is
about 20 KLOC at the moment, but will probably grow quite a lot.

I'm using OOP throughout, and I don't really have a lot of problems with
what PHP4 can do with OOP. PHP5 does have a nice feature or two,
eventhough
none seems essential to my particular style of programming. I don't mind
using what PHP5 offers where it makes sense, but where's that? Exceptions
and new OOP features?

I have written a large application which uses the OO features of PHP 4, and
the same code runs untouched with PHP 5. There is no advantage in making use
of some of these fancy new features in PHP 5, so I just don't bother.

Exceptions: I just don't see the big advantage. I've got errors and
messages
bubbling up through object layers as it is, and exchanging that with a
wholly new structure seems more trouble that it's worth. I've read several
books on how cool PHP5 is, but the arguments for using exceptions seem to
boil down to "Java has them".

I don't use exceptions for the simple reason that there is no advantage in
doing so. I have a perfectly adequate error handler (just lke you) so there
is no pont in changing it. Java programmers can only program with exceptions
simply because they don't know any better.

Nowhere have I seen good examples that really
show how well exceptions solve real problems, all examples seem to show
are
that 5 lines of try/catch are somehow sexier than 5 lines of if/else. What
about performance?

I agree entirely. Lots of extra code for absolutely no benefit.

New OOP features: I can go through my code and mark all my methods as
public
or private or whatever. No problem. But why would I?

Exactly What does all that effort buy you? Better functionality? Increased
performance? The answer is "nothing". All it does is place restrictions on
what other programmers can do when they attaempt to use your code. Lots of
cost with no measurable benefit equates to a total waste of time.

It will make classes
easier to understand when I look at them, but that's just convenience.
What
are the performance benefits?

There are no benefits, only restrictions.

I've not found a single mention of that
anywhere. What do abstractions and interfaces actually do, aside from
structuring my code better?

Abstractions are thought processes which help you to identify the essence of
what needs to be done, so they are essential. Interfaces on the other hand
are a total waste of time. Other languages have them because of deficiencies
in those languages. PHP doesn't have those deficiencies, so interfaces are
totally unnecessary.

What major compelling reasons do I have to start using exceptions and
OOP-5?

Absolutely none.

--
Tony Marston
http://www.tonymarston.net
http://www.radicore.org
.

Relevant Pages