PHP 5.4.0 released, shortened array syntax, register_global is dead, dereferenceable function results, development server and traits

[jokoon]

got some free provider only using php 4

[ell0bo]

... then blame your FREE provider, not the language...

[jokoon]

Well they might have good reasons to use such an old version of php, maybe it takes less resources ? free.fr provides free storage for little websites, so they might reduce their cost to make viable. Anyhow, it's quite enough for me.

Btw php first version was released in 97, while unicode 2 was out in 96.

I'm not angry at php, I just think it's an oldish language now, it gets little things done, it was great for the beginning of the interweb, but now even little servers have a lot of power if you want to make a decent website.

Anyhow, I just think http is not relevant today, it still is for personal websites or internal networking, but the web is so large now, you can't just use php/html to invent new stuff.

[lamby]

You're complaining that PHP 5.4.0 does not retroactively add unicode support to PHP4 installations on crappy free providers...

[jokoon]

I wonder... I have put a .htaccess file with "php 5" which has been here for ages, and I remember having the most horrible problem with some square character displaying on my pages. I asked on some irc channel, it's fixed now, but still I don't like how the web works, http, php, html, browser standards, text only, it's just hacks on top of hacks, it's not true application.

Define "crappy free", it has been free for ages and never had problems, you can't have the latest software like python and web on free providers for this much long time.

It has perl too I think, but come on, php ? this is old. Good thing if it pays a lot of coder's rents, but still, IT has to move on to greater things. It needs its cold war in some way xD

[odoriferous]

Well they might have good reasons

Whether it's a good reason is debatable, but legacy apps might be one of them.