Re: Why use PHP? What are the disadvantages?

[Joe Pluta <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Kelly Cookson wrote:
> When I write a PHP function, I can make up a return variable name on the fly, and it doesn't matter if I'm returning characters, numbers, or arrays. I can also change the type of data the function returns without having to change the variable definitions everywhere the function is called. Similarly, when I call a PHP function, I can make up a variable name on the fly to receive the output, and it doesn't matter what kind of output is being passed back. 
>
> But, if you want to call it laziness, guilty as charged. ;-)
>   
Not laziness.  Bad design.  That may sound harsh, but if you find 
yourself regularly changing the return value of a function, then you 
haven't designed the application very well.  Changing what a function 
returns isn't something simple - it will affect every place that 
function is called.  If the calling code expects the function to return 
a Customer object and you've changed the function to return a date, is 
it going to work?

It's the same issue I have with folks who insist they need to make 
database changes often.  That just tells me they haven't designed their 
database very well.  Better up-front analysis leads to less back-end 
changes.

Joe