12 July 2010, 14:56

The case for Zend Framework - users get to vote

As programming languages and tools evolve, the niceties of syntax can prove controversial. The developers of the Zend Framework, the PHP framework, are providing their users with the opportunity to vote on possible adjustments to the syntax in version 2.

In version 1 of the Zend Framework the developers standardised on mixed case for class names, even for acronyms. So for example HTTP and PDF might be rendered as "Zend_Http" and "Zend_Pdf". Some Zend Framework users argue that once the rule is known, recognition of these acronyms is easy and typing these as mixed case is actually easier.

Conversely, the argument for retaining all upper case for acronyms is that recognition is easier without the case change. This is allowed, for example, in PEAR, the PHP Extension and Application Repository.

Zend Framework users can cast their vote for either MixedCasing or ACRONYM case syntax on the page provided on the Zend web site.

Another possible syntax change, although not at present up for the vote, would be the use, or not, of underscore in class names. For example isXMLHTTPRequest or is_XML_HTTP_Request. Currently underscores are used.

(trk)

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