Re: PHP Books at Sitepoint

Mike Pavlak:

There are certainly differences between PHP4 and PHP5 and most of these
center around the OO model of PHP5 vs. the procedural model or PHP4 &
lower. It is my belief that a lot of what we hear about the consternation
of PHP4 and PHP5 is the community coming to grips with OO and, in many
cases, Frameworks. But, it should be stressed that PHP continues to
support the procedural model. Therefore, much of the code in PHP4 is
still forward compatible as procedural code. Yes there will be
idiosyncrasies, but for the most part the code will work. So why do I
bring this up? Simply because of the fact that PHP offers the optional
"long on ramp" of using the language in a procedural model and being VERY
productive while the developer is adjusting to the syntax and constructs
of the language. I have never made it a secret that the end goal should
be OO based PHP and hopefully a Framework. But starting with Frameworks
can be a bit intimidating to someone who has just been ripped, kicking and
screaming, from their RPG III green screen PDM environment and told to
develop PHP NOW!

That's really all I was trying to say, Mike. If you'll note the end of my
immediately previous email, I mention that PHP4 books have lots of
relevant information for beginning PHP developers. The really fundamental
difference between 4 and 5 is indeed the object model, which Zend
fundamentally changed - for the better, certainly, but completely
different from and incompatible with the old model.

So, if someone *does* use a PHP4 book, use it as a guide to the procedural
aspect of PHP and be sure to avoid anything having to do with OOP, because
that information is irreversibly outdated (except maybe when trying to
look at existing PHP4 code). If a developer wants to go to OOP (which you
rightly recommend as the preferred destination), then they must get a PHP5
book; anything else is wasted effort.

Joe