Ash asked: > Have you any thoughts on automated code quality tools for PHP like Code > Sniffer? I'm using this at the moment, but it tends to like to complain > when it encounters PHP files that are not pure PHP (i.e. views). Part of > this is due to the rules I run, but I'm loathe to remove those rules > just for the sake of a small part of an application. I don’t use CodeSniffer, but that’s not a slam against it - I’m just ignorant as to what it does. In cursory review, it looks like an IDE plugin. I do use IDE’s for developing code in several different OS’s and most provide some sort of code intelligence to help developers. I’m not against that for one simply cannot develop sound code for Apple (Swift), Android (Java-Android), or JAVA proper without a good IDE. However, I still haven’t found a good IDE for PHP. Sure Zend is around, but it has never caught on with me. I like Netbeans for PHP and it works OK. I recently discovered ICEcoder and I’ll introduce it to my students this semester because it’s simple, free, easy to use, and kind of unique. As for how good ICEcoder is? I don’t know at the moment, I’m just trying it out — looks promising for all web languages (see https://icecoder.net). Side-note: If you really want to find out if something is easy to use, turn it over to students -- they will point out any problems. Kind of like users and other beta-testers. With all of that said, automated anything brings the most common denominator to the forefront, which is not usually the best solution for specialized problems and true innovation. Be careful of things that help you, because they also bring their limitations — limitations that may slant your development practice or view. For example, you mentioned Dreamweaver — the WYSIWYG is horrible for developers understanding what is going on in the background. However, if you don’t use the WYSIWYG option, then DW makes a good development mechanism for managing files and is an OK IDE (sort-of). Another example in my view of things to look out for are Platforms, if you accept someone else’s way of doing something, then you may gain work efficiency at common tasks, but at the expense of your own innovation — your way of doing things — your uniqueness. Life lesson: Understand what you bring to the table. While we all stand on the shoulders of others, innovation is what gets us down the road. New ways of doing stuff is where fortunes are made. In short, I always shoot for the long ball. If I don’t have a chance of hitting a home run, then I pick up my bat and look elsewhere for focusing my talent. My motto — find a problem and solve it. That's one of the reason why I teach — therein lies the possibility I can influence real talent to do things greater than I can. I have always had the ability to recognize talent, like I see in you Ash. I am sure you’ll make the right decision for you. Cheers, tedd _______________ tedd sperling tedd.sperling@xxxxxxxxx -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
