[pmwiki-users] variables for customization

[Jonathan Scott Duff]

On Wed, Jul 06, 2005 at 08:27:23PM -0500, Patrick R. Michaud wrote:
> I don't think changing the sigil solves the problem.  For example,
> looking at markup like
> 
>     {?LastModified}
>     {?Author}
>     {?CurrentTime}
> 
> will *still* trigger the "oh, these refer to PHP variables" pattern
> in PHP programmers' heads.  That, or it will make them wonder 
> why there's a different sigil, and wonder why we didn't use '$', 

They think "what are these strange looking things?" and "they kind of
look like variables but aren't" Why do you think it'll still trigger
the "looks like a PHP variable" meme?  What are the salient features
of a variable in PHP? I'd say that $ is *the* bit of syntax that
captures the essense of "php variable"

I contend all of the above is a good thing. The strange syntax makes
them wonder and the wondering reminds them that they aren't really
variables ala PHP. Same goes for the "format variables" btw (and maybe a
sigil change would be more useful there than here)

-Scott
-- 
Jonathan Scott Duff
duff at pobox.com