For me OO is a tool, not an ideal. You can feel free to apply pejorative terms to me for what results from that attitude, but insults won't rearrange my priorities.

Good code is good code, when I do code reviews that is all i care about. The paradigm used is irrelevant. I personally prefer OO, it lends itself to the way my mind works. But I also love functional and declarative programming, to me they are fascinating and elegant, but short of "declarative" SQL, I don't get to do them much at work.

If I feel inclined to use an AUTOLOAD, and I think that in the situation where I'm using it, it is justified (which is in actuality rather rare), then I'll use it and not be bothered overly much if I leave can broken.

I agree, I see AUTOLOAD much like source filters. A really cool and interesting tool, but one that should not be used lightly, and only in the hands of someone who really knows what they are doing. As for leaving can broken, if it is your code its your perogative. If you are releasing it to the public I would argue you shouldn't, but you still dont have to agree with me :) so again, your code, your choice (although I would be inclined to write you a patch just to mess with you).

I'll admit, though, that most people who fundamentally agree with me haven't necessarily thought the matter out as much as I have. Then again I don't think that most who disagree have thought about it that much either.

This my friend, is where you have hit the nail on the head. Too many people don't think these things through thoroughly. But then again too many people don't test thoroughly either.

-stvn