Here's a nice piece of code

I think not.

Really, this is meandering towards a How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? type debate. It's utterly meaningless.

More to the point is the following. If $a = 4, then,

• $b = $a++ means $b will have 4 and $a will have 5.
• $b = ++$a means $b will have 5 and $a will have 5.

Anyone who considers doing an increment as part of an expression like $a = $a++ + $a++ should probably become a cruciverbalist or something. It doesn't occur in the real world, really it doesn't. That kind of thing shouldn't even appear on a test (college, university or job-related) either. It's just batty.

--t. alex
Life is short: get busy!