PHP in Action

I like weird ideas. There should be more of them. And the idea that we need to make programs efficient to save energy is weird enough to interest me.

David Peterson tells his version of Rasmus Lerdorfs views on it:

He continues on by stating that PHP developers really need to think about performance for not only scalability reasons but for green reasons. If programs were more efficient it would cut the number of data centres and would reduce energy needs as a result. In our newly emerging age of energy awareness this does become an important aspect and I am glad that he is raising awareness.

Well, theoretically, using less of anything makes good environmental sense. But you have to consider which actions have a big impact and which are marginal. For example, Norwegian politicians have considered banning incandescent light bulbs. But the idea makes a lot less sense here than in some other countries, since it's hardly ever dark and warm at the same time this far north. Therefore, the heat generated by indoor lighting contributes to heating that would be needed anyway and is usually electric already.

"Premature optimization is the root of all evil." It occurs to me that energy saving is a kind of optimization and subject to similar considerations. It needs to be focused so it's applied where it matters most and where you can get the most out of the least effort.

How much traffic does a web app need to have to make optimization worthwhile? Does the green angle add anything to that assessment?

Theoretically, it might if the cost of energy does not cover the cost of its environmental consequences. But it's a question that requires analysis. If cutting data center energy consumption is important, it makes sense to know and apply the strategies that are most cost-effective. Putting the waste heat to use? Using more of the hardware and techniques that are used to make laptops energy-efficient? I don't know, I'm not an expert on these things. What I do know is the idea of green optimization needs that kind of thinking to put it in context.

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