[csw-users] Why has php been split into a bazillion packages?

[Robert Stampfli]

I've just finished updating php 4.4.0 -> 4.4.1 on one of my
machines, and am in the process of updating another one now,
and believe me, it is painful.  Starting with the last
release, php seems to have been split into 18 separate
packages, and I'm not sure why this was done.  It sure makes
updating to a new point release a time-consuming activity,
and it would seem each module will have to be reissued for
each release forevermore.

Can anyone shed some light on why this split was done, and
what benefits are derived from it?  My vote would be to see
php go back to the way it was packaged before.

Rob