title: When do I use static variables/functions in php?
body: <p>I am refreshing myself on OOP with PHP and I saw an example of setting functions and/or variables as static.  When and why would I set a variable/function to static?  I've done other languages and don't really recall ever using static, I never found a real purpose to it. I know what it does but why not just use a variable instead?</p>