diff --git a/functions/info.xml b/functions/info.xml
index f0b6c81bc2..7047893148 100644
--- a/functions/info.xml
+++ b/functions/info.xml
@@ -236,15 +236,33 @@ error_log ("You messed up!", 3, "/var/tmp/my-errors.log");
     <funcsynopsis>
      <funcprototype>
       <funcdef>int <function>error_reporting</function></funcdef>
-      <paramdef>int 
+      <paramdef>mixed 
        <parameter><optional>level</optional></parameter>
       </paramdef>
      </funcprototype>
     </funcsynopsis>
     <para>
      Sets PHP's error reporting level and returns the old level.  The
-     error reporting level is a bitmask of the following values
-     (follow the links for the internal values to get their meanings):
+     error reporting level is either a bitmask or text string. Using
+     text strings is strongly encouraged to ensure compatibility for
+     future versions. As error levels are added, the range of integers
+     increases, so older integer-based error levels will not always
+     behave as expected.
+     <example role="php">
+      <title>Error Integer changes</title>
+      <programlisting role="php">
+error_reporting(55);   // PHP 3 equivalent to E_ALL ^ E_NOTICE
+
+/* ...in PHP 4, '55' would mean (E_ERROR | E_WARNING | E_PARSE |
+E_CORE_ERROR | E_CORE_WARNING) */
+
+error_reporting(2039); // PHP 4 equivalent to E_ALL ^ E_NOTICE
+
+error_reporting(E_ALL ^ E_NOTICE); // The same in both PHP 3 and 4
+      </programlisting>
+     </example>
+
+     Follow the links for the internal values to get their meanings:
      <table>
       <title><function>error_reporting</function> bit values</title>
       <tgroup cols="2">
@@ -290,6 +308,18 @@ error_log ("You messed up!", 3, "/var/tmp/my-errors.log");
      <entry>
       <link linkend="internal.e-core-warning">E_CORE_WARNING</link>
      </entry>
+    </row>
+    <row>
+     <entry>64</entry>
+     <entry>
+      <link linkend="internal.e-compile-error">E_COMPILE_ERROR</link>
+     </entry>
+    </row>
+    <row>
+     <entry>128</entry>
+     <entry>
+      <link linkend="internal.e-compile-warning">E_COMPILE_WARNING</link>
+     </entry>
     </row>
        </tbody>
       </tgroup>
@@ -300,19 +330,19 @@ error_log ("You messed up!", 3, "/var/tmp/my-errors.log");
       <title><function>error_reporting</function> examples</title>
       <programlisting role="php">
 error_reporting(0);
-// Turn off all reporting
+/* Turn off all reporting */
 
-error_reporting(7);
-// E_ERROR, E_WARNING, and E_PARSE
-// 1+2+4 = 7, for basic running errors
+error_reporting(7); // Old syntax, PHP 2/3
+error_reporting(E_ERROR | E_WARNING | E_PARSE); // New syntax for PHP 3/4
+/* Good to use for simple running errors  */
 
-error_reporting(15);
-// E_ERROR, E_WARNING, E_PARSE, and E_NOTICE
-// 1+2+4+8 = 15, good for code authoring to report
-// uninitialized (possibly mis-spelled) variables
+error_reporting(15); // Old syntax, PHP 2/3
+error_reporting(E_ERROR | E_WARNING | E_PARSE | E_NOTICE); // New syntax for PHP 3/4
+/*  good for code authoring to report uninitialized or (possibly mis-spelled) variables */
 
-error_reporting(63);
-// report all PHP errors, rarely used.
+error_reporting(63); // Old syntax, PHP 2/3
+error_reporting(E_ALL); // New syntax for PHP3/4
+/* report all PHP errors */
       </programlisting>
      </example>
     </para>