> Regarding your reason why ini_set is needed for setting the session save handler, I think you missed a few words in your sentence. Is it a good or a bad thing that session_set_save_handler() sets the userland save handlers?

Sorry, maybe I wasnt clear: it's the **only** way a userland handler can be set. The only way a native handler (compiled into PHP by an extension) can be set is with `ini_set`.