A cleaner way to get $_POST and $_GET values

cleaner-get-and-post.php

<?php 

function getKey($key, &$array, $alternative) 
{
    if (! array_key_exists($key, $array)) {
        return $alternative;
    }

    $value = empty($array[$key]) ? $alternative : $array[$key];

    if (is_string($value)) {
        $value = trim($value);
    }

    return $value;
}

//------------------

function post($key, $alternative = null) 
{
    return getKey($key, $_POST, $alternative);
}

function get($key, $alternative = null) 
{
    return getKey($key, $_GET, $alternative);
}

function request($key, $alternative = null) 
{
    return getKey($key, $_REQUEST, $alternative);
}

//------------------

/**
 * Far better looking than a bunch of ternary operators
 */

$page = get('page', 1);
$name = post('name', false);
$age  = post('age', 0);
$foo  = post('foo', 'bar');

if (! $name) {
    echo 'Error: Please, tell us your name.';
}