A not so simple Workaround...but still doable...have fun

class My{
    var $value;
    
    function get1(&$ref){
        $ref[] =& $this;
    }
    
    function get2(&$ref){
        $ref =& $this;
    }
    
    function get3(&$ref){
        $ref = $this;
    }
}

$m = new My();

$m->value = 'foo';
$m->get1($ref=array());
$m1 =& $ref[0];
$m1->value = 'bar';
echo "\n".'Works but is ugly...';
echo "\n".' m:'. get_class($m) . '->value = '. $m->value;
echo "\n".' m1:'. get_class($m1) . '->value = '. $m1->value;

echo "\n".'Does not work because references are not pointers...';
$m->value = 'foo';
$m->get2($m2);
$m2->value = 'bar';
echo "\n".' m:'. get_class($m) . '->value = '. $m->value;
echo "\n".' m2:'. get_class($m2) . '->value = '. $m2->value;

$m->value = 'foo';
$m->get3($m3);
$m3->value = 'bar';
echo "\n".'Does not work becuase it is set to a copy';
echo "\n".' m:'. get_class($m) . '->value = '.$m->value;
echo "\n".' m3:'. get_class($m3) . '->value = '. $m3->value;