Static variables with recursive functions question

PHP
1

From php.net http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.variables.scope.php

Example #6, shows a simple recursive function that counts to 10. My questions is what is the point of DEcrementing the $count variable at the end? Thanks for looking.


<?php
function test()
{
    static $count = 0;

    $count++;
    echo $count;
    if ($count < 10) {
        test();
    }
    $count--;
}
?>
2

My guess is so that the test() function can be used more than once. If $count only ever goes up, never down, then it will forever be >= 10 after the first run.