I am wondering why so many of the web hosting companies don't keep PHP up to date.

I am currently looking for a new host, and would like to use a few PHP 5 functions, but am I being too stringent to only consider companies with PHP 5?

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Registered User

Most companies will offer a choice, maybe even both PHP4 and PHP5 on a single package .

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Adam Smith - UK Webhosting Ltd. - (0800) 024 2931
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Web Host - VIP Member

You'll probably find many providers who don't advertise PHP5 are still able to offer it too. I'd suggest shopping around based on other requirements, and if you find someone you like if they only advertise PHP4 drop them an email and you may find they offer PHP5 too.

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Andrew Cranson, Director of Operations & Parallels Specialist
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Web Host - VIP Member

Why is this? Why not just say PHP 4 and 5? Or why not just regularly up date all PHP? Is there a need for PHP4 (isn't PHP5 backwards compatible?)?

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Registered User

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, I guess - maybe they reckon there's no need to use PHP5 as nobody's enquired, or it can't work on their systems, etc

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Dominic Taylor - Director, Thermal Degree Limited
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Web Host - Certified Member

There are many old scripts that wont work on PHP5 and these are usually off the shelf freebies that are being used by users who do not know how to re-code for PHP5.

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Web Host - VIP Member

All above is correct. If a host suddenly moved to PHP5 only, it would break a LOT of customers sites.

Better to stick with the latest version 4, or indeed offer both.

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Matt Wallis
Company Director
United Communications Limited

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Web Host - Certified Member

No, not even close - its why most of us offer clients the choice. Losts of LAMP development frameworks still have issues with PHP5

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Web Host - VIP Member

How annoying that PHP is not backwards compatible.

Interesting and informative to hear your views.

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Registered User

It's practically not backwards compatible going from 4.x.x -> 4.x.y with the changes they make.

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Andrew Cranson, Director of Operations & Parallels Specialist
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Web Host - VIP Member

Tell me about it :/

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Dominic Taylor - Director, Thermal Degree Limited
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Web Host - Certified Member

It is very backwards compatible actually, a few return values have changed but if you code properly that wouldn't affect you.

I don't know of any framework that still has issues with PHP5 (if there are any they are probably quite insecure anyway). God help you when PHP6 comes out

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Registered User

I hope that all the O'Reilly books I have will keep me coding sweet. BRING ON PHP 6!

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Registered User

My PHP fix has been fulfilled since 5.1, I am a bit disappointed by Zend's choice of APC instead of eAccelerator in PHP6 as APC breaks a lot of things. Although PHP6 should in theory be more secure with buggy code.

I'm more interested in MySQL 5.1 becoming GA, a couple of MySQL clusters I run will benefit greatly.

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Registered User