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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    New York
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    34

    Why do so many hosts run PHP4?

    So I was just playing around with a nice little php/mysql based invoice system I found. It worked great on my local test machine, decided I liked it, and uploaded it to my web host.

    All seemed well untill I tried to run it and got a mysterious 404 error. You can't be telling me that the files I just uploaded don't exist. After consulting the readme, I learned that it only runs on PHP5. My host uses PHP4.

    I checked several other hosts, it seems that a lot run PHP4. Is there any reason for this? PHP5 has been around for a while now hasn't it?
    To deny our own impulses is to deny the very thing that makes us human. ~Mouse, The Matrix

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    In canada
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    3,374
    You sure permissions are not screwed up for files?

    And ask ur host if they also run php5 side by side most hosts do that !!
    12+ years -same website , new server [SSD Inside] providing shared/reseller hosting only !
    These things we do not provide/offer : Unlimited Storage ! Unlimited Bandwidth ! But Why? Cause, we were unable to put such a large number on our pages, it just would not fit.
    So check out the numbers that actually fit >> << the page as well as your budget too !

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Posts
    82
    PHP4 will be reaching end of life soon, if hosts do not at least offer PHP5 as an option they may have problems in the future.
    Newbies Rock. Oh wait, now I'm a Guru Wannabe!
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    Disclaimer: My thoughts and opinions do not reflect any company I work for as they are mine and only mine.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    EU & USA
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    PHP4 IS EOL as from 1-1-2008 and most hosts run PHP5 next to PHP4 due to compatibility of scripts of their users. Ask your hosting provider if they give you the possibility to switch to PHP5, they most likely will be more than happy to help you.

  5. #5
    there are still many scripts running only on PHP4. They're not ready to upgrade to PHP5 yet. Not sure why
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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Singapore
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    6,990
    The reason why web hosting companies cant upgrade although they would want to stay abreast of the latest development is because a lot of scripts still run on PHP 4 only, upgrading and causing scripts to malfunction and would be the last thing they wanted to do.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Posts
    82
    It is possible to run both php4 and php5 on a server, so really the hosts have no excuse if they are not running php5 yet
    Newbies Rock. Oh wait, now I'm a Guru Wannabe!
    Go Wannabes!

    Disclaimer: My thoughts and opinions do not reflect any company I work for as they are mine and only mine.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    326
    Quote Originally Posted by meltingcube View Post
    It is possible to run both php4 and php5 on a server, so really the hosts have no excuse if they are not running php5 yet
    Yet there are hosts out there that are still running PHP4 ONLY!

    I have seen some hosts that are running PHP4 that is several versions old.
    Makes you wonder the kind of security they have on the servers.
    Charles

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    283
    Quote Originally Posted by meltingcube View Post
    It is possible to run both php4 and php5 on a server, so really the hosts have no excuse if they are not running php5 yet
    I agree with you. Actually it will be best choices by many hosting companies to run both PHP on a server and all customers should be satisfied.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    3,785
    I would find this especially strange for cPanel hosts considering it is now possible to install PHP4 and PHP5 side by side without any custom work being done. It is all handled through cPanel apache build script and even gives you the option of what version you'd like for the default. Even after that so users can have it easy they can select their PHP versions right from within cPanel so no need to be messing with .htaccess files if their site is entirely one version.
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  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    58
    Am I wrong or PHP4 development is no longer sustained?

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Bath, UK
    Posts
    132
    Quote Originally Posted by TheHero View Post
    Am I wrong or PHP4 development is no longer sustained?

    They're no longing developing it but are still providing security fixes until June I believe? It's a matter of months either way so best for people to upgrade.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Chennai , India
    Posts
    4,632
    Quote Originally Posted by boonchuan View Post
    The reason why web hosting companies cant upgrade although they would want to stay abreast of the latest development is because a lot of scripts still run on PHP 4 only, upgrading and causing scripts to malfunction and would be the last thing they wanted to do.
    The toughest part is most of the scripts are opensource and their development is slow.

  14. #14
    normally hosts would include both php4 and php5 and lets the customer change it in its control panel. Many hosts do that and lets you choose which version of php you want to run.

  15. #15
    yeah from waht ive seen a host will run both.
    to force scripts to run php 5 you can usually rename the extension to .php5 rather than leaving at as .php until the defaults are changed
    BX

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    326
    Actually you can force scripts to run with PHP5 in your .htaccess file!!
    Charles

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    562
    Quote Originally Posted by syncpalm View Post
    there are still many scripts running only on PHP4. They're not ready to upgrade to PHP5 yet. Not sure why
    Running on, or only run on? Which scripts would that be?

    Quote Originally Posted by Neosmith View Post
    Actually you can force scripts to run with PHP5 in your .htaccess file!!
    Yeah, if PHP5 and PHP4 are installed.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    309
    Quote Originally Posted by Dolbz View Post
    They're no longing developing it but are still providing security fixes until June I believe? It's a matter of months either way so best for people to upgrade.
    August 8th of this year is the cutoff for security fixes in PHP4.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    6,957
    Quote Originally Posted by Dolbz View Post
    They're no longing developing it but are still providing security fixes until June I believe? It's a matter of months either way so best for people to upgrade.
    Last I heard they were issuing security releases through August 8th.

    Hmm, seems that was answered already, sorry for not reading the whole thread...
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  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by boonchuan View Post
    because a lot of scripts still run on PHP 4 only
    We have been using just PHP5 on all our boxes for a while now. We have had no problems and no reports of scripts not working.

    I am sure there will be a few that don't run on PHP5 but we have yet to see them. Or at least clients have decided to use different scripts rather than reporting the problem to us.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Washington, USA
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    3,262
    Most hosts delayed the switchover since for a long time PHP5 was less stable and slower than PHP4. More recently that has begun to change, so you'll see more hosts start to offer PHP5 instead of PHP4.
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  22. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    West Michigan, USA
    Posts
    9,687
    We upgraded all of our shared servers to PHP5 exclusively (no more PHP4) a few weeks ago. Surprisingly, out of around 15,000 hosted - we had only 2 complaints and 1 cancellation. Obviously, we've been warning everyone for a couple of months now that the upgrade was going to happen.

    There's no reason not to upgrade to PHP5, at this point.

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  23. #23
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Posts
    32
    Quote Originally Posted by Aurora900 View Post
    So I was just playing around with a nice little php/mysql based invoice system I found. It worked great on my local test machine, decided I liked it, and uploaded it to my web host.

    All seemed well untill I tried to run it and got a mysterious 404 error. You can't be telling me that the files I just uploaded don't exist. After consulting the readme, I learned that it only runs on PHP5. My host uses PHP4.

    I checked several other hosts, it seems that a lot run PHP4. Is there any reason for this? PHP5 has been around for a while now hasn't it?

    I don't understand why the don't keep backwards compatibility? It would make things so much easier if php4 apps worked with php5.

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