[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #33381: Strategize the updating of minimum PHP version.

[WordPress Trac]

#33381: Strategize the updating of minimum PHP version.
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 Reporter:  alexander.rohmann  |       Owner:
     Type:  enhancement        |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal             |   Milestone:  Awaiting Review
Component:  General            |     Version:  trunk
 Severity:  normal             |  Resolution:
 Keywords:                     |     Focuses:
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Comment (by jdgrimes):

 Replying to [comment:11 stracker.phil]:
 > @jdgrimes, actually I don't really agree with the statement that we need
 to deal with the site-hosts and not the site-admins here. If a site-admin
 knows that his WordPress updates will stop in 36 months from now he will
 have the means to (a) ensure that the PHP version gets updated in time or
 (b) just be cool about his site getting no more updates.

 I think the concern of the core leads is that most users have no idea what
 PHP is, much less how to get it updated.

 > After all the site-admins are the people we can reach and talk to
 directly. We can make them understand the situation and guide them to
 contact their hosts.

 It's true that we naturally have a more direct line of communication with
 site admins. However, as you imply, they can't actually solve the
 situation. For the most part, our communication would be to tell them "ask
 your host to do this thing that you don't understand because reasons."
 We'd really just be co-opting them as middle men. And I think that's just
 going to make them frustrated with WordPress or their host, most probably
 both.

 > I imagine this could be realized by adding a new message on the Updates
 page (and maybe also in the main Dashboard):
 > A) "Your website is ready for WordPress 5.0 (read more here)"
 > B) "Warning: Your website is not ready for WordPress 5.0! Please read
 the details here to make sure your automatic upgrades will work in the
 future"

 I agree that there will probably be a point where we'll do something like
 this. But I'm beginning to see the wisdom of the core leads in not wanting
 to do it yet. It's really a drastic measure, and one that will really
 shake people up (some of whom are antagonistic toward some decisions in
 the WordPress community anyway). Even just a few percent of sites is
 millions of site-admins. Nobody wants millions of site admins breathing
 down their backs. Even if every one of them is very understanding and
 kind, the support load would be enormous, both for the WordPress community
 and the hosts. Which is why I think it is unfair to both the hosts and the
 site admins not to seek to open lines of communication to the hosts
 instead.

 > And note that this change in requirements does NOT mean that we break
 peoples websites if they don't upgrade PHP in time. It just means that
 they will not get new upgrades via the built in update function while PHP
 version is too low.

 Right, and we can be much more comfortable about doing this when the time
 comes now that we can continue to offer automatic security updates.

 ----

 My Proposal:

 1. Identify the hosts that are running the sites on outdated versions of
 PHP.
 1. Open dialog about this with them.
 1. State explicitly what our strategy for supported PHP versions is.
 1. Let them help us choose a date as a goal for implementing that
 strategy.
 1. Work toward implementing that strategy, and hopefully meeting our goal.
 Yay!

 I think no. 1 and no. 2 are already being done. The hangup seems to be on
 no. 3, because, as far as I know, there is no simple strategy laid out in
 plain terms. It's always, "when the number of sites is lower." And I
 understand why the core leads might like to remain non-committal, but the
 purpose of this ticket is to try and put something together that is a
 little bit more concrete.

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33381#comment:13>
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