[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:  closed
 Priority:  normal                               |   Milestone:
Component:  General                              |     Version:
 Severity:  normal                               |  Resolution:  maybelater
 Keywords:  needs-codex dev-feedback 2nd-        |     Focuses:
  opinion                                        |
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Comment (by jdgrimes):

 Ironically, usage of PHP 5.4 [http://wpcentral.io/version-usage/ peaked at
 41.5% 2 weeks ago]—the same weak that PHP ceased security updates for it.

 On the bright side, this means that the number of WordPress sites using
 PHP 5.4 is finally on the decline.

 ----

 I think I've finally come to grips with the position that WordPress has
 taken on this. In short, their philosophy boils down to this:

 - Always put the interests of the users first.
 - Users shouldn't have to know about server configuration—WordPress should
 just work.
 - Hosts are responsible for providing a secure server environment—not
 WordPress.

 As long as there are legitimate reasons that a responsible host would
 support PHP 5.2, and a significant number of users are using such hosts,
 WordPress won't change its requirements.

 I can sympathize with that position (though some of us may disagree with
 some of its tenets). But I also think it is being taken to an extreme that
 is unhealthy for the project as a whole, and may end up actually hurting
 users in the end. It is alienating developers, and discouraging newbies,
 who may have learned newer versions of PHP only, from contributing to the
 project. It is "protecting" the user from these rouge developers, to the
 point where it may lead to community stagnation.

 I think we all agree that there is a point where you have to please the
 developers to please the users. And yes, PHP 5.5 (or 5.4 or 5.3) might be
 mostly just 5.2 plus candy. But what developer doesn't like candy?
 Offering more candy would probably mean more developers would contribute
 to the community.

 However, it is, admittedly, a matter of opinion as to when it becomes
 imperative to allow a little user suffering in deference to developers,
 for the greater long-term good of the community. Thankfully, WordPress is
 in a place where that user suffering won't be waking up to a dead site
 after a WordPress update. It will just mean not getting an update until
 your host has bumped your PHP version up to something sane.

 The opinion of the project leads will ultimately prevail in deciding when
 (not if) that will happen. '''But please, I beg of you, please can we have
 the philosophy spelled out in the core handbook.''' I know that you
 believe you have made yourselves clear. But there must be some reason that
 you keep having to "make yourself clear" over and over and over again. It
 is because there is no official canonical resource where this philosophy
 is explained.

 You have a right to run this project as you like, and I can understand if
 you don't want to pick a date because you've been burned by that in the
 past. What is beginning to frustrate me is the lack of empathy being
 displayed toward developers like myself who are invested in this, and are
 only seeking the best for the future of WordPress. We don't feel like
 we've really been heard, just responded to and then ignored.

 I sense that you are tired of discussing this, and I understand that. But
 I don't think it will ever end until you add it to the handbook. Bumping
 to 5.3 (or 5.5) won't make it go away. In fact, I think bumping from 5.2
 to 5.3 (if that is what happens in the near future) will only start all of
 the discussion off again. This ticket could have been taken as an
 opportunity to clarify the strategy and the philosophy behind it ahead of
 time. I can't understand why you keep kicking the can down the road here
 (and I'm not talking about the version bump, but clarifying the strategy
 for it).

 I understand that it may be more a matter of time and other priorities,
 but if this is put to rest once and for all, then you'll never have to
 waste time on it again. :-)

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33381#comment:66>
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