[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:  jorbin
     Type:  enhancement                          |      Status:  assigned
 Priority:  normal                               |   Milestone:  Awaiting
Component:  General                              |  Review
 Severity:  normal                               |     Version:
 Keywords:  needs-codex dev-feedback 2nd-        |  Resolution:
  opinion                                        |     Focuses:
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Comment (by jdgrimes):

 Replying to [comment:125 seancjones]:

 I think exploring some of this with users at WordCamps is a great idea.
 Finding out how users actually feel about having this information shared
 with them is really going to be imperative. And it could potentially re-
 frame the entire conversation here, because the goal is to put users
 first. If it was demonstrated, for example, that most affected users
 actually ''want'' to know this information, it would contradict the
 general consensus, which is that they really don't want to know or care
 about this. I can imagine that for a portion of them though, they'll feel
 that knowledge is power. We really won't know for sure until we do some
 research. So far we've just been more or less making assumptions based on
 the best knowledge that we have—the experience of those that regularly
 interact with average users on the forums, etc. (Which actually, I expect
 won't prove too far off, but you never know what you don't know.)

 Of course, the average WordCamp attendee likely isn't a complete analog
 for the average WordPress user. But it would probably still be a good
 place to begin.

 ----

 I was thinking last night that really one thing we should be doing here is
 researching what strategies other large CMSs have employed regarding PHP
 version upgrades. Certainly WordPress is in a class all its own in terms
 of the size of its user base, but there is still probably a lot that we
 can learn from the experiences of similar, if slightly smaller, projects:

 - What is their policy regarding PHP version support?
 - When they drop a PHP version, how do they communicate that to users?
 - How do they communicate that to hosts?
 - When they have dropped versions in the past, what has the fallout been?
  - How many people were upset?
  - How many people just quietly updated?
  - How many people didn't update and were just left behind on the old
 version of the software?
  - How many people needed help from support?
  - How did web hosts respond? (Did they get most users updated ahead of
 time, etc.)

 I think that one practical number to consider when coming up with a
 percentage/number of users at which to drop a PHP version, is the support
 burden that will be generated, and what the forum volunteers can handle.
 If 10% of users require some kind of support in order to update their PHP
 version, out of 500k users that's 50k users who will be seeking support in
 addition to the normal burden. That wouldn't happen all in one day, of
 course, (and these numbers are completely made up so they may be
 unrealistic), and I don't know what the average support load is right now,
 but that sounds like it would probably be overwhelming. Which is why the
 Half-elf Support Rogue has always been against trying to tell users
 anything about PHP.

 (Yes, a lot of that support should really be directed at hosts, but some
 people, especially frustrated ones, are going to come to WordPress for
 help, to vent, etc.)

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33381#comment:126>
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