I have a question for anyone actively involved in developing the WordPress core. What is the plan is for discontinuing PHP 4 support?

With all the talk about WordPress security lately I can't help but think of this issue. PHP 4 has been officially unsupported (no security updates) for almost a year now. I feel it is irresponsible of shared webhosts to actually run PHP 4 on their servers. The number of WordPress users actually using PHP 4 has to have dropped significantly considering PHP 5 is nearly 5 years old.

I think it is time for WordPress to step up, be responsible, and draw the proverbial "line in the sand" on this issue. Many other high-profile GPL projects have already done this. I know this has been discussed in the developer IRC meetings but I want to know if any decisions have been made. Does anyone have specifics on what the plan is for discontinuing support for PHP 4?

The Theme Foundry

Don't have the link, but Matt had said when usage drops below 10%. That is, when less than 10% of the sites that call home report that they are on php4, then they'll stop support.

I think it was less than 20% when he said that.

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Thanks for the update Andrea, it has to be getting really close to 10% by now.

The Theme Foundry

Well, its not.

PHP4 support is discussed "all the time" and I believe 2.9 comes with a nag to upgrade, and 3.0 drops PHP4 if enough users/hosts are convinced to move to PHP4 by then.

https://irclogs.wordpress.org/chanlo...ort=desc#m3774

http://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/9751

http://codex.wordpress.org/Switching_to_PHP5

Plugin and theme developers may help by not supporting PHP4, but requiring PHP 5.

John Myrstad

Kind of like refusing the support IE 6 in themes. :) At some point, gotta say enough.

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Thanks for links John.

I think the last post in the trac link hits it on the head. What happens when PHP 4 has an unpatched security hole and all of those PHP 4 WordPress users are vulnerable? I think at some point it isn't responsible to include support for unsupported software.

The Theme Foundry

http://wordpress.org/about/requirements/ reads:

Its kinda strange with a blessed task to make 2.9 nag php4 users when the official requirements doesnt mention php5 at all, but has a pre-written copy to ask hosts for php 4.3.

This info should be updated saying that 4.3 is the current minimum requirement but php 5 is recommended. 2.9 is scheduled for oct/nov isnt it ?

Whats the appropriate way to give feedback about WP.org ? Neither the wp.org component in trac or wp-docs list seems to be the
appropriate place.

John Myrstad

I think they should drop it as soon as possible =). People on servers using old PHP is probably the same ones that doesn't upgrade wordpress and then complain when hacked.

http://andreasnurbo.com/
Twitter:@andreasnrb

I disagree with this because most users are on shared hosting

The lord of every land, rising for them,
The Aton of the day, great of majesty.
Great Hymn of the Aton

They should upgrade to a better webhost, or get their webhost to upgrade the server.

Do any of the major web hosting companies support PHP4 by default anymore?

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