[Dropped] PHP 5.3 Support

[steeffeen]

Hey there!

So we've been trying to completely support PHP 5.3
Though it makes some of the code for building features efficiently kind of obstructed.
Moreover plugin authors would have to support 5.3 as well, limiting the freedom.

Note: Official support for 5.3 drops in July 2014!
Source: PHP 5.3 Reaching End of Life

Please take a look at this poll and think about whether it's actually necessary to support PHP5.3 before answering.

Regards,
Steff

[The_Big_Boo]

As it seems I'm only one who voted for 5.3 support at the moment, I'll explain my point of view (and also for you to know who voted for this option, so you don't think someone really wants 5.3 support in case I'm staying the only one ^_^)

Though I agree that people should move on at least 5.4, I think supporting 5.3 isn't that hard and isn't really limiting freedom. The "new features" of 5.4 as listed by the PHP team are mainly syntaxic sugar than real additions:

- Support for traits has been added.

Not that useful. It's a way to do multiple inheritance, which should be avoided except in really particular cases.

- Short array syntax has been added, e.g. $a = [1, 2, 3, 4]; or $a = ['one' => 1, 'two' => 2, 'three' => 3, 'four' => 4];.
- Function array dereferencing has been added, e.g. foo()[0].
- Closures now support $this.
- <?= is now always available, regardless of the short_open_tag php.ini option.
- Class member access on instantiation has been added, e.g. (new Foo)->bar().
- Class::{expr}() syntax is now supported.

Syntaxic sugar.

- Binary number format has been added, e.g. 0b001001101.

Rarely useful.

- Improved parse error messages and improved incompatible arguments warnings.

Not essential for users, only for developpers.

- The session extension can now track the upload progress of files.
- Built-in development web server in CLI mode.

Server controllers aren't concerned.


Anyway, if people who want to use ManiaControl already have 5.4 or can update to 5.4, you shouldn't even care about that question. ^_^

Edit: btw, 5.5 has what I consider as a great addition: the "finally" keyword.

[steeffeen]

- Closures now support $this.

Syntaxic sugar.

that's actually the main reason

to use closures you have to pass all variables that you want to access with a use() statement to the closure
like the local object $this, the maniacontrol object and private properties
private method access is impossible, too

[steeffeen]

Alright.
It's official: We will go with the time and only support PHP 5.4 or higher!

P.s. I apologise for those who would like to keep using 5.3

[nighthawk4571]

* Gee that was a quick vote, taken while we Aussies were sleeping! I am writing this post at 6:00am

** I tend to agree with The_Big_Boo on his points but then, we are not really in control of these tools, so the authors will do whatever they choose and we will have to accept that.

*** I have no confidence in upgrading my PHP until 5.4 or 5.5 or whatever is at least as stable as 5.3. My server runs on Linux CentOS 6.5 and PHP 5.4 is a risky choice at the moment. This server is racked and is 200km away from my place, costs me quite a bit to lease each month, hosts email, web services as well well as game servers, so I don't like to mess with the OS too much.

**** I would like to use tools like ManiaControl and eXpansion on some of my servers (have used xaseco and XAseco2 for years) but I am happy to check in from time-to-time and see if future developments will work for me.

So although I was snoring during the voting period, I guess I would have gone with Choice No. 2, as I will stick with Xymph's# tools until other choices become compatible (and better if that's really possible ) for me.

The wording in Choice No. 3 looks like the decision was already made anyway:
"No, ManiaControl should move on and make use of the new features in PHP5.4!" ... is not exactly a neutral question is it?

Thanks guys and keep up your good work. Don't be discouraged if things get a bit difficult at times because what you are doing for the TM Community is more than millions of people could even think of trying (including me!)

Cheers

# Xymph is a legend - he will live forever!

[steeffeen]

* Gee that was a quick vote, taken while we Aussies were sleeping! I am writing this post at 6:00am

you did have time to vote during the last 4 days
are you really sleeping that long?

The wording in Choice No. 3 looks like the decision was already made anyway:
"No, ManiaControl should move on and make use of the new features in PHP5.4!" ... is not exactly a neutral question is it?

if we would put 3 neutral votes the poll would be kind of useless ^.^

[nighthawk4571]

you did have time to vote during the last 4 days
are you really sleeping that long?

Really?! I check the forums at least once every day and I didn't see this vote. My apologies... must be going blind.

The wording in Choice No. 3 looks like the decision was already made anyway:
"No, ManiaControl should move on and make use of the new features in PHP5.4!" ... is not exactly a neutral question is it?

if we would put 3 neutral votes the poll would be kind of useless ^.^[/quote]

Fair enough. So it's called "PHP5.4!" and not "PHP5.4" ? Language is a powerful tool.

Cheers