[CentOS] Re: PHP 5.2.5 when ?

[Morten Torstensen]

Michael A. Peters wrote:
> PHP is a module that adds functionality to Apache. The only parts of the 

PHP is the programming language that drives a large chunk of web 
applications out there. It is not just an apache module.

> Back to the point though, PHP is not a major component of RHEL/CentOS. 
> It the last part of a LAMP that gets installed, LAM does not need php, 
> php needs LAM (well, you could use Windows, IIS, Oracle ... so I guess 
> technically not ... but anyway ...)

The point is that replacing PHP and NOT replacing all the other pieces 
of glue (apache php modules, mysql php modules ...) breaks support and 
introduces many unknowns into the system. Many websites would not work 
if you ran it on just LAM, as the code is written in PHP and PHP needs 
to interact with the other components. In my book PHP is a major part of 
a web server.

PHP is a major component of LAMP and replacing it just because there is 
a new version of PHP out with some new features and maybe some bugfixes 
you don't need is NOT a good enough reason to go through all that 
hassle. YMMV. The upstream provider will backport fixes that are 
important enough to backport. With an enterprise distro of Linux, you 
make the apps work with what is in the base distro, NOT the other way 
around.

You can of course do whatever you want with the computers you control, 
but I really disagree that PHP is a minor component and that building 
your own is easy and with no consequences to talk about.

//Morten