By yautja_cetanu on

Hi guys,
We're having an issue install drupal 7. We get to the first page "select an install profile" and it appears not to load the template (Its a white page with only 1 blank option to select that doesn't do anything). I don't know if this is related but we recently found out our host only has php 5.1.6?

Now our host doesn't think there is much difference between 5.1.6 and 5.2.X? Could anyone direct me to some comparison that would explain why a developer might want a host to upgrade to the new version? I've search for comparisons but so far the only reason why people don't like 5.1.6 is "Its out of date"? Are there any specific reasons why it is better?

The only thing I can identify is:

- php 5.2.x is what everyone else uses and therefore its easier to have the same version for troubleshooting

⋅ Categories: Drupal 6.x, Drupal 7.x

Comments

cayenne’s picture

cayenne commented

For me, the biggest improvement is that PHP 5.2 has improved date handling, allowing us to use Drupal's date functions more efficiently.
There are reports supporting a claim of enhanced performance: http://www.improvedsource.com/view.php/PHP_v5_2_vs_PHP_v5_1/11/

Ultimately, you may simply need to vote with your wallet. Go to a host that will give you the capabilities you need. Even if you have to talk them into 5.2, will they really support it?

:)

coreyp_1’s picture

coreyp_1 commented

5.2 will be a requirement for many Open Source projects, including D7. They could lose customers by not supporting the proper version of PHP. See GoPHP5 for details.

For information on why 5.2 is better than 5.1, check out their FAQ.