I’m wondering if a total rewrite of phpCollab using a PHP5 only MVC framework should be a good choice. This would give us some benefits such:
- a new/refreshed code more scalable
- unit testing
- php 5 objects
- PDO
- creole/propel
- i don’t know… other…
what do you think on a choice like this? You’ll use phpCollab if it will be compatible only with php 5? Or you prefer a classical php 4 application?
68 comments ↓
Most people still use PHP 4 so is it possible to have version 3 be compatible with PHP 4 as well?
PHP5 will produce a more future friendly orientation; just remember not all hosts are rolling out PHP5 yet so the target market could get crippled.
I saw many many people using phpcollab in their companies and they feel great with it. Also, I’ve seen many people modifying the phpcollab to adjust more to their needs.
PHP5 is great, but the idea that you’re gonna have to install an additional php5 on your php4-server (cause maybe you have applications that use exclusively php4) in order to use the new php-collab is not that “nice” I guess.
I’ll recommend a true PHP5 version, with the PHP4 version being maintained for some time (say, 1 year), such as fixing bugs and security problems.
That will give people some choice to stay using PHP4 (but probably with less options), and others to use the PHP5 version (with a cleaner and better maintainable codebase for example).
I think most people use PHP 4 as not all of them can migrate their servers that easily. For several months ahead my company will still be using PHP4. At least one more year. It would be great to have your PHP4 support for some more time.
I like the idea of going to PHP5 since that is what we run and use but was looking forward to a final release of phpCollab 2.5… does that mean we should not expect a stable 2.5 final?
PHP5 would be OK but please assure that the upgrade is well tested. We have dozens of projects and years of history in our PhpCollab installation. It is core to our business.
Hi,
I think that you should make 2 implementation branches like php does :
– a php5 version (most of your team works in this branch, and all new features are available in this branch)
– a php4 version (few members keep fixing the remaining bugs but no new features are developed)
I know its hard, but this is the only way to migrate to PHP5.
Thanks to these 2 branches, people will try the PHP5 branch on new PHP5 installs and will use it more and more. After 1 year of cohabitation, the PHP4 branch could be declared as dead (no more development).
(sorry for my poor english level)
What advantages would developing strictly for PHP5 bring? Certainly the OO stuff would make code a little cleaner and more maintainable. Couldn’t unit testing be accomplished under PHP4? Isn’t PDO available to PHP4 via PEAR/PECL?
I like the idea of more applications moving to PHP5 but the problem is that so many applications out there are still targetting PHP4. I run multiple PHP version (4 & 5) to cope with my needs but I’d rather be running just PHP5. I wouldn’t have a problem with the switch but the fact that most web hosts are in no hurry to upgrade to PHP5 is going to make any move forward difficult. Unfortunately I think hosting companies are actually holding application development back because so few have moved towards PHP5. But its a classic catch 22 scenario…
Well, I’m running phpcollab on php5 Site already without any major bugs.
I think that good idea. After all the phpCollab will install in own server (companies) then is easy have php5.
@ravage: after we’ll close some sf bugs the 2.5 stable will be released
@james: php 5 would be used for propel/creole, and for OO goodies (like try-catch), but that was an idea. I’d like to ear what the community users have to say about it;)
@all: actually there are only 2 active member in development, and I’m also very busy with my paid-full-time job so my development time isn’t enought to work on the old phpC code were there are an hell of dynamic library inclusion and code redundancies.
I’d like to have a very easy to manage code ;)
Btw if we’ll have a new branche for the 3rd version the php 2.5 will be patched if critical or security bugs will be found, but not more enhanced.
For some time my hosting got several otions to choose with php. I can choose different versions of php, 4 or 5, cgi or sapi etc.
I think moving to php5 would bring one more project that uses php5 and would bring more people thinking about the switch.
a refactor is (desparately) necessary for phpC 3.
whether or not you choose to code to php5 is totally up to you.
by the time v3 is stable, there won’t be very many people left without access to php5 :)
if learning the niceties of php5 will motivate you to develop more on phpC then that’s *definitely* what you should do :)
however, i’m skeptical about moving to an mvc framework, or other major architectural changes, unless there are specific features on the roadmap that require/become much easier with such a change.
PHP5 would be great.
I am running PHPCollab on top of PHP 5, and till now no problems at all.
No question, use Symfony…develop the new version. Don’t get stuck behind.
eugene: if I’ll use a framework symfony will be the chosen one
I am a php programmer for some time now (started with php4) and i started a big new project on php5 (a standalone application server) some months ago and I really want to say that it really feels like a different language if you use the OOP features included in php5.
Some things are still handled in a strange way (i found a problem with private method inheritance but the php team didn’t considered it as a bug) but everything else works well, the PDO library is also well done even if there are some missing features and the new DOM XML parser library is a really welcome addition since the old one was quite strange.
I dont belive that php 5 is a good idea for comercial aspects.
Not everyone or many hosts are php 5 ready, I don’t think everyone has control over there server to be able to upgarde to php 5.
Preping it for php 5 would stop a lot of shared server people from using it…. Lets face it, 15% of webmasters have complete control of there servers, meaning 85% of people could not install it.
It also depends on release date…………..
I just wanted to add that there is another PHP5 framework that looks promising: QCodo ( http://www.qcodo.com ) , I just wanted to show you in case you didn’t knew about it.
I didn’t really used any of those so I can’t suggest one of the other.
I suggest use eZ components (http://ez.no/products/ez_components)….it seems be great!
I suggest to use Drupal framework (www.drupal.org).
I used creole/propel in a project and i can say one thing: IT IS SLOW AS HELL!!!
I don’t mind building a php5 module to run phpCollab. If that’s what it takes to get the development ball rolling again, so be it!
Most important to me is that someone start working on it again, fixing (some pretty outstanding) bugs, refining the user-interface, and adding features.
In particular, the PostgreSQL code is buggy to the point of being useless. I had to patch the sources several times to get it to work at all (people have posted bug-fixes for at least some of these problems at the tracker – it is a mystery to me why they haven’t been applied to the mainline), and many features still do not work (particularly generating reports).
Every server i’ve seen has PHP5.
I’m all for improvements/forward-thinking/etc
Switch.
It’s a good idea.
But keep the old version to download.
I think it’s a good idea, particularly the plan suggested by manitra and others — develop the new version on PHP5 and put the old PHP4 version in maintenance mode.
For frameworks, I’d take a look at the new Zend Framework too.
Man,
I would like to see collab available on php 4 too.. We have a lot things running under this version..
Thanks a lot and keep the great work.
No please!
Keep it backward compatible… (PHP4).
How about just have a part of the team branch phpcollab to do a php5/OOP implementation?
PHP projects should embrace the OOP using PHP5 for the better aceptance of the language as a professional language, is time to regrite a lot of things thats the nature of eXtrem Programming.
phpCollab 3 only for PHP 5?
phpCollab 3 only for PHP 5? phpCollab is an open-source internet-enabled collaboration workspace for project teams. Modeled on Macromedia Sitespring, phpCollab architecture allows for the consulting team to share information with each other in one spac…
This site is unbelievable :-). The posts on this blog are right on target. Keep the site rocking.Fantastic job.
Feel the power of PHP 5 :p
PHP4 is a standard today but tomorrow ???
It’s better to begin with future technologies to have a standard application when coding is done…
Maybe it’s a good idea to continue with 2.x/PHP4 for a time and make the 3.x for PHP5
I think it could be a good but it depends on the php mvc framework that will used. I don’t know any worth mvc framework for php so far.
I wouldn’t mind if you go for PHP5 at all. Even the most conservative hosters are providing PHP5 support now and anything that improves developer efficiency and makes errors less likely is a good thing.
As a developer, I’d also be happy if you used PHP5 features. Especially robust error handling through throw..catch instead of another one of of these complicated user-written error management systems. Makes the writing of add-ons much easier!
I think it is very good idea to rewrite the code to PHP5 using it’s enchanced object model.
Bear in mind that great plans for the future are all well and good, but usually mean the development stalls. You’ll have to keep a PHP5 and a PHP4 version available, and maintain both – if you don’t then one will suffer and some people will get upset (and vocal).
I think, if you want to make the system better, then firstly make sure what you have is compatible with PHP5 – especially the MySQL queries, and then work your way through the existing codebase refactoring it.
Once PHP5 has reached a more significant user-installed base, then woudl be the time to start using PHP5-only features.
Is the development on php-collab going on or stopped?
There is no new version released quite a long time has passed. No activity on this site from Fullo [the site owner]. If you people have stopped the development, I will continue the project on my own.
Most of the code in phpc runs fine under PHP4/5 with little or no mods. With that being said, PHP5 will eventually become mainstream and at the rate the releases rollout it might be a good idea to get it started now.
A php5 application would be great, I switched to php5 objects about 6 months ago for all my projects and the benefits are huge
selfexile: the cvs is updated with security patch and fixes. Actually the only two developers are Mindblender and me but both of us are very busy by our jobs.
If you want to contribute feel free to send me a mail…
php4
Here’s an idea: do it using the CakePHP framework which works for both PHP4 and PHP5. Plus the development will go 100x faster.
I’m wondering if a total rewrite of phpCollab using a PHP5 only MVC framework should be a good choice. This would give us some benefits such:
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In my opinion, the only way to build a good application which is both futureproof and scalable is in php5.
I’ll throw in a vote for CodeIgniter framework, which is compatible with both PHP4 and PHP5 straight out of the box.
I’m using phpcollab under PHP5 with no problems! If you need make this upgrade, no problems!
PROUT!!!
PHP5 all the way.
I’ll boost interest on new developers (which is very important), and probably in the current ones (which is more important).
PHP5 also is becoming more and more common. We shouldn’t stay behind.
For a framework. I’ll say symfony is the best one out there. We’ve used it, and if you don’t like propel, the phpDoctrine ORM library is available for symfony as well and for me is way better than any other.
Definitely branch version 3 into php5 only. with some intial commit to maintain version 2 with patches and security fixes only would be my suggestion. I think in the longterm it makes sense to move code there you ither do it now or play catch up and do it later. Best of luck. and great work so far.
PHP 5 forever.
By the way, you’ll have to make the step one day or another.
Try to begin and you’ll quickly forget php4 world.
With only 2 active developers you have to make a decision to go one way or the other. I suggest php5. There is no sense in doing a high-dive into the shallow end of the pool. Hand the php4 version over to the open source community and someone will gladly take over. Focus on 5 and do it right.
Please develop it for PHP 5 only. The PHP API’s are now quite stable, and developing for one version, which is implemented on essentially all major hosting providers is a smart choice. Only developing for one version ensures quality control, and better documentation when it is finished. I will provide some assistance with usability testing when it comes time, but my hope is that it is only written for PHP 5. I value quality over compatibility always.
Most people use PHP4 because they’re afraid. If you were building this application in PHP5, I’d be very tempted to assign a developer to spend 8 hours per week helping.
[…] phpCollab 3 only for PHP 5? […]
your competitors are redmine and trak, use new php stuff(also to attract developers) or lose users
Forget about php4. Php5 is on the market for a long time now. And with php5, php has become a real object oriented language, where php4 missed too much of the real stuff.
phpcollab is desparately in need of an mvc rewrite. The current code is too ugly to touch. Please look into codeigniter for a good mvc, and don’t touch the dark friend cake-php.
I totally agree with WebTrooper, since php.net stopped support for php 4 its only logical to go with PHP 5. MVC / OOP is definately the way to go…
good blog, thank you.
Complete newbie; respectfully submit that you develop with an eye toward php6.
Be carefull, I’m trying phpC 2.5 and it seems to be quite stable. I have to check it very well, but writing it again from scratch will cost a lot in terms of desing, development and bug fixing. So plan a new release but remember that there are no guarantee that phpC 3 will be good as php 2.5
Only PHP 5. Don’t waste your precious time on anything else. Keep running!
hi, i am using phpcollab 2.5RC1 and php5, mysql5 and something misfits. the function create customer doesn’t open a formular but generates a blank site.
does anybody know how to solve this bug?
thx, conrad
I think that a new php5 phpC should be done with a framework, it will help the development and make it easy. The new Mambo version is done with cakephp.
I also like drupal, it’s at the same time a framework and a cms, this mean that if phpC go to Drupal framework, can be mixed with more of 5000 modules that Drupal have. Also there are some books to learn to build new modules to Drupal, check Appress book and Pack Publish.
Oskar
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