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coding for use on multiple servers

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 1:35 pm
by urieilam
Hello,

I have been developing a script base on php 5, using extensive simple_xml functions and gd. The script is part of a package that is intended for the users to upload and use on there own websites, i.e. there own servers. Now that it's almost finished, i'm starting to realize that it's problematic, since many servers have yet to upgrade to php 5 and/or don't have gd functions enabled.

So, basically, two questions. First, does anyone know how common it is to find servers that don't enable the two (php 5 and gd)?

Second, i've been thinking that a possibiltiy would be to have all scripts running on my server, and that once functions would be done (resizing an image, for example), the result would be sent back to the user's server. Should I use ftp functions to do this? Would that be supported by every server out there (for example, resizing the image, and then uploading it back to the user through an ftp connection, assuming i have a username and password)

Also, any other suggestions on the smartest way of building an application like this one would be really helüful.


Thanks,
Uri

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 8:48 pm
by feyd
The saturation of PHP 5 alone is fairly small compared to 4, although it is slowly growing.

Running as your own hosted service is certainly an option. I would suggest supporting multiple return avenues they can choose from. FTP support on a server (not necessarily enabled in PHP) is pretty common. The more transports you build options for, the more potential market this sort of thing can have.

You could increase your market greatly if you wrote if for PHP 4 however. Unless you are doing some very odd things, everything should be portable in some fashion.

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 9:49 pm
by Ambush Commander
To answer one of your questions, GD is commonly supported. You won't get it from dirt cheap hosts, but any reasonable one will have it. PHP 5 will be more the problem.

I agree that a hosted service could work very well for those without access to such a server.