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PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff member, director says
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Kwerl
lemmy.zip
lavenie@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-09-28
Posted: · edited   Subject: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff member, director says Quote

355   Original
gollumsfish
lemmy.zip
gollumsfish@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-10-04
#2 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Yk what isn’t understaffed? Other, better languages.

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dudeface
lemmy.world
dudeface@lemmy.world
Joined: 2026-06-20
#3 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

[deleted]
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Maestro
fedia.io

Maestro@fedia.io
Joined: 2024-03-17
#4 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

[deleted]

Because it was targeted at facebook's unique use case, poorly supported, abd didn't keep up with upstream changes.

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DrCake
lemmy.world
DrCake@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-24
#5 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

[deleted]

Because it’s Facebook

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red_tomato
lemmy.world
red_tomato@lemmy.world
Joined: 2025-12-30
#6 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Yk what isn’t understaffed? Other, better languages.

There might be “better” languages, but PHP is still used by ~70% of the web.

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trojanbark
lemmy.world
trojanbark@lemmy.world
Joined: 2026-10-13
#7 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Yk what isn’t understaffed? Other, better languages.

damn you better go tell them

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UiUiUiUiUi
piefed.nl

UiUiUiUiUi@piefed.nl
Joined: 2026-09-24
#8 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

[deleted]

Not sure why the php foundation didn’t look at frankenphp and said yes this will be the software for php9

NIH i guess

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ThirdConsul
lemmy.zip
ThirdConsul@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-01-03
#9 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

There might be “better” languages, but PHP is still used by ~70% of the web.

So what. It's like saying hunger is good because most people are hungry.

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abbadon420
sh.itjust.works
abbadon420@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2025-06-28
#10 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Yk what isn’t understaffed? Other, better languages.

You're right. Also, spoken language is much better than written language, let's get rid of written language as well.

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communism
lemmy.ml

communism@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2024-03-19
#11 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

So what. It's like saying hunger is good because most people are hungry.

They, notably, did not say that PHP was good.

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gollumsfish
lemmy.zip
gollumsfish@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-10-04
#12 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

There might be “better” languages, but PHP is still used by ~70% of the web.

I’m aware of that. I’m questioning it still being used.

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gollumsfish
lemmy.zip
gollumsfish@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-10-04
#13 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

They, notably, did not say that PHP was good.

Neither did I.

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gollumsfish
lemmy.zip
gollumsfish@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-10-04
#14 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

damn you better go tell them

Well somebody has to if people still use it

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gollumsfish
lemmy.zip
gollumsfish@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-10-04
#15 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

You're right. Also, spoken language is much better than written language, let's get rid of written language as well.

Comparing concepts to implementations.

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Alex
lemmy.ml
stsquad@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2023-06-09
#16 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

I’m aware of that. I’m questioning it still being used.

A large installed base of web apps including giants like Wordpress combined with a desire not to migrate when something is working.

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Zak
lemmy.world

Zak@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-11
#17 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

There might be “better” languages, but PHP is still used by ~70% of the web.

That number is a bit questionable:

  • It only includes sites where the server-side language can be detected. That's often easy with PHP because of URLs ending in .php and well-known software like Wordpress which identifies itself in ways that are easy for a crawler to detect.
  • It counts sites, not traffic. There are a lot of Wordpress sites out there which get three visitors a month.
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4am
lemmy.zip
4am@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2025-06-23
#18 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

That number is a bit questionable: It only includes sites where the server-side language can be detected. That's often easy with PHP because of URLs ending in .php and well-known software like Wordpress which identifies itself in ways that are easy for a crawler to detect. It counts sites, not traffic. There are a lot of Wordpress sites out there which get three visitors a month.

It only includes sites where the server-side language can be detected. That's often easy with PHP because of URLs ending in .php and well-known software like Wordpress which identifies itself in ways that are easy for a crawler to detect.

So there are possibly more PHP sites out there than we realize, because the ones which disguise their URLs are ambiguous

It counts sites, not traffic. There are a lot of Wordpress sites out there which get three visitors a month.

You shouldn’t be as concerned with popularity, and much more concerned with attack surface. Your argument certainly can’t be that there are thousands of idle servers out there that should no longer be maintained because no one reads the blog hosted on them?

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4am
lemmy.zip
4am@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2025-06-23
#19 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Neither did I.

Ok, make them all change then. Exercise your authority.

Oh? No one has any so it’s important to maintain existing infrastructure for the best outcomes?

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red_tomato
lemmy.world
red_tomato@lemmy.world
Joined: 2025-12-30
#20 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

That number is a bit questionable: It only includes sites where the server-side language can be detected. That's often easy with PHP because of URLs ending in .php and well-known software like Wordpress which identifies itself in ways that are easy for a crawler to detect. It counts sites, not traffic. There are a lot of Wordpress sites out there which get three visitors a month.

Wordpress is still commonly used for e-commerce. You’re probably visiting more PHP sites than you realize.

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CosmicDebris
lemmy.dbzer0.com
CosmicDebris@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2026-10-23
#21 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Yk what isn’t understaffed? Other, better languages.

Got a proper alternative to Nextcloud that's not php? O.o

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A_A
lemmy.world

A_A@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-13
#22 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Why didn't we have a meme with these wobbly piles of blocks representing the internet structure having one tiny pillar identified as PHP yet ?

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neclimdul
lemmy.world
neclimdul@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-01
#23 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

[deleted]

because it didn't support the same features and ended up being a fork of the language called hack.

since it wasnt a replacement and would have required lot of software to be modified or in some cases like wordpress and drupal largely rewritten it never saw wide adoption.

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xangadix
lemmy.world
xangadix@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-30
#24 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Because it’s Facebook

The world seemed eager enough to use React, though

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xangadix
lemmy.world
xangadix@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-30
#25 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Is the director the only staff member? Does he want a raise?

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neclimdul
lemmy.world
neclimdul@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-01
#26 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Not sure why the php foundation didn’t look at frankenphp and said yes this will be the software for php9 NIH i guess

i think this comment misunderstands what frankenphp and the foundation are.

  • its supports php because it is php. its built on top by loading it as a library. it doesnt implement the language so is not and does not want to be a replacement.
  • the foundation doesn't choose where the language goes. They support development in various ways but language design goes through an rfc process influenced by lots of people.
  • frankenphp does come up in devel mailing list discussions. i think its largely thought it being an external project is a stregth but also closely part of the project.
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woelkchen
lemmy.world

woelkchen@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-12
#27 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

[deleted]

I am not sure why the world didn’t switch to that

Not invented here syndrome by PHP Foundation and downstream users use whatever the default is.

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dudeface
lemmy.world
dudeface@lemmy.world
Joined: 2026-06-20
#28 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

because it didn't support the same features and ended up being a fork of the language called hack. since it wasnt a replacement and would have required lot of software to be modified or in some cases like wordpress and drupal largely rewritten it never saw wide adoption.
[deleted]
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youmaynotknow
lemmy.zip

jjlinux@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2025-07-24
#29 Posted: · edited   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Maybe the 'director' should be helping then?

Oh, OK. That's much better 😁

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Zagorath
quokk.au
Zagorath@quokk.au
Joined: 2025-06-27
#30 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

That number is a bit questionable: It only includes sites where the server-side language can be detected. That's often easy with PHP because of URLs ending in .php and well-known software like Wordpress which identifies itself in ways that are easy for a crawler to detect. It counts sites, not traffic. There are a lot of Wordpress sites out there which get three visitors a month.

and well-known software like Wordpress

Sorry, but you're using the fact that PHP is used by the framework that makes up about 40% of the web on its own as an argument against the claim that PHP might be on as much as 70% of all websites? That's before you start getting into other platforms like Drupal and MediaWiki, or more general-purpose frameworks like Laravel.

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Carl
anarchist.nexus
Carl@anarchist.nexus
Joined: 2026-06-08
#31 Posted: · edited   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Is the director the only staff member? Does he want a raise?

“We have one full-time staff member (that's me) and 14 mostly ​part-time contractors,” Executive Director Elizabeth Barron of the PHP Foundation said via ⁠email in an interview on Friday. Board members are unpaid volunteers, and funding ​comes from donations and grants.

Sounds more like she is stretched thin, and pointing out how unsustainable the current model is. Only one person dedicated to maintaining a programming language that ~70% of the internet uses is the perfect example of that xkcd “all modern infrastructure, vs one obscure person who has thanklessly been maintaining a project since 1997” meme.

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Rambomst
lemmy.world
Rambomst@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-31
#32 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Maybe the 'director' should be helping then? Oh, OK. That's much better 😁

The director is the full time dev... Read the article.

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ripcord
lemmy.world

ripcord@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-10
#33 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

[deleted]

Very little

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ripcord
lemmy.world

ripcord@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-10
#34 Posted: · edited   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Neither did I.
[deleted]
1
youmaynotknow
lemmy.zip

jjlinux@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2025-07-24
#35 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

The director is the full time dev... Read the article.

Thanks for clarifying, but I'm not going to go into Reuters, or any of those ad-ridden sites, like ever.

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reader
lemmy.zip
reader@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-02-19
#36 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

who in the hell writes in notepad?

10
neclimdul
lemmy.world
neclimdul@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-01
#37 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

[deleted]

the foundation didn't exist so that one staff member didn't exist. the foundation doesn't direct development either, they sponsor development and otherwise help to fund the project.

there is not fault either. hhvm was never a php project. they happened in parallel and there was a lot of good feelings at the time and efforts to collaborate. facebook ended up releasing hack lang and the projects drifted apart.

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PlantJam
lemmy.world
PlantJam@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-11
#38 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

who in the hell writes in notepad?

I have a few PHP scripts that I maintain. I use Notepad++ like a normal person, though.

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assa123
lemmy.world
assa123@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-12
#39 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Why didn't we have a meme with these wobbly piles of blocks representing the internet structure having one tiny pillar identified as PHP yet ?

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assa123
lemmy.world
assa123@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-12
#40 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

who in the hell writes in notepad?

one who programs in PHP, apparently, but not all PHP programmers use notepad , some use nano and others ed. /jk

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AHemlocksLie
lemmy.zip
AHemlocksLie@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2024-03-10
#41 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

[deleted]

What, so if Meta can throw enough money at it, they can just hijack the project?

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A_A
lemmy.world

A_A@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-13
#42 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Exactly, many thanks 👍 !

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Venia Silente
lemmy.dbzer0.com
veniasilente@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2025-06-09
#43 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

[deleted]

Zero.

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Kaerkob
lemmy.world
Kaerkob@lemmy.world
Joined: 2025-06-15
#44 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Yk what isn’t understaffed? Other, better languages.

Of course. And that fact didn't prevent what happened this week.

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xangadix
lemmy.world
xangadix@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-30
#45 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

“We have one full-time staff member (that's me) and 14 mostly ​part-time contractors,” Executive Director Elizabeth Barron of the PHP Foundation said via ⁠email in an interview on Friday. Board members are unpaid volunteers, and funding ​comes from donations and grants. Sounds more like she is stretched thin, and pointing out how unsustainable the current model is. Only one person dedicated to ...

Yes I understand, I should have added a /s to that comment. I even have a version of that cartoon above my desk.

5
T. Hex
lemmy.dbzer0.com
0x0@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2023-08-16
#46 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

who in the hell writes in notepad?

Hey, we can't all afford syntax highlighting

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🌞 Alexander Daychilde 🌞
lemmy.world

daychilde@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-13
#47 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

You're right. Also, spoken language is much better than written language, let's get rid of written language as well.

reply.wav

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flop_leash_973
lemmy.world
flop_leash_973@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-08
#48 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Its not just PHP, or even just software and digital infrastructure. Most average people would be appalled to get a look behind the curtain of how a great many things they depend on every day are operated once it is not sexy anymore and just fades into the background of the machinery that keeps the lights on and their lives going.

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skaffi
infosec.pub

skaffi@infosec.pub
Joined: 2024-07-06
#49 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

one who programs in PHP, apparently, but not all PHP programmers use notepad , some use nano and others ed. /jk

Yo, I got syntax highlighting up in my nano!

1
Scrollone
lemmy.zip
Scrollone@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-10-12
#50 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Hey, we can't all afford syntax highlighting

Syntax highlighting? In this economy?

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HertzDentalBar
lemmy.blahaj.zone
HertzDentalBar@lemmy.blahaj.zone
Joined: 2024-12-26
#51 Posted:   Subject: Re: PHP Foundation 'under-funded' with one full-time staff me... Quote Reply

Its not just PHP, or even just software and digital infrastructure. Most average people would be appalled to get a look behind the curtain of how a great many things they depend on every day are operated once it is not sexy anymore and just fades into the background of the machinery that keeps the lights on and their lives going.

Many industries are this way, people don't seem to realize it's only in some cases two or three people in an entire region that are keeping some key peice of equipment going. Like shit even our infrastructure is that now, we used to have people on site everywhere monitoring but now so much is just a guy in an office doing the work of 50 people.

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