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- PHP 5.2 reached end of life January 2011
- PHP 5.3 reached end of life March 2013
My webhost says I'm running PHP 5.3, 5.4, or 5.5…
More than likely though, it's available to you, but you're not running it yet.
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Now, see the DIY section below for solutions.
Plugins Affected
- Testimonials 2.16.0+
- Testimonials Premium 1.17.0+
- Custom Bulk/Quick Edit 1.3.0+
- Custom Bulk/Quick Edit Premium 1.3.0+
- GC Testimonials to Testimonials 1.0.0+
DIY – Fix The Problem
Which PHP Version?
PHP 5.3+ means PHP 5.3 or newer is required. So PHP 5.3, 5.4, or 5.5 should be fine. Truthfully, you should use PHP 5.5 so that you don't have to worry about this for a few more years again.
.htaccess Edit
On many web hosts, just add the following code to the top of your `.htaccess` file in your website root directory.
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AddHandler application/x-httpd-php53 .php .php5 .php4 .php3
cPanel
- Log into your control panel
- Select CGI and Scripted Language Support
- Select PHP Scripting
- In the Select Default PHP Version section, select version 5.3 or newer
Thank you Ascii King for cPanel guidance.
Delete via FTP
You can delete the offending plugin via FTP, get back into WordPress, and then upload one of the older Testimonials versions like http://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/testimonials-widget.2.15.1.zip that's available from http://wordpress.org/plugins/testimonials-widget/developers/.
Update Your PHP Version
Some web hosts allow you to change your PHP version. The links below should help you do so.
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- BlueHost
- GoDaddy
- Hostgator
- 1&1
- Visit www.1and1.co.uk/login to log in to the dashboard
- In Web Space section, click on Global PHP Version
- Select option 5.3 or newer for PHP Version from the drop down
Why PHP 5.3 or newer?
Axelerant is moving forward in developing using current technology and techniques. As such, at some points in time during software development a crossed bridge must be burned. So that we can use things like…
- Late Static Bindings
- Per PHP: If you are using these (end of life) releases, you are strongly urged to upgrade to a current version, as using older versions may expose you to security vulnerabilities and bugs that have been fixed in more recent versions of PHP.
After Updating, Clear Your Caches!
Still No Go…
The condition you mention is rare, but does happen when the server's main PHP version isn't PHP 5.3+ and the PHP 5.3+ configuration is via .htaccess or the like. A server change so that it's providing PHP 5.3+ by default will resolve things.
Wasn't Testing Done?
Yes!
These plugins go out to 30+ beta testers, several live and development sites, a multitude of tests are run, and coding standards are met before any release happens. Frankly, software releases are a major pain because of so much hassle in getting good enough testing completed.
More beta testers are always welcome. You get free licensing and support for the products you provide feedback upon.
WordPress Stats
I Can't Upgrade to PHP 5.3+
Then download and use the last PHP 5.2 compatible version.
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