By supporting both versions of PHP, Easy CGI claims to makes it possible for customers to use different types of Web pages.

Easy CGI, a Microsoft-certified hosting partner, has announced that its shared-hosting customers now have the choice of building new Web pages, with more powerful database options, using PHP 5.2.4, or continuing to enjoy full support for their PHP 4.4.4 Web pages.

The company has added PHP 5.2.4 support for those of its customers who want increased levels of interactivity, greater speed and enhanced usability features. However, since legacy PHP scripts may not run on the newest version of PHP, Easy CGI is committed to letting customers choose either version of PHP on any directories within their Websites.

The company states that it has undertaken extensive testing to make sure that adding PHP 5 support will not adversely affect any of its hosting customers. It also provides customers with a Web-based hosting control panel that lets them toggle easily between the two PHP versions.

Improvements over PHP 4 that are available in PHP5 include

    * better support for object oriented programming and MySQL
    * an integrated suite of interoperable XML tools
    * better error handling
    * improved SOAP handling (for Websites with network firewall concerns)
    * more flexible and powerful data handling tools

The decision to support both versions represents a departure from industry norms, says Ted Beckwith, Vice President of Easy CGI: "For most hosting companies, when new versions of applications come out, it becomes a challenge to support current customers while catering to new ones. Easy CGI is able to accommodate both by offering the best of both world's when it comes to PHP."