PSoft needs to allow for GD 2.0 in php

[mustard]

I've recently learned that the GD library has been downgraded from 2.0 to 1.62 on all unix servers due to a conflict with psoft.

This has killed clients that I have that require a backend to uploading images on their site. One major function that is needed is image resamling only provided in GD 2.0 It is the difference between good images and bad images.

This is a resampled image only available in 2.0
http://www.craftymind.com/tools/resampled.jpg

And this is a resized image available in 1.62
http://www.craftymind.com/tools/resized.jpg

One could *possibly* argue that the second one still isn't too bad and doesn't warrant psoft being upgraded to handle a few minor functions, but that argument holds little weight for the customer when the image is 400 by 400 and part of an image gallery.

I hate to give the typical disgruntled customer huff and say I'm leaving Matrix Web Hosting, but if this problem can't get fixed, we will honestly need to find another hosting company.

Thanks

[admin]

Well I would hate to see you go.. But we are trying to see if we can run 2.0 with out messing up other scripts that psoft has installed for Site Studio.

We are testing unix4 right now to see if when we install gd2.0 is when it messes up there script. If this is so we will have to keep it downgraded till Psoft does release the update. I have already told psoft about this problem and I am going to post it on there site as well..

This is something that is a little out of our control.. :(

[admin]

I also put a post on psofts site to see what they have to say. I more less copied what you said it should get the point to them. I will also let you know how our testing goes on unix4 as well..

http://www.forum.psoft.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2572

[Theoddity]

This is a big hit on us because we've created a content management system for all our clients in php using the GDlib 2 on Unix1. Now suddenly, we're hosed. It's crashed the scripts we used for our customers and thrown a major monkeywrench into our schedule. Please try to get Unix4 working soon! This is very bad for us.

[admin]

Last i heard unix4 still had it going and still no problems. I sent 2 emails to psoft to findout what script would mess up if we did change this. So far our tests show every thing is fine. If any would like to test this with an account on unix4 please do. SS is where we first say the problem not sure if any of the other pre-installed scripts will have any issues.

[Theoddity]

How do we test an account on Unix4? Can I move an existing account over there?

[somereseller]

I'm in the same situation. GD 2.0.4 is needed.

But I still find it pretty unacceptable to downgrade a server without warning.
And, yes, a forum post is not enough. I don't have a cron job that will parse this forum against the "update" word to remind me of changes. I need to receive important communications in my inbox.

A customer owes me a lot of money for a website that uses the GD 2 and I have to show the website to him this week and now without warning I cannot get my money because of this. I have no explanation to give him. Money doesn't grow on trees, I need a reliable host. Matrix was getting better, but this is a joke. Who owns the servers, you or Psoft?

We all look like fools because of this.

I appreciate the fact that you are testing a new setup on unix4, but why did you chose to downgrade in the fisrt place? Were you experiencing serious problems with this setup? I thought things were a lot more stable the past month.

[somereseller]

So...When will we be back up?

[Theoddity]

We really need to get this working. What can we do as far as getting customers over to Unix4 or getting GD 2 back on previous servers?

[somereseller]

There something that I dont understand. We don't have GD 2.0 because it breaks some lousy default counter, but GD2 is intalled on unix4.

So first of all it breaks server consistency and second of all the counter argument is really weak if we can afford to break it on one server.

Why not have GD2 on all servers? Those servers are ours, for our customers, we know what's best for them. Are there really resellers that have expressed their need of the counter over GD 2?

Matrix has the control on what gets installed on newly created accounts, so I guess they could just replace the default counter with a new one, no?

[hostnet]

Hello,
I am working on this problem. I am not going to break something on 800 accounts to allow 30 accounts to work with something. I am doing the best I can to work this out. I have already put unix 4 back to its original state. gd2.0 breaks the counter sorry not much i can do about it right now.

I am looking into other counters we could posibly use and trying to get psoft to help with this as well.

Oh and just so you understand something these servers are not yours they are mine. I have final say in what happens... period.
I will always try and do the best I can to make comprimises and such to the masses but thats it. I have to prioritize keeping the control panel working properly at all times.

[somereseller]

What if the owners of those 800 accounts don't care if it's broken because they are resold by resellers who offer better alternatives?

I know you own the server, but do you mean that you mix up your customers with ours??? If yes this would answer question 1

Ok about unix4, so now we have consistency back which is good imho.

What does GD2 has to do with the stability of the control panel??? I thought it was just preventing a default CGI from showing an image of the current counter.

[hostnet]

While it does not affect the stability of the server it breaks a part of the control panel. that is not acceptable. I mean lets apply this else where. what if one or two customers need seomthing that would break the chat part or the bbs part or any number of other things. The minute your customer called you about this I am sure I would see a new post on this forum titled something like

"Vortech can't even keep their preinstalled scripts working" or something similar to that affect.
I am sorry that you though gd 2.0 would be a permanent fixture. theres nothing I can do about this.

[somereseller]

OK, you install new stuff, it does not work, you take it back. It takes what? Maximum a week? No problem. The person who asked is disapponted but one understands that we cannot break the cp with new features. He can always ask Psoft to move it to get this new feat in the next revision.

You've installed GD 2.0...5 Months ago...Don't you think it would have been a better idea to just let it in the servers and try to fix what has been broken for 5 months? Would 2-4 weeks really have made a difference to the poor souls who had a broken counter for 5 months? Let's face it, many things don't work in the CP, we all wait for the next revisions in hope of a better experience. Psoft has not removed non working "features" in the past, why start here, I wonder...

[hostnet]

because gd 2.0 was only installed on one server

[admin]

I am closing this post out. At this point we can't support GD 2.0. I am looking at removing the counter all together from the pre-installed scripts on the unix side. If i can do this I will upgrade all the servers to 2.0.

But I am not going to mess up something in the CP that I know can work by using GD 1.X

I am working on removing the scripts now and will post back here once I have it done and tested but as of right now there is nothing else that can done or needs to be said on this matter.

Thank you for your feedback.

[admin]

Pick one

http://www.matrixreseller.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=654