Mac OS X - need advice regarding apache & php

[Dormilich]

hello,

I got Mac OS 10.5.5, PHP 5 and apache2. it is working fine so far but I noticed that the apple default php installation misses some features I need. so the obvious thing is to "upgrade" it.

basicly I found three ways:
- use the entropy package (but this won't get me the latest version)
- use macports (kind of apt for mac) (but I found that php was always installed together with apache2 (in the /opt/local/ directory), though with this I can stay with the latest versions)
- make a manual install (not sure if I don't crash my system with that)

my (decision) problem now is, that on the one hand side I'd like to use the original apache (why installing the same thing twice... which would count for entropy) and on the other hand side I'd like to have a decent php installation (which counts for macports)

any opinions welcome

[Dormilich]

after asking some of my friends, i eventually went for the macports option. got it up and running fine.

[gits]

why not using the manual install? i didn't ever do it on my mac - just using MAMP :) but it doesn't seem too difficult?

kind regards

[Dormilich]

I'm not that experienced in meddling with the base system. plus I have to remove the old php first (I think) so I felt uneasy about doing this. guess I consider MAMP next time.

regards

[gits]

... i'll try a manual install the next days ... just for trying ;) ... and let you know whether it worked or not ... hopefully i don't mess it up ... my good old G4 currently works quite good :) ... but since i said it doesn't seem too difficult i have to try for my own first ...

kind regards

[Dormilich]

note: I find the upgrade possibility in macports very useful since my ISP seems to keep its system always up to date.

[gits]

yes ... that seems quite nice and painless ... may be i need the hard way ;) ... just for me to say ... 'i did it once' *lol* ...

[Dormilich]

so (xml) god bless you. *coughcough*

[gits]

currently i'm doing my first time-machine backup ever to be prepared for the mess ;) ... i hope in the worst case my little powerMac will forgive me ...

[Dormilich]

*greedsparkling inmyeyes* wish I'd own a PowerMac too. only got as far as a PowerBook.

[gits]

i guess you don't want mine ;) ... its just a sonnet-upgraded good old G4 ... but i love it and currently i don't feel like having the need for a replacement ... it is quite enough for my webdev-needs ;)