Updating the setup_mysql file to replace the obsolete mysql_ calls with mysqli_ calls is a relatively minor change that ought to have been done long before now. Why hasn't it been done yet or are you waiting for the next version of PHP to be released in a few months time so as to have the script stop working?

MySQL itself can't be deprecated. All mySQL-related PHP extensions (mysqli, PDO, mysql) are just plug-ins to the default MySQL core, having minor differences in performance. mysqli is the same kind of PHP extension, it's not related to mySQL dev.

Yes, it's a sad fact that PHP developers are going to eliminate mysql module support in the future releases. But there's also another question, if most part of primary web developers (i.e. those developing private and small-to-medium websites) will whatever need all those OOP- and class-oriented changes. miniBB doesn't require all those new functions at all.

Definitely, as soon as PHP team will stop to support old mySQL module, we will re-program miniBB to support mysqli (or at least we will provide 2 different modules). You could be wrong saying that the script will stop working immediately after PHP announces that. All servers will continue to work, as soon as they will keep older versions of PHP. A few months time sounds a wrong term for that. I know that many servers still use PHP 4. PHP 6 may take few years for being installed widely. Admins are not crazy to create problems for themselves, they will wait until the last point when there's no other way that to upgrade.

It is NOT a sad fact that PHP is dropping the mysql interface that is filled with security holes.

The script did not stop working two years ago when PHP announced it was dropping support. They have provided a couple of years for people to upgrade their scripts.

The only crazy admins are those that wait until the last minute to upgrade their scripts. Most upgraded to either mysqli_ or PDO over a year ago. Only the lazy ones are yet to do so.

I've been lately reading about mysqli and have found this article quite helpful:

http://codular.com/php-mysqli

The article hasn't got much to tell about PDO, but it has some very clear code examples that even such a newbie like me can understand. :-)

It's going to take couple of years at least before reasonable hosts change remove PHP5.3, so there's no need to panic.

Don't you mess up something? PHP extensions are not about mySQL interface. They are just bridges to connect to mySQL database and interface.

If mysql extension has security holes, then it's a sick point of PHP team. They have coded the buggy one bridge and instead of fixing it, they have produced another two with new bugs.

What kind of two years are you about?

C'mon, if you read these posts from StackOverflow marked as posted in 2009, you will see very contrast opinions on that. Some quotes from there:

Your opinion is just your opinion. It doesn't mean it's the right one.

I must add that the current mysql extension is being so popular because it's extermely simple and flexible. If we don't have object-oriented side in miniBB, then why we, or some other simple website, would need object-oriented extensions plugged in? If we are about SQL injections, then it's up to the coders themselves to provide the secured code. mysqli should not take care of somebody because of it.