Robbogeordie

For me that is both fair and realistic.  I have add-ons I can't live without and until they are updated the choice is update or keep those functions.   My current plan is to get a live site up and running 1.0.5.0 (I'm close) and then keep a development branch going that I can add updates to, both core and add-ons. Taking that to say 1.0.6.0 and when it's ready to release, I'll rinse and repeat.  Until the add-ons get to a point where they are not impacted by changes to the core I don't think it can be managed in any other way.  If there is, I'd certainly be interested in knowing. 
Dan
 

Here's how I fixed it.
I removed the recursive code that I'd put in my .htaccess and simply copied the php.ini file to my admin directory instead. Fopen On in admin
Voila, simple as that.

A new version has been uploaded with these changes:
Changed code to fix a 7.3 compatibility problem. Changed code to fix the character conversion option. Split into a Phoenix and non-Phoenix versions. The former accomplished by files supplied by @raiwa.