The script below uses PHP implementation of XML_RPC to retrieve a list of latest version of PEAR packages.

<?php
require_once('XML/RPC.php');

$client = new XML_RPC_Client('/xmlrpc.php', 'pear.php.net');

$args[0] = new XML_RPC_Value;
$args[0]->addScalar("XML_RPC", $XML_RPC_String);
$msg = new XML_RPC_Message('package.info', $args);

$result = $client->send($msg);

if ($result->faultCode()) {
    die($result->faultString());
}

$info = XML_RPC_decode($result->value());
$release = array_shift($info['releases']);

echo <<< XML_RPC_INFO

Package        {$info['name']}
Summary         {$info['summary']}
Description     {$info['description']}
Category    {$info['category']}
Maintainers     {$release['doneby']}
Version         {$info['stable']}
Release Date    {$release['releasedate']}
Release License {$info['license']}
Release State   {$release['state']}
Release Notes   {$release['releasenotes']}

XML_RPC_INFO;
?>