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| <TITLE>IBM joins the Apache Project, | |
| Plans to bundle and support the Apache HTTP Server</TITLE> | |
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| <H2 align=center>IBM joins the Apache Project,<br> | |
| Plans to bundle and support the Apache HTTP Server</H2> | |
| <P> | |
| INTERNET - June 22, 1998 - The Apache Group announced today that they are | |
| entering into an engineering partnership with IBM for development of the | |
| open-source Apache HTTP server software. IBM will be contributing | |
| engineering manpower and technology to the project, and will be | |
| incorporating the award-winning Apache software into the IBM line of | |
| WebSphere Application Server software, as well as providing support and | |
| services for the Apache platform. A technical representative from IBM will | |
| be joining the Apache Group, which directs the Apache development effort. | |
| <P> | |
| The Apache Group is a non-profit international organization comprised of | |
| individuals who jointly develop software for serving World Wide Web pages | |
| from Unix and NT systems. The Apache HTTP server software is available at | |
| no cost, with an open-source license. Several other companies sell | |
| derivative products and services based on the Apache distribution. Apache | |
| and Apache-based software runs on over half of the Web sites on the | |
| Internet, according to numbers published by Netcraft Ltd. | |
| <P> | |
| "This is a major endorsement of the open-source software development model, | |
| and of the quality of the code we have developed," said Brian Behlendorf, | |
| Apache Group member. "IBM will benefit by having a world-class Web serving | |
| solution to offer to its customers; the Apache Group, and by proxy all users | |
| of Apache or Apache-derived software, will benefit through contributions | |
| back to the project by IBM developers." | |
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| Paraic Sweeney, vice president of IBM's WebSphere Application Server | |
| Marketing, said, "IBM is pleased to join the Apache Group, and in | |
| shipping the Apache HTTP Server with the WebSphere Application Server, | |
| IBM is providing customers with commercial grade support to a highly | |
| successful product across a broad range of customers." | |
| <P> | |
| "Open-source development efforts have existed on the Internet for as long | |
| as it has been around, and much of the software that makes the Internet work | |
| was developed that way," said Ken Coar, another member of the Apache Group. | |
| "It's very encouraging that IBM, a major player in the computer industry, | |
| is recognizing the power and value of the open-source model. By supporting | |
| an open-source project rather than pursuing a proprietary and competitive | |
| effort, IBM is helping to assure that Internet software and standards will | |
| be the best they can be for everyone, and not just serve a single interest. | |
| This way, everyone benefits." | |
| <P> | |
| "Apache's emphasis on developing software according to the latest Internet | |
| standards, and feeding that development experience back into the standards | |
| specification process of the Internet Engineering Taskforce (IETF), makes | |
| the Apache HTTP server an ideal platform for both non-profit and commercial | |
| products," said Roy Fielding, an Apache Group member and researcher at the | |
| University of California, Irvine. "IBM's involvement in the Apache Group | |
| gives them access to both a robust implementation of current Web technology | |
| and a premier forum for the development of the future Web architecture. | |
| Researchers call this `technology transfer,' but in the commercial world | |
| it is just good business sense." | |
| <P> | |
| "I am excited to see IBM join the large group of individuals and companies | |
| that develop and support open-source software," said Dean Gaudet, | |
| Apache Group member. "I can't help but feel that we'll see more | |
| companies begin experimenting with the open development model. | |
| It is great to be a part of this." | |
| <P> | |
| With this move, IBM becomes the latest in a series of commercial ventures | |
| to support the Apache HTTP server project, joining long-time current | |
| contributors <a href="http://www.c2.net/">C2Net Software</a> | |
| (<http://www.c2.net/>), | |
| <a href="http://www.covalent.net/">Covalent Technologies</a> | |
| (<http://www.covalent.net/>), | |
| <a href="http://www.aldigital.co.uk/">A. L. Digital</a> | |
| (<http://www.aldigital.co.uk/>), | |
| and <a href="http://www.jaguNET.com/">jaguNET Access Services</a> | |
| (<http://www.jaguNET.com>). | |
| <P> | |
| The Apache Group was founded in 1995 to address the need for a public, | |
| open-source, reference implementation of the HTTP protocol which is the | |
| foundation of the World Wide Web. The software is developed through a | |
| collaborative process, involving 18 "core" developers and hundreds of | |
| auxiliary contributors. More information on the | |
| <a href="http://www.apache.org/">Apache project</a> can be | |
| found at <http://www.apache.org/>. | |
| <P> | |
| The <a href="http://www.netcraft.com/Survey/">Netcraft Internet Web survey</a> | |
| can be accessed online at <http://www.netcraft.com/Survey/>. | |
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