In this issue

Apache Site: www.apache.org
Release: 1.3.0 (Released 6^th June 1998) (local download sites)
Beta: None

Apache 1.3.0 is now the current stable release. Users of Apache 1.2.6 and earlier should look at upgrading to this version, which provides additional features and has been subject to extensive testing.

The bugs listed below now include a link to the entry in the Apache bug database where the problem is being tracked. These entries are called "PR"s (Problem Reports). Some bugs do not correspond to problem reports if they are found by developers.

These bugs have been found in 1.3.0 and will be fixed in 1.3.1.

Because of the major differences between Windows and Unix, these are separated into bugs which affect Windows systems only, and other bugs (which may affect Windows as well). Unix users can ignore the bugs listed in the Windows section.

Windows-specific Bugs

• Autoindex could display the ReadmeName file in the directory listing because it uses exact (case sensitive) matching, but Windows file systems are not case-sensitive.

Other Bugs

• Update configure to avoid problems on SunOS 4.1.3 and NCR SysV systems.
• Fix compilation on ARM Linux.
• Support dynamic module loading on OpenBSD 1.* as well as OpenBSD 2.*.
• configure now creates a config.status file containing the configuration used.

Patches for bugs in Apache 1.3.0 will be made available in the apply_to_1.3.0 subdirectory of the patches directory on the Apache site. Some new features and other unofficial patches are available in the 1.3 patches directory. For details of all previously reported bugs, see the Apache bug database and known bugs pages. Many common configuration questions are answered in the Apache FAQ.

The next planned release will be 1.3.1 which will contain mainly bug fixes for 1.3.0, with a few minor additional features. There may be a beta period for 1.3.1, but this has not yet been decided.

A new section directive has been added. Any directives contained with a <IfDefine name >... </IfDefine> section will only be processed if Apache is started with a -Dname command line option. This can allow a single configuration file to be used for multiple servers.

PC Week report on the release of Apache 1.3.0 for Windows, in Apache opens Windows. They suggest, quite reasonably, that windows users treat this release as a beta, suitable for evaluation but probably not for critical systems.

NewMedia.com selected Apache for the NewMedia Hyper Award for web server software in the "Web Development: Software of the Year" category.

IBM have announced that they will be using Apache as the web server in a new line of commerce applications. This makes IBM the latest and largest of a growing line of companies which are building businesses and product lines based on Apache.

This story was widely reported in the media. For example, IBM to Adopt Apache as Preferred E-commerce Web Server (Industry Standard), IBM backs freeware Apache in new app server (PC Week Online) IBM fuels "freeware" efforts (C|Net) and IBM Picks Apache (Wired News).