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hß · NetworksCurated

Web servers: Apache continues its success

Summary

According to Netcraft, Apache passed the mark of 50 percent of all recorded web servers for the first time in August 1998, without counting derivatives. Microsoft came to 22.69 and Netscape to 8.22 percent, but all three gained servers. With derivatives such as Apache-SSL and Stronghold, Apache reached 54.99 percent.

Ideas

  • Apache reached an absolute majority of the web servers recorded by Netcraft.
  • The competition grew too, because the web as a whole was growing strongly.
  • Derivatives with SSL support extended Apache’s reach further.

Insights

  • A market share can fall even though absolute use is rising.
  • Free software creates room for commercial derivatives that increase its spread.

Facts

  • In August 1998 Apache ran on 1,413,512 recorded servers, compared with 1,289,192 in July.

References

Critique

  • The figures are based on Netcraft’s count of host names and say nothing about load or visitor numbers.

Remarks

  • Stronghold and Apache-SSL came about because strong cryptography was not allowed in standard Apache due to US export rules.

Recommendations

  • Always compare server statistics with absolute figures, not just shares.
  • Today, use TLS directly through the web server’s standard modules rather than via derivatives.

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