Many of you know that the Whyville server is run by Apache. But what exactly is Apache? I'm here to describe my research in this.

Apache is a powerful, flexible HTTPd server software that is designed to work with newer operating systems, such as Windows NT and LINUX. Since 2000, more than 6 million people used Apache.

If you don't know what a server is, it's a computer or device that stores network resources. In this case, resources to be put onto the internet. It can manage several operations at once.

Apache was started in 1995 by a group of webmasters (people in charge of a server) who had originally been using HTTP daemon. They decided to merge all the enhancements of the server software they were using into a new software, the Apache HTTPd server. Ever since then, users have been submitting more parts for the system, and there have been three new versions.

Anyone can get Apache, it's free!

This is what's called an "open source" software, like the excellent Mozilla Firefox browser, where anybody can add improvements and anybody can use the result.

Have any of you spotted a cute play on words in Apache? "A Patchy Server, " although incorrect, is thought by some to be the origin of the name Apache, because it originally consisted of several "patch files. " I believe it was really named that way to respect the Native American Indian tribe, the Apache.

I hope that you've learned more about Whyville. As far as I know, Whyville works on three servers: The b server (chatrooms), the c server (faces) and the d server (Y-mail, bbs, etc). But I'll need clarification on that.

This is cobd, going to... er... learn C++
*turns Green Day music on*


Editor's Note: Nice report, cobd -- could you share your sources with us, so your interested readers can learn more? Thanks!