IBM JOINS THE APACHE PROJECT,

           PLANS TO BUNDLE AND SUPPORT THE APACHE HTTP SERVER

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.

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.

"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."

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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

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 C2Net Software (<http://www.c2.net/>), Covalent Technologies
(<http://www.covalent.net/>), A. L. Digital (<http://www.aldigital.co.uk/>),
and jaguNET Access Services (<http://www.jaguNET.com>).

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 Apache project can be
found at <http://www.apache.org/>.

The Netcraft Internet Web survey can be accessed online at
<http://www.netcraft.com/Survey/>.

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