When will ColdFusion 9 support Apache 2.4.X?

Report · Feb 21, 2012

Apache 2.4 was recently announced:

http://www.apache.org/dist/httpd/Announcement2.4.html

When will ColdFusion 9 support it?

Report · Feb 22, 2012

Can anybody from Adobe let me know if you are aware of the new version and if there is a plan for it?

Report · Feb 22, 2012

This is not a way to connect with actual Adobe support people. In any case, I don't think Adobe will be in a rush to support the new version of Apache with CF 9.

Dave Watts, CTO, Fig Leaf Software

Report · Feb 22, 2012

I'm not trying to personally connect with Adobe support - I'm trying to get Adobe to publicly state any plans they have or don't have regarding Apache 2.4. Due to the fact that Apache 2.4 has been in public beta for the past 3 years (or longer), I would be very disappointed if Adobe ignored it for CF 9.

I would like a statement from Adobe on a public forum or FAQ regarding their intentions with the new version so it not only helps me, but also the next person looking for this answer. I would also settle for a technical solution or work around 🙂

Report · Feb 22, 2012

I'm not trying to personally connect with Adobe support - I'm trying to get Adobe to publicly state any plans they have or don't have regarding Apache 2.4. Due to the fact that Apache 2.4 has been in public beta for the past 3 years (or longer), I would be very disappointed if Adobe ignored it for CF 9.
I would like a statement from Adobe on a public forum or FAQ regarding their intentions with the new version so it not only helps me, but also the next person looking for this answer. I would also settle for a technical solution or work around

Let me rephrase what I said earlier. This is not a way to interact with Adobe, period. It doesn't matter what kind of interaction you're trying to have. To the best of my knowledge, Adobe employees don't monitor this forum. And if they did, they wouldn't be the ones who could make this sort of announcement.

Finally, I think you should prepare for disappointment. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't expect I will be.

Dave Watts, CTO, Fig Leaf Software

Report · Feb 22, 2012

I'd agree with Dave, I can't see them supporting it until CF10 comes out, whenever that might be. Due to its long development cycle and very occasional updates, ColdFusion rarely supports the latest and greatest software.

I'd stick with Apache 2.2. Until you fail your PCI scan and have to upgrade. Then find it's still not supported. Then have to move to .NET.

Report · Feb 23, 2012

Due to the fact that Apache 2.4 has been in public beta for the past 3 years (or longer), I would be very disappointed if Adobe ignored it for CF 9.

I think you should more direct your disappoint ment at the Apache Foundation. In beta for three years? If they're not prepared to indicate any confidence in their product, why should Adobe?

I think CF should support the latest released version of Apache. That said, 2.4 seems to actually be released now, but I suspect that it's come too late in CF10's dev cycle to ass-u-me that it'll support 2.4.x out of the gate. Have you checked whether it does?

I would never expect CF9 to support it now, as I doubt there'll be any further development on it other than security fixes and urgent bugfixes.

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Adam

Report · Feb 23, 2012

While I agree that being in Beta for 3 years is ridiculous and that Adobe would not likley spend the time to support a product that might never come out, I do not believe it is farfetched to believe that they would release an update to support the newest Apache HTTP server now that it has been released.

One of the purposes of the 9.0.1 update for CF was to support IIS7, which did not previously exist. And since Adobe makes a habit of supporting the previous version of CF, I would think that they would at least consider doing this for CF9 as well as CF10.

I could be wrong, but if they did it for IIS you would think they would do it for Apache.

Jason

Report · Feb 23, 2012

Hi Jason

I know what you mean, but 9.0.1 was a "service pack" done when CF9 was the current release of CF (obviously it's still the current release, at time of writing, but only just!). If you consider the way CF releases are done (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ColdFusion#Release_history), there are no service packs for the previous releases done once the next release comes out.

I strongly doubt that Adobe are working on 9.0.2 at the same time as they are trying to get CF10 out the door, so I doubt CF9 will see any more attention along these lines.

Of course this is all speculation on everyone's part, but history suggests that CF9 won't see a significant amount of work, at this point. And I would say more so than usual since it's the last version of CF on JRun, which'd probably have impact on the web server connector? IE: it'd not be like the the CF10 one could be back-ported to CF9 quite so easily as it might have been in the past.

That said, I have no idea how complicated it is to update the web server connector for this sort of thing.

I can't glean from the docs or anything I've read whether CF10 supports Apache 2.4? Anyone know?

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Adam

Report · Feb 23, 2012

Adam Cameron. wrote:
Due to the fact that Apache 2.4 has been in public beta for the past 3 years (or longer), I would be very disappointed if Adobe ignored it for CF 9.
I think you should more direct your disappoint ment at the Apache Foundation. In beta for three years? If they're not prepared to indicate any confidence in their product, why should Adobe?
I think CF should support the latest released version of Apache. That said, 2.4 seems to actually be released now, but I suspect that it's come too late in CF10's dev cycle to ***-u-me that it'll support 2.4.x out of the gate. Have you checked whether it does?

I just want to clear something up - it's not a bad thing that Apache 2.4.x has been in the works for all those years. Apache is one of the first sucessful open source projects ever, and they are very methodical with releases. It works just like the Linux kernel:

1) The latest development branch will be an odd number. So, right now the developers are working on 2.5.x. When 2.5.x meets all the predefined expectations or goals set for the next release and is deemed stable, it becomes 2.6.0 and is labeled "stable" for public consumption.

2) While 2.5.x is being worked on, security fixes are constantly back ported to 2.2.x and 2.4.x.

3) Support for 2 versions back, which is now 2.0.x will be dropped.

It's a very predictible schedule, and one that has worked for many open source projects over the years. Adobe is surely aware of it.

The next clarification I want to make is that it's not a lot of work to recompile the jrun connector. That's all we are really talking about here. The new version of Apache simply requires a recompiled connector to be compatible with the new module format. It should not take a lot of effort on Adobe's part to make this happen. The new version of Apache includes huge performance improvements along with built in OCSP support for client and server certificates. SSL support all the way around has been improved as well. This is an important release that Adobe has had years to prep for, so this is a perfectly valid question.

Report · Feb 23, 2012

The next clarification I want to make is that it's not a lot of work to recompile the jrun connector. That's all we are really talking about here. The new version of Apache simply requires a recompiled connector to be compatible with the new module format. It should not take a lot of effort on Adobe's part to make this happen. The new version of Apache includes huge performance improvements along with built in OCSP support for client and server certificates. SSL support all the way around has been improved as well. This is an important release that Adobe has had years to prep for, so this is a perfectly valid question.

And if Adobe says "we're not doing jack", that is a perfectly valid answer. When you buy a product, there are no guarantees that it will work with things that don't yet exist. Sure, it's not a lot of work to recompile the connector - but it is a lot of work to run the new connector through regression tests on multiple platforms, etc. And that's what we are really talking about here. And I suspect that they'll instead focus on CF 10.

Again, I hope they do it, just because I would find it useful. But I think your expectations are a bit unrealistic. On the bright side, I'm quite confident that CF 10 will be compatible with the latest Apache.

Dave Watts, CTO, Fig Leaf Software

Report · Feb 23, 2012

staver wrote:
Apache 2.4 was recently announced:
http://www.apache.org/dist/httpd/Announcement2.4.html
When will ColdFusion 9 support it?

You yourself have answered the question implicitly. The key word is recently. ColdFusion 9 is already some years old. Would you prepare soup, serve your guests and, while everyone was tucking in, start to work new vegetables into their bowls?

Report · Feb 23, 2012

Would you prepare soup, serve your guests and, while everyone was tucking in, start to work new vegetables into their bowls?

Your way with words does make me chuckle, sometimes 😉

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Adam

Adobe Community

When will ColdFusion 9 support Apache 2.4.X?