This is the first in a series of six monthly columns in which we'll explain how Apache 2.0 differs from Apache 1.3, and why Apache users should care. On Wednesday, March 28th, the Apache Group released Apache 2.0.15 as an alpha version. This is the second Apache 2.0 release to use the new numbering scheme. This means that the group is put in the position of needing to release point releases without ever having put them through an alpha or beta cycle. Starting with Apache 2.0.14, the Apache Group has changed our release strategy.
Every release has a number, and releases always start as alphas.
Once the release has been in use, it can be upgraded to a beta or GA quality. This allows each Apache release to be thoroughly tested in real-world situations before a decision is made regarding its quality. This model is very different from the way most open-source software projects are released. For users, this means that a package they download as an alpha one day, could be a beta the following day. Through Apache Configuration One of the most important changes is the added multi-threading support to Apache 2.0.