Message-ID: <389EA255.58A80FE0@sharp.fm>
Date: Mon, 07 Feb 2000 11:45:41 +0100
From: Graham Leggett <minfrin@sharp.fm>
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To: new-httpd@apache.org
Subject: Re: mod_proxy: proposal for v2.0
References: <45.c9940f.25cc85ab@aol.com>
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Status: O

TOKILEY@aol.com wrote:

> >  - Optional on-the-fly file compression support:
> >
> >  Using content-encoding the module will optionally compress on the fly
> >  data from certain specifiable MIME types (such as text/html and
> >  text/plain, but not image/jpeg). This way Apache can be used as an
> >  accelerator (literally) in front of dynamic generated websites that
> >  produce large amounts of text data that normally gets sent uncompressed.
> 
> Already been done ( over a year ago ).
> 
> It's called the RCTPDS Content Reduction Proxy Server.

Yep, but it hasn't been done in Apache.

My biggest problem with building a multi-tier webserver installation is
that after a while there are just too many tiers. At the moment I am
looking at using Apache's reverse proxy to enforce our URL strategy (ie
to publish ASP, Java, SSI, PHP pages on the same virtual host), then
another tier to do compression, and another tier to do load balancing.

Yuck.

If Apache can do all of this in a single layer it would be great.

> >  - Optional on-the-fly image filtering support:
> >
> >  It will be possible to filter images as they pass through the proxy, eg
> >  change color GIFs or jpegs into monochrome for the benefit of a "low
> >  bandwidth" version of a website.
> 
> Also aready being done. See above links. The same servers can
> identify User-Agent capabilites and scale/tailor the content for
> any wired or wireless device.

I know this too, but Apache cannot do it.

> There are some method patents that apply in these areas
> that I don't think are compatible with your software licensing
> unless Apache is willing to sign licensing deals for new
> features covered by method patents.

I don't live in a country where these patents mean anything, but clearly
this would have to be kept in mind for any feature, and it would have to
be made optional (and modular) if patents issues arose.

But the fact remains I need it, so I'm going to build it.

Regards,
Graham
-- 
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minfrin@sharp.fm		"There's a moon
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