-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA256 Robert,
On 2/21/20 11:27, Hallstrom, Robert J. CTR wrote: > I wanted to follow up on my previous email regarding proof of > support for earlier versions. Please advise if anyone could > ASAP.> From: Hallstrom, Robert J. CTR Sent: Tuesday, January 21, > 2020 10:24 AM To: 'users@tomcat.apache.org' > <users@tomcat.apache.org> Cc: Hardemon, David (CTR) > <david.hardemon....@ablcda.navy.mil>; Powell, Tramphis W. (CTR) > <tramphis.powell.c...@ablcda.navy.mil> Subject: Apache Tomcat > > I need documentation to prove that version 8.5.16 is still > supported. We use it in supporting a legacy application and need > that in order to keep doing so. Do you know where I can find a > list of what versions are still supported? That's a request with an interesting answer. In fact, many answers. You can pick whichever answer below you like the best. * Is [any Tomcat version] "supported"? Yes and no. This community is made-up entirely of volunteers. If you want any guarantees, you'll need to pay someone for those guarantees. There are non shortage of third-party vendors who will gladly accept your money in return for support contracts. But no, technically, no version of Apache Tomcat is really officially "supported" by the ASF because you really can't 100% rely on anyone to actually take action if you have a problem, etc. * Is 8.5.16 still "supported"? No. Apache Tomcat does not support specific releases, per se. Once 8.5.17 has been released, it's the "current version" and you should use that one. The current 8.5.x release is 8.5.51, so you are quite far behind. * Is 8.5.x still supported? (note the "x") Yes, by this community. While absolutely zero promises can be made, this community has successfully been "supporting" Apache Tomcat for some 20 years, now, and many major and minor releases. "Supported" means that new releases in the 8.5.x line will continue to be released into the foreseeable future to address bugs, enhancements, and any security issues which may arise. * What does "support" really mean? This community provides several means of support: 1. This mailing list (and others like it, such as the dev@ list), where you can ask questions and get general help. 2. Bugzilla, where you can report bugs. 3. New releases whenever appropriate. For Tomcat 7.0.x, these are becoming rather rare. While not officially in "maintenance mode", that branch is effectively in that mode which means that it will not really be getting any feature-updates, etc. and will be patched for security or other "important" updates, where "important" is at the discretion of the group of (volunteer!) committers. * Is this kind of support practical? It is very practical. Apache Tomcat has one of the most reliable communities in the Open Source world (if I do say so myself) and a group of committers who are committed (hah) to maintaining Apache Tomcat as a reliable product for this community. * Can this community provide any guarantees? None whatsoever. To get guarantees, you need to write checks. And you can't write them to us. Well... you CAN write them to us, but you'd either be hiring a single person directly (e.g. me, etc.) or you would be making a donation to the ASF which wouldn't go to any of us individually and wouldn't get you anything in return other than a "thank you" from the ASF for your donation. If you want guaranteed support, with legal proof of such support, you'll have to hire one of the fine vendors who provide such support for Open Source software in general. * What is the list of supported versions? Tomcat 7.0.x, 8.5.x, and 9.0.x are the active branches that are considered production-quality. They are all "supported" in their current patch levels (7.0.100, 8.5.51, 9.0.31) and the branches are supported in that any problems with the current patch levels will be addressed in future patch-levels (e.g. 7.0.101, 8.5.52, 9.0.32). The Apache Tomcat community typically announces End-of-Life (EOL) schedules 12 months in advance of the actual EOL for that branch. The next Apache Tomcat version which will have an EOL will most likely be 7.0.x, when 10.0.x becomes a newly-supported version. We like to keep 3 major release versions supported in parallel, so facilitate a stable and reliable ecosystem, so when 7.0.x goes EOL, you'll be able to count on support for 8.5.x, 9.0.x, and 10.0.x. I hope that helps clear things up. - -chris -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird - https://www.enigmail.net/ iQIzBAEBCAAdFiEEMmKgYcQvxMe7tcJcHPApP6U8pFgFAl5QFNkACgkQHPApP6U8 pFi5QRAAuFuoXaBrKK2DFQ/S81CDKfNGNHWy6cLTSf8xRzKE7lpB7kOl+bXNaPZ1 lGEV7TKpwctPlrNyDZ0S6FMnpbA5q8NKFJLUQQ6hoUc7qYMAdB2y4q7IKIDEzl5d vC4OPZC0eG1Vnd1nAyngvULthOR/8FhcanmlBw+5bczBIOUvyvr12xy6G5Neazyi +11NGQPpMr0hQ6wlNP0wF8dc66aVD5R5K6b3z0IjjdxNjm1aFubhWaAptHn9dY8P cB0+NH+otUrpbZLY8Vu0aMu+dx0NBNSu+05j47DCixRt8NsvKG0dlvMIAOcJIO9O 41S1J+bTIlmQYwYeJSTwL17QmNIuVcooC8suLAcqy4mtsh7MergpTJmeuh0lt0kr hBFBsL8WsMOeDs4ziRc2vDJq1TObsHUfDHtOq47S5345fZ3xj1UPO0eM3ByHaBvy n6sEg3LdtqaYxStN15T48U2Hv944LG2Xdbi2gSypfdKYYN0BpqX2U8xR7JrrrBkg 3rEyy+8fULwInmxBL1CHyzbaV5VaAjsDt960N/fNNfe7N+ziBQ4SOK2qECYjIofZ u++AmWdXrIeMWH7AzKGvnE4HXnXaQG36W4K8Np/GPlqz2OfbhjGlA3IydEPbsuMj RrMgAwIxGdZXeBcYAq1cohpXtk9cbSjM2a7fonEXYo4nCJzEQwM= =z7UZ -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: users-unsubscr...@tomcat.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: users-h...@tomcat.apache.org
