HTTPS For Phoronix.com

Written by Michael Larabel in Phoronix on 26 April 2015 at 02:29 PM EDT. 56 Comments
PHORONIX
Thanks to the new and much more powerful web server for Phoronix.com, if you've tried to access the site in the past few hours, there's proper HTTPS support.

The previous Phoronix.com server was too hammered already for coping with the extra load of HTTPS traffic (sans HTTPS being used already for Phoromatic and OpenBenchmarking.org). If connecting to the site today on the new server, you should be able to connect to the site via HTTPS with the signed certificate by GoDaddy. (Though there's still one minor bug being worked around if trying to access the main site under certain conditions, but it's being worked on.)

Having HTTPS support for Phoronix.com has been one of the most requested features. However, before getting too excited, the secure HTTP experience might have to be limited in the days/weeks ahead. I also haven't yet decided if to make HTTPS the default over HTTP.

Among the ideas I'm toying with are potentially limiting the HTTPS support (or at least by default) to those who are Phoronix Premium subscribers or maybe potentially just a member of the Phoronix Forums. Alternatively, just outright blocking HTTPS support if the user has AdBlock or similar plug-ins in use on Phoronix.com. SSL certificates from authorities aren't free, HTTPS traffic adds some extra load to the server, and Phoronix is far from being a low-cost operation -- in both hardware/monetary costs as well as effectively occupying my life with routine 100+ hour work weeks while a significant percentage of users simply block the pay-per-impression ads (which is the primary revenue source for Phoronix Media).

I'll decide in the days ahead about the HTTPS options and whether to make it the default. Your feedback is certainly welcome in the forums or by contacting me. Feedback is, of course, taken with higher weight from those subscribing to Phoronix Premium to support the site. Or if sharing your comments while making a PayPal tip; if I'm able to get enough tips in the next 2~3 days to cover the costs of the new certificate ($155 USD for three years), I'll at least rule out right away making this a premium-only feature. Thanks for your support.
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About The Author
Michael Larabel

Michael Larabel is the principal author of Phoronix.com and founded the site in 2004 with a focus on enriching the Linux hardware experience. Michael has written more than 20,000 articles covering the state of Linux hardware support, Linux performance, graphics drivers, and other topics. Michael is also the lead developer of the Phoronix Test Suite, Phoromatic, and OpenBenchmarking.org automated benchmarking software. He can be followed via Twitter, LinkedIn, or contacted via MichaelLarabel.com.

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