Subject: Re: Redhat Changes (corporate partners)
From: volz (volz@koyukuk.at.uaa.alaska.edu)
Date: Mon Nov 03 2003 - 10:34:10 AKST
I too am surprised and disappointed by the recent change. I think our group
needs to consider a new distribution. While the inexpensive distribution price
was a nice bonus I think the question of hardware support has been equally
important. The fact that the linux kernel runs on a wide variety of
architectures, most importantly AMD and Intel, is key for our needs. I am not
sure that Redhat will be the best choice for a Linux distribution in the future.
It looks like Redhat is moving more towards partnering with manufacturers to
guarantee hardware compatibility, this could put a kink in pursuing some of our
objectives in the area of low-cost parallel computing. Redhat tweaks the kernel
to fit its target user. Up until recently that was pretty much the individual or
workstation user. That user was scattered across a wide range of demographics,
from academics to webservers to gamers. Now they seem focused on a different
class of user. They are after the unix core and those users are used to spending
a lot of money to have reliable sytems and applications. They will spend it on
systems provided by companies like Dell that produce quality hardware, but also
operate on a business model that does not share knowledge freely. I am not
ragging on Dell or Redhat for making some money. What I am saying is that it is
a paradigm shift for Redhat, which may more clearly separate consumer linux
users from the corporate users.
I would hate to see Redhat get so in bed with any manufacturer that the
hardware becomes tied to the OS (A situation we have with one system here), but
it is not farfetched. A situation where installing another operating system
besides the factory OS invalidates all warranties on the system is a common
enough scenario. Lunix by Redhat, a distinct branch from core linux.
What a pain in the ass.
- Karl Volz
>Date: Mon, 03 Nov 2003 08:20:53 -0900
>From: Jamie Hushower <hushower@alaska-geeks.com>
>To: aklug@aklug.org
>Subject: Redhat Changes
>
>
>I am surprised that the decision by Redhat to terminate its "standard"
>Redhat Linux and promote Redhat Enterprise Linux didn't prompt a
>response here. Maybe I have overestimated its popularity in this group.
>
>I am disappointed because one the greatest arguments for using Redhat
>instead of Windows is gone, or at least reduced. Redhat Linux is no
>longer *obviously* cheaper than Windows with a baseline of $350 per
>year. Sure, CAL's make the gap noticeable for large companies, but 4- or
>5-client servers that need no OS upgrade for 3 or 4 years *might not*
>realize a cost savings with Linux.
>
>Does anyone have a suggestion on what distribution to move to? I like
>what I know about Debian (no corporate interests), but would prefer to
>use what I know. Is Mandrake doomed with Redhat's change or do I
>misunderstand how they operate? Should I put in the time to understand
>Slackware? SUSE has always had a draw...
>
>-Jamie
>--
>Jamie Hushower
>Computer Consultant
>Rent-A-Geek
>223-9136
>
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2a23 : Mon Nov 03 2003 - 10:37:05 AKST