[PLUG] dumping unix for linux

M. Edward (Ed) Borasky znmeb at cesmail.net
Thu Oct 19 14:24:10 UTC 2006


alan wrote:
> But there are free versions that give you exactly the same thing as the
> supported version without the support. (i.e. Centos.)

CentOS is "binary compatible" with RHEL but it is absolutely, positively
not "exactly the same thing" as RHEL. I've used CentOS, and I like it
for what it is ... if you like boring, stable Linux platforms, it's
fine, but then, so is Debian "Sarge", and if all goes well, "Etch" in
December. :)
> 
> It may cost you time and work, but the GPL does keep you from getting
> locked in to a specific vendor.
> 
> You did remember to save all those Source RPMS?

Why bother to save the source RPMs? Red Hat posts them on their FTP
server, as required by the GPL. :)

When you come right down to it, a Linux distro is composed of:

1. A Linux kernel,
2. The GNU utilities and tool chain, compilers, editors, etc.,
3. Networking and associated tools,
4. An X windows implementation,
5. A package management system, and
6. Office/desktop, workstation and server applications.

Layered on top of this will be a community, a corporation, or both.

Along these lines, one of the things that never ceases to amaze me is
that businesses run production servers and desktops on Fedora rather
than CentOS. In other words, they believe a community distro "blessed by
Red Hat" is better in some sense than something that's binary compatible
with RHEL.





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