Having used RH from '96 to date, I was a little annoyed with the change in tactics they announced this spring, like I was with up2date's subscription service. When up2date first came out I balked and was very steamed that they thought one step ahead of me and were marketing the up2date cache for big bucks. Eventually I just picked the servers that were on the front line to update automatically, and kept the rpms to update the other systems. The spring statement of 'update every 6-12 months with our "desktop" edition or shell out the big bucks (compare the up-front cost to W2k or W2003 ignoring all the software beyond the OS) for our Server Edition had left me reeling. I think we bought their Stronghold server or whatever it was once upon a time with DB2 and such, and back then it didn't seem to do anything that I couldnt do with the standard release. I knew there was no way I was going to talk my employer into 1.5k per server and I didn't want to upgrade my system every year. Past RH upgrades had not been smooth for me.Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 23:56:45 -0500 From: "joel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Apache Frontpage support list'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [Apache-FP] Redhat end of support Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> In-Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Precedence: list Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], Apache Frontpage support list <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Message: 2
I was just wondering what you RedHat people were going to do when RedHat drops support of everything up to 9.0 at the end of this year? It drops 9.0 on 4-1. While I have never needed RedHat support, I do load their security updates. I can't see staying with a version of RedHat that won't be patched for security updates.
I can understand why RedHat is doing this, it's purely greed. But it seems to me it would drive people away too. My servers are running 7.2 and have been very stable. I hate to upgrade just to be able to receive security updates. It looks like RedHat will end live on new products after 12 months. So you will have to upgrade every year, or pay BIG bucks for a Enterprise version of RedHat ( Same software).. This almost seems like a slap in the face to the open source community.
Now that it's been several months since I first heard about this I don't feel quite as strongly as you do. RedHat has made some advances in the graphical installer (others will say 'so has Knoppix'), and has a pretty well tuned setup. They invest time and money into other open source projects like Gnome and the kernel as well as enhancing their own distribution with tools like service, kudzu and redhat-config-* programs. They put extra effort into getting as close to the cutting edge in kernel patches without bleeding.
I don't feel it is a slap in the face.
Some companies may not see value in something if it didn't cost very much to purchase it. In RH's defense, it looks like you get a good deal of support (and of course software) with the new Server Edition compared to buying W2k.
They seem to be working towards their goal of getting Linux into more enterprise applications. This should roughly translate into more jobs for Linux savy people (or more MS* certified people learning Linux)
Their latest strategy, renaming everything 'Enterprise', giving more mid-level server options, having the 'Enterprise' desktop system along with the SOHO/hobbiest option of RH 9, has greatly improved their pricing options. Now I don't have to jump over a grand to get out of the 6-12 month churn. For a reasonable ~ 375 I get an install of a server edition with 90 days of phone and web support and a year of the RHN (enterprise) subscription. Scale in no per-cpu or per-seat/user licensing and it's better than W2K Server again.
Still, their announcment in the Spring of RH9 or Advanced Server by Dec 2003 had put me on a new track. Upgrading all my systems to Debian (looks like it may be 4.0/Sarge) in Dec 2003. Debian is cool. It is community based so it has that feel instead of RH's corporate feel.
After playing with Debian for five months, I'd have to say once you get past the install (which is ok, just not simple) if you aren't going for bleeding-edge and staying with the Stable release, it's a great distribution. Stable by design is no where near bleading edge. You may feel like you've stepped into the dark ages shifting from RH8/9 to Debian 3.0/Woody, especially in the desktops. If you want to try testing or unstable to get closer to the bleeding edge like you were use to in RH, you'd better know a bit about Linux or be prepared to learn. It is definatly 'support yourself' with some mailing lists and archives to search.
Debian is the community and distribution I want to use, so it will be the one that is used where I work. I believe this will be a good choice for me. I've already proved to myself that I can run the latest FrontPage server extension update on Debian Woody, so I'm set there.
For others, if RH Enterprise works for them, I'm happy. I hope RH makes tons of money and gets Linux into every company that would rather outsource some of the tech support than have a staff of in-house gurus doing everything. I hope SCO Executives all turn green from greed, pass out and then move on in life, broke and humble from their rediculous tactics. I hope that by RH (and Mandrake and others) getting Linux into more businesses, the open source advantages of code (like good standards) becomes so apparent that all fortune 500 companies would flex their muscles in it's defense anytime the media industry cries to congress proposing solutions that "throw the baby out with the bath water".
That' would be cool!
Jacob
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