On Sat, Jul 4, 2009 at 3:56 PM, Pravin Dhayfule<[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Folks, > > One of my friend was arguing me that RED HAT is superior to any of the > FREELY available Linux Distro as it provides Support (although in form of > Subscriptions). > > However I told him that he can get free community support for many other > free distros and more over they are Open Source. > > Now for this he said that Red Hat too is open Source, and he has got one > installed in his home through a CD provided by his institute where he is > studying REHL. > > I asked him, whether he needed to enter Serial Key like Windows, he replied > no, but he wont be able to use their support. So I told him that he is using > a PIRATED version of LINUX. HE said yes. > > I went ahead to cross check Red Hat License Agreement, and saw it to be > similar to Microsoft's EULA that states, you cannot install it on more > computers than the licensed purchased for etc. > Secondly if the Subscription expires, the OS will no longer be Legal until > its renewed (similar to Norton Anti Virus) > > So my question is... Can Red Hat enterprise products be really considered as > Open Source (as their website claims) http://investors.redhat.com/index.cfm > *Red Hat is the world's leading open source provider. Bringing the choice, > collaboration, cost savings and value of open source to enterprises > worldwide. Solutions include our Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating > platforms, JBoss Enterprise Middleware and other Red Hat enterprise > technologies. > * > I am a bit confused on this argument... When we refer to Open Source > philosophy, it says "FREEDOM", but REHL EULA looks similar to Microsoft > EULA, then is also Red Hat play a role in giving rise to "PIRATED LINUX" > race? > > Bye > Regards > -- > http://mm.glug-bom.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxers
I once met a senior government officer who was blasting Red Hat saying that the software does not work. It turns out that the hardware vendor simply got some amateurs to make copies of Red Hat and install it. The result was that his application would crash if 20 people logged into it. Who gets the blame? Yes, you guessed right, Red Hat! This despite the fact that Red Hat was not even involved in the implementation. This is a perfect example of why it is so critically important to protect the trademark. Venky -- http://mm.glug-bom.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxers
