Re: [OS:N:] Updating expensive????

It's a common claim.  It's not true.

Their are many falicies in this argument.  Here are a few things to
consider.

With Red Hat or and other Linux distribution you have built in
applications that you would otherwise have to pay additionally for with
Microsoft.  Some examples of this are M$SQL versus MySQL, Exchange +
Norton (for AV/Spam) vs. PostFix (or another) + ClamAV + Spam Assassin,
etc.

Another thing that the argument fails to include is the client access
licenses.

Yet another thing that the argument fails to account for is the number
of services that can exist happily on a Linux server vs a Windows
server.



If you are talking about it for end user desktops the disparity in many
ways is even worse.  The cost of the OS + Office/Productivity software +
and virus cleanup by far exceed the RHN subscription.

Moreover Red Hat is sponsoring Fedora which is entirely free.  Even with
Red Hat 9 the license was completely 100% GPL and could be downloaded
and copied to all of your computers at no cost.  Moreover considering
the number of other automatic and simple to use update tools (apt/yum)
there is no reason you would have needed to pay for RHN to get the same
functionality as windows update.

RHN gives you the central management interface so you can tell if your
computers are all updated from one screen and the ability to push out
the updates to the computer.

By no means under any stretch of the imagination can it be said that M$
is less expensive than Red Hat.

Moreover using open source and supporting free and open standards is
about more than just saving money.  It's the right thing to do for the
future.  Why should a company be able to get away with charging hundreds
or thousands of dollars for a product with an incremental cost of a few
bucks, provide no support or warranty about the products effectiveness,
and decrease market share.

Linux with the GPL make for a level playing field.  Every competing
company is forced to compete based on the quality of their service and
support.  Not upon artificial supply and demand restrictions.

Linux is a gift given to the world by hundreds of thousands of
developers who want to improve the world we live in.  It's given and
shared freely.  

The money paid is for support and service.  If you care only about the
money, Debian is completely free.

-Chris


On Thu, 2003-10-09 at 08:33, Omar Olivos wrote:
> I've just been told that paying for RHN gets as expensive as buying
> Windows and using Windows Update.
> Is that true??
> 
> 
> 
> Omar
> 
> 
> 
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"There is a lot of speculation and I guess there is going to continue to
be a log of speculation until the speculation ends." - George W. Bush on
October 18, 1998



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