[CentOS] Arguments to continue using it

[Johnny Hughes]

On Sun, 2006-01-22 at 21:08 -0500, Alain Reguera wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> This afternoon I received the new that my institution, in the main
> direction, is planning (for political reasons, I don't know which
> one??) migrate to Debian.
> 
> I have a hotted conversation with my boss cause I've been working on
> CentOS during near a year and half. I explained it that both distros
> just implement the protocols that are standards, that could be
> installed a web server in a Debian Box or in a CentOS Box, both can
> use apache and generally the service will be stable in both, without a
> lot of differences. Also that the use of each one is indifferent, just
> a matter of user's comfort and that means, it will take a long time to
> change to other, because not only will be the time in planning
> services, but the time in learn a new way of do it too.
> 
> Note: if I said something wrong correct me please.
> 
> The arguments they gave to me were, what happen if redhat close the
> base packages, they don't have to release them, but just to the buyer,
> and we can't buy the distro, there are others distros like debian that
> is totally free, and without dependencies of proprietary industry.

We would have access to their SRPMS anyway, even if they only released
to customers.  Several of the CentOS developers are upstream customers
and we would have access to the upstream source even if they closed it
to all but paying customers.  Since their SRPMS are GPL, once we have
access we can release RPMS builr on them, so long as we follow the
redistribution requirements.

Here is an interview of the RedHat CIO discussing CentOS:

http://cio.co.nz/cio.nsf/UNID/0358EF0F3EFF0584CC2570AA0073523A?OpenDocument

Look for CentOS in this document.

Thanks,
Johnny Hughes
CentOS Developer
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