is Linux really free ?

[Nothinman]

Wow I did not know that. So CentOS is actually a verbatim copy (more or less) of RH? I did not figure they could legally do that.

It says so right on their front page...

CentOS conforms fully with the upstream vendors redistribution policy and aims to be 100% binary compatible. (CentOS mainly changes packages to remove upstream vendor branding and artwork.)

 

[Lonbjerg]

That's why the GPL is awesome. It prevents companies from altering the code, and then squirreling it away for their sole use. GNU/Linux is what it is due to the GPL. *BSD has no such requirement, and you see where they are.

I wonder if that is why all our none-windows servers run FreeBSD (I work for an ISP).
We have 0 servers running linux...POS OS.

:hmm:

 

[lxskllr]

I wonder if that is why all our none-windows servers run FreeBSD (I work for an ISP).
We have 0 servers running linux...POS OS.

:hmm:

That's great! Where else is BSD? Is it on routers? How about tablets? How about new features that are interesting to desktop users?

 

[Nothinman]

I wonder if that is why all our none-windows servers run FreeBSD (I work for an ISP).
We have 0 servers running linux...POS OS.

:hmm:

Unless you're making source level modifications that you don't want any chance of having to redistribute, then no, the GPL isn't the reason. Most likely they were installed by some uninformed grey beard and have just been left in place because they currently work.

 

[Lonbjerg]

That's great! Where else is BSD? Is it on routers? How about tablets? How about new features that are interesting to desktop users?

Running your backbone is nothing to sneeze off...

Unless you're making source level modifications that you don't want any chance of having to redistribute, then no, the GPL isn't the reason. Most likely they were installed by some uninformed grey beard and have just been left in place because they currently work.

Hardly...I am one of the oldest guys in network...and I am 36, no beard, no gray hairs.
But nice to see deflections insted of realization of facts...good job...are you running on linux?

 

[lxskllr]

Running your backbone is nothing to sneeze off...

The point is Linux can be anything you want it to be. It's gotten so ubiquitous because sharing is mandated. People can't keep improvements to themselves. More improvements means more value. More value means more interest to use, and make improvements...

I don't have anything against BSD, but it isn't what it could be, most likely due to licensing. Linux might not even exist in the form it's in today if BSD were always free, and copyleft.

 

[Lonbjerg]

The point is Linux can be anything you want it to be. It's gotten so ubiquitous because sharing is mandated. People can't keep improvements to themselves. More improvements means more value. More value means more interest to use, and make improvements...

I don't have anything against BSD, but it isn't what it could be, most likely due to licensing. Linux might not even exist in the form it's in today if BSD were always free, and copyleft.

Dosn't matter, if you are serious about networking you use FreeBSD...I'm sure linux is fine for private users....

 

[lxskllr]

Dosn't matter, if you are serious about networking you use FreeBSD...I'm sure linux is fine for private users....

Ok dude... Are you sure you're in the business? :^D

 

[beginner99]

Linux is only free if your sparetime has no value...

well said. Just recently tried to get used to linux. But I'm impatient and also have other thing so do so i rather dropped it quickly.
My general observation was, that for a specific problem you either find 0 solutions or 15 different ones of which most don't work in your special case and the one that might work miss some very important description on how to actually do the explained thing.
eg. do "this" but "this" requires a 10 step work-around which you have to search separately only to find out that this method is one of those that don't work. and 1 hour more wasted.

 

[TanisHalfElven]

well said. Just recently tried to get used to linux. But I'm impatient and also have other thing so do so i rather dropped it quickly.
My general observation was, that for a specific problem you either find 0 solutions or 15 different ones of which most don't work in your special case and the one that might work miss some very important description on how to actually do the explained thing.
eg. do "this" but "this" requires a 10 step work-around which you have to search separately only to find out that this method is one of those that don't work. and 1 hour more wasted.

Lol. My 60 year old (non-techie) mom uses ubuntu. If you can't figure it out, your either lazy or dumb. Not linux's fault.

 

[Lonbjerg]

Lol. My 60 year old (non-techie) mom uses ubuntu. If you can't figure it out, your either lazy or dumb. Not linux's fault.

Half my hardware would either not work...or be seriously degraded in functionality if I ran Linux...I guess that is Windows fault?

 

[lxskllr]

Half my hardware would either not work...or be seriously degraded in functionality if I ran Linux...I guess that is Windows fault?

Sounds like the hardware makers fault. The 2 computers I run GNU/Linux on full time work great.

 

[Lonbjerg]

Sounds like the hardware makers fault. The 2 computers I run GNU/Linux on full time work great.

I wanna bet you don't have all the hardware I have then.

 

[sourceninja]

Half my hardware would either not work...or be seriously degraded in functionality if I ran Linux...I guess that is Windows fault?

Can you explain the differences between the BSD kernel and the Linux kernel and why picking one over the other would in any way effect how the exact same programs run?

You do realize bsd vs linux is a kernel vs kernel debate. In the end the users are still going to run apache, or openssh, or whatever other tool they need. Those tools are almost always the same.

I've had a bsd and a linux web server, they both ran apache. Apache is apache no matter what kernel it runs on. If it just comes down to driver support, well then I don't see how BSD can be superior to linux, they both support a very large amount of hardware.

So to conclude, you are arguing over a tiny kernel that is going to run almost the exact same userspace for 99.999999999% of all ways you might use the system. Desktop users are still going to have to pick kde/gnome/fluxbox/etc and server users are still going to have to use nginx/apache/openssh/cups/bind/etc

 

[Nothinman]

well said. Just recently tried to get used to linux. But I'm impatient and also have other thing so do so i rather dropped it quickly.
My general observation was, that for a specific problem you either find 0 solutions or 15 different ones of which most don't work in your special case and the one that might work miss some very important description on how to actually do the explained thing.
eg. do "this" but "this" requires a 10 step work-around which you have to search separately only to find out that this method is one of those that don't work. and 1 hour more wasted.

Actually, very poorly said. It easily takes me 10x as long to get Windows setup with all of the apps I need installed and configured as it does Linux. Primarily because Linux comes with 99% of those apps out of the box, which Windows can't do but can't be discounted either. So if I used Windows at home I would end up spending infinitely more money on the licensing, 10x the initial setup cost and then at least double the effort of patching and keeping it running from month to month.

There are still a few areas in Linux with rough edges, but I'd say all of the low hanging fruit have been taken care of over the past decade or so and the barrier to entry is now significantly lower. Unless you need something that's designed to be Windows-only, the long-term ROI on Linux is so much higher that it's not funny.

Half my hardware would either not work...or be seriously degraded in functionality if I ran Linux...I guess that is Windows fault?

No, it's the manufacturer's fault for not releasing firmware documents so FOSS drivers can be written or taking it further and supporting Linux with GPL'd drivers themselves. Everything I have has worked out of the box in Linux with zero effort from storage to sound to networking. That definitely can't be said for Windows because you always have to run around and hunt down at least 1 driver and it's most aggravating when it's the NIC because then you need a second machine just to get the first up and running.

Go ahead and try and install OS X on there and see how much of your hardware works. Would you blame Windows for that?

 

[jhu]

Dosn't matter, if you are serious about networking you use FreeBSD...I'm sure linux is fine for private users....

I guess companies such as Google and IBM are making huge mistakes going with Linux then.

 

[ultimatebob]

That's great! Where else is BSD? Is it on routers? How about tablets? How about new features that are interesting to desktop users?

Mac OS X is BSD based, and so is iOS.

 

[lxskllr]

Mac OS X is BSD based, and so is iOS.

Sweet! Got a link to the source so I can build off what they did?

 

[jackofalltrades]

Wow alot of tension here concerning the differences. I have bought linux lindows I bought from newegg, I also bought the commercial version of redhat years ago, Both gave you more bang for the buck up front once installed than having to install alot of apps after installation.
Yeah I bought free software not free if you want the easiest install and most features.


Am I using it now? yup it's running on my netbook right now, Unbuntu 11.0

 

[jhu]

Sweet! Got a link to the source so I can build off what they did?

Here you go. Although that only gets you Darwin assuming you can get it all to compile. About the only non-Apple entity to do anything with it was GNU-Darwin,but they're defunct now.

 

[ivan2]

For big companies who has the man power to customize a distribution for themselves, linux is almost free when comparing licensing cost of the likes of Aix, Solaris, hp, or even ms, which seems to be the cheapest.

 

[ultimatebob]

Sweet! Got a link to the source so I can build off what they did?

You mean this?

http://opensource.apple.com/

Edit: Oops, too slow

 

[Nothinman]

Mac OS X is BSD based, and so is iOS.

In that NeXT and GNU Mach have BSD pieces in them with FreeBSD userland pieces thrown in, but it's not really based on FreeBSD, NetBSD, etc .

 

[lxskllr]

Here you go. Although that only gets you Darwin assuming you can get it all to compile. About the only non-Apple entity to do anything with it was GNU-Darwin,but they're defunct now.

I didn't know they released so much under an open license. A quick look turned up PureDarwin, but it doesn't look especially useful atm.

http://www.puredarwin.org/

 

[Nothinman]

I didn't know they released so much under an open license. A quick look turned up PureDarwin, but it doesn't look especially useful atm.

http://www.puredarwin.org/

Given that the UI, window manager, etc is all proprietary to Apple and closed I have no idea what that project is actually trying to accomplish.