[lug] SuSE vs. RedHat distro differences

[Alan Robertson]

Ferdinand Schmid wrote:
> 
> Deva:
> Yes, I got my openssh running.
> 
> Deva Samartha wrote:
> 
> > AFAIKS, the whole distribution is on their ftp site under (7.0):
> > ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/7.0/suse/
> 
> This directory structure only seems to hold their "evaluation" copy, not
> the contents of 6 cds.
> 
> > You should be able to do a recursive download from there.  I have
> > never  done it, so I don't know how an install from a downloaded
> > directory tree  would work.  Diskspace could be an issue too - they
> > have 6 CD's - 600 M  each, so you may be facing 3.5 G of work space.
> >
> > When it comes out, I think that they put their latest distribution
> > with a delay to the ftp site - at least, there is no 7.1 directory
> > there right now.
> >
> > When I do an update under SuSE's Yast over the internet, it preens
> > through all my files and claims to check the version number or 3000+
> > packages and then updates them. All via anonymous ftp, so all their
> > updates are on ftp and should be accessible.
> 
> OK - maybe they are somewhere - but I don't know where.
> 
> > There is a "update" or "current" directory somewhere.
> >
> > How  you could build a system by downloading over the internet, I
> > don't know.
> > I consider the effort of doing it that way to cost more than the $ 60
> > for an upgrade CD set.
> >
> > I think it all boils down to $$$'s - I think they may need to make a
> > buck on selling their distributions. What was the RH price? I remember
> > seeing something like $ 180, which may not be a upgrade but for Linux
> > I think it's steep.
> 
> RedHat currently seems to publish all of their software on the net.
> What you get extra for purchasing a distro is support.  Now I haven't
> every received any real help from RH so they last saw money from me over
> three years ago.  I am sure their support has improved significantly.
> Anyway - SuSE releases 3 distros per year, that is $210 per year for the
> upgrades.  FTP however doesn't cost me anything since I have a T1
> available.  If I only have one system to maintain then SuSE is more
> expensive than Microsoft as far as the license goes.
> It may be that SuSE is making their money mostly on sales where RH is
> more focused on charging for support.
> 
> This posting is not meant to criticize - much rather to clarify.  I
> don't know enough about these companies to make any statement of fact.
> All I am stating my experience as an Internet user.

I believe you can get all the releases completely via internet.  SuSE does
delay on when they put them up on the net.  If you're really hot on getting
it, you can always buy it.  With Red Hat, the free users get it first via
FTP.  With SuSE, the paying customers get it first, and those not paying
have to wait.  SuSE's strategy seems perfectly fair to me, off hand.

	-- Alan Robertson
	   alanr at suse.com