Rocky Linux is an open enterprise Operating System designed to be 100% bug-for-bug compatible with Enterprise Linux.

The two ways they have for getting source code are kind of funny and easy, and kind of makes fun of RHEL in pulling this maneuver, getting so much community backlash and ultimately having so little effect other than to negatively impact future business. But will they go further to violate the GPL? Or concede defeat? Say what you want, but to cut off paying customers if they share source code which is their right under the GPL is a really bad move that exposes the character of those running the company.

  • redcalcium@c.calciumlabs.com
    0·
    1 year ago

    Don’t forget Red Hat wouldn’t have problem with the “rebuilders” eating their lunch if they didn’t kill CentOS in the first place. People that don’t need support would just use CentOS, and people that do need support would still buy RHEL instead of paying Rocky, Alma and Rocky wouldn’t exists, and Oracle Linux would’ve still a niche product. But greed (or IBM?) got the better of them and they killed CentOS to increase their short term revenue. Now they’re getting bitten in the ass for that short-sighted decision (NASA contract with Rocky) and double down with an even stupider decision. They will surely get bitten in the ass again over this decision and probably will triple down with an even more stupider decision.

    I haven’t seen anything about RHEL cutting off paying customers who share source. It wasn’t in the link you shared, it wasn’t in any of the links provided by Rocky in said blog post you shared. I’d love to read about it if I’ve missed it, and reform my opinions.

    I think it’s mentioned in red hat portal ToC. There are screenshots around the internet if you look for it.

    Edit: found it

    g) Unauthorized Use of Subscription Services. Any unauthorized use of the Subscription Services is a material breach of the Agreement. Unauthorized use of the Subscription Services includes: (a) only purchasing or renewing Subscription Services based on some of the total number of Units, (b) splitting or applying one Software Subscription to two or more Units, © providing Subscription Services (in whole or in part) to third parties, (d) using Subscription Services in connection with any redistribution of Software or (e) using Subscription Services to support or maintain any non-Red Hat Software products without purchasing Subscription Services for each such instance (collectively, “Unauthorized Subscription Services Uses”).

    https://www.redhat.com/licenses/Appendix_1_Global_English_20230309.pdf

    • vacuumflower@vlemmy.net
      1·
      1 year ago

      Nobody and nothing living forever is one of the reasons centralization is bad. But humans sadly like to flock.

      RH is approaching the end of its life cycle. First they were hackers. Then they became a useful and aspiring business. Then RPM-based distributions were what made Linux not marginal anymore (though probably this also has something to do with Mandrake’s success). Then they became something in the center of things, connected to everything happening with Linux and other Unix-like systems (at least on desktop). Then they realized that and started milking that slowly. Then they became arrogant.