Ed Wilts wrote:
Actually, you're not close. For $179/year, you get the basic EW subscription. This has no server tools - no bind, no dhcpd, nada. It's a desktop.
Are you sure on that. I don't think I've seen a linux distribution without mail, DNS, http, samba, NFS, or DHCP in years. I cannot get in to check the SRPM list for EW right now.
But, asuming that EW doesn't come with those apps. How much is it going to cost to add them, using the Red Hat SRPMS? How much to add them to Windows? Can you even add them to Windows? Does XP have an NFS, bind, and dhcp server available?
Agreed they should be available and readily added BUT does the need to do that beggar the argument some are making that Red Hat includes all these things Windows doesn't?
People have made the argument that the cost comparisons do not include the
typical cost of MS Office whereas Red Hat includes Open Office. Well, yes, but that's a moot
point because I can just as readily use Open Office on Windows.
Don't get me wrong, I much, much prefer Linux (until recently I would have said Red Hat, not Linux) but it is important to compare apples to apples here. Anything I can add for the same cost and effort to either platform really doesn't add (or subtract) from the value or cost analysis of either.
Further, I think it is important to point out the value of the RHEN/RHN service does not extend to those things I have to find and install separately. That is, $179/yr (or whatever the level/cost) only buys updates for those items included in the product purchased. When some one says "find it elsewhere" they're really saying "find it elsewhere and maintain it yourself".
R.Parr, RHCE Temporal Arts
