Pravin Dhayfule wrote:
Hi Folks,
One of my friend was arguing me that RED HAT is superior to any of the FREELY available Linux Distro as it provides Support (although in form of Subscriptions).
However I told him that he can get free community support for many other free distros and more over they are Open Source.
Now for this he said that Red Hat too is open Source, and he has got one installed in his home through a CD provided by his institute where he is studying REHL.
Official RedHat affiliated RHEL institutes provide RHEL Cds without support, for study purposes. They are legal. RHEL courses cost Rs. 15 K and now it may be even more. If the CD has the original RedHat label on it, it is original.
I asked him, whether he needed to enter Serial Key like Windows, he replied no, but he wont be able to use their support. So I told him that he is using a PIRATED version of LINUX. HE said yes.
I went ahead to cross check Red Hat License Agreement, and saw it to be similar to Microsoft's EULA that states, you cannot install it on more computers than the licensed purchased for etc. Secondly if the Subscription expires, the OS will no longer be Legal until its renewed (similar to Norton Anti Virus)
Could RedHat guys confirm whether the installed OS becomes illegal if earlier properly paid subscription is not renewed? Once a RedHat product is purchased, is it compulsory to keep renewing its license? Is this something like the anti-virus software that has to be renewed every year?