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Linux is Linux is Linux. Or is it?
Not really. Despite the fact that at the core — the kernel — every Linux distribution is based on the Linux kernel released by Linus Torvalds and his posse of volunteers, there are some major differences between Linux distributions, as vendors seek to assert their individuality in the marketplace.
Linux is Linux is Linux. Or is it?
Red Hat Linux is one of the most popular Linux distributions, and Red Hat has distinguished itself in the marketplace by positioning Red Hat Linux as an easy-to-use, easy-to-install Linux distribution backed with a support staff. That the support is somewhat limited — if you purchase a higher-end Red Hat Linux bundle, you’re entitled to 30 days of free telephone support to tackle installation and configuration issues — doesn’t detract from the fact that Red Hat is aggressively pursuing Windows users who are seeking an alternative. As a result, Red Hat Linux is the most “Windows-like” of the Linux distributions. It also means that Red Hat Linux is in many ways the quirkiest of the Linux distributions.
Quirky? Yes. While most Linux distributions offer basically the same tools (mostly open-source software from the Free Software Foundation, the Apache Group and the XFree86 group), Red Hat has aggressively developed its own tools for installation and configuration. While these tools have been released as open-source software, they haven’t yet caught on in the rest of the Linux community. The Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) software-bundling format is used almost exclusively by Red Hat users, even though it’s available for any Linux distribution. Similarly, Red Hat has been pushing the GNOME interface — which at best is immature and barely stable — while de-emphasizing the KDE desktop, a much more mature technology that’s found a wider acceptance among the greater Linux community.
