Users considering investing in new Linux servers from Sun
Microsystems have been warned that they may lose control of future
development of the operating system.
Last month Sun launched a server system using an adapted Red Hat
Linux and Intel processors, in a move that was seen as a departure
from its proprietary hardware and software focus.
Linux distributor Red Hat is not pleased with this development.
Michael Tiemann, Red Hat's chief technology officer, said he is not
sure whether Sun can legally rebrand Red Hat Linux, and added that
many of the popular distributions were originally based on Red Hat
- it all depends on how close Sun Linux is to Red Hat's original
release.
"Sun is addicted to the drug of proprietary hardware and software,"
he said. "At LinuxWorld, Scott McNealy [Sun's chief executive] was
at a loss to explain why the company had no relationship with Red
Hat. Without this, there is a danger that anyone who buys into Sun
Linux will also buy into Sun controlling their destiny."
Simon Tindall, Sun's volume products sales manager, defended the
launch. "I do not think Sun is taking unfair advantage of the open
source community. Mainstream companies want to bet their business
on an operating system of quality. Red Hat has a strong
distribution to start with and we have optimised from there.
"We will honour the GPL [general public licence] and openly publish
any changes we make, and we do not charge for the software on our
LX50 Intel-based servers."
Sun said it aims to provide a supportable version of Linux which
will allow its customers to have a single source for support and
sales. However, IBM and other large hardware manufacturers simply
distribute and support Red Hat Advanced Server themselves, under
licence from Red Hat.