[1534] in linux-announce channel archive
REVIEW: Linux in Infoworld Magazine, Dec 11.
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Lars Wirzenius)
Sat Jan 13 17:46:12 1996
Date: Sun, 7 Jan 1996 21:17:47 +0200
From: Lars Wirzenius <wirzeniu@cc.helsinki.fi>
To: linux-announce@vger.rutgers.edu
From: "ACC Corp." <bob@redhat.com>
Subject: REVIEW: Linux in Infoworld Magazine, Dec 11.
Approved: linux-announce@news.ornl.gov (Lars Wirzenius)
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.announce
Followup-to: comp.os.linux.misc
Organization: ?
Keywords: Linux, Infoworld, Red Hat, review.
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Here is the full text of the Linux article published in INFOWORLD, one of
the leading computer industry magazines in the US, in their December 11 edition.
It is reprinted here in its entirety by kind permission of INFOWORLD.
(please note: if you would like to republish this elsewhere, or to quote
publicly from this article for any purpose, permission must first be
obtained from the Permissions Dept at INFOWORLD (415) 572-7341, Thanks.)
PRODUCT REVIEWS
Unix Operating Systems
Title: Red Hat Linux eases installation.
by: Frank Conley.
Setting up a Unix-based server is not the pricey or complicated endeavor it
once was. With Version 2.1 of Red Hat Software Inc.'s Red Hat Commercial
Linux, much of the work is done for the user. In fact the process is easy
enough that even those with little Unix expertise can be up and running in a
short time.
This version contains roughly 60 new packages (such as deamons, shells, and
applications) and more than 200 upgraded packages, which makes it an
excellent value. Red Hat's biggest advantage is that so many of the
packages and tools require little or no configuration. Having everything
ready to run - especially X Windows, system administration, and Internet
tools - saves hours of research, configuring, and tweaking.
This, along with easy-to-configure networking, package management, and Red
Hat's optional technical support make this a bargain for businesses looking
to deploy a Unix-based World Wide Web, mail, or news server. And it's more
than just a bargain: Red Hat is overall the most sophisticated and
commercial release of Linux I've seen. It even has PC Card support, which
would allow for laptop installation. I haven't seen that on any other
version of Linux.
You can install Red Hat Linux according to one of five schemes: via CD-Rom,
Network File System, File Transfer Protocol, floppy disk, or hard disk. I
chose the standard CD installation. The first task was to configure a set
of boot disks. The first two disks are created from standard images on the
CD. The third disk is created by checking IMAGE.IDX and matching that which
most closely resembles your system. Red Hat found my SCSI devices with no
problem and immediately proceeded into the install from the CD.
Red Hat offers both a text-based or graphical installation. I tried the
graphical install, which generates an X Window environment, but found that
my system kept locking at random points in the process - probably an
irregularity in my system rather than the software; I was able to do a
graphical install on another system with no problem.
Fortunately the text-based installation was totally trouble free and without
incident, and it offered the same features at the graphical option.
For current users of Red Hat Commercial Linux, Red Hat offers Red Hat
Package Management (RPM), a graphical upgrade utility. This is the first
Linux distribution I've seen with this feature, and it works very well,
although there's a price. My text-based installation of Red Hat 2.1 took an
hour and a half; an upgrade (using RPM) from Red Hat 2.0 to Version 2.1 took
almost 3 hours.
The network setup is part of the install, and is largely menu-driven. All
you'll need is a list of the relevant IP addresses. The system could ping
other Unix servers on the first reboot after installation.
An X environment is typically difficult to set up, even if you use
XF86Config. Red Hat has made it easy to test and set up your X environment
using Xconfigurator. The X environment is feature and application rich,
especially if you install all the packages on the CD. There is also a
Control Panel full of system administration tools.
A lack of technical support and commercially available documentation has
kept many businesses from implementing Linux. Red Hat Software does answer
some support concerns, providing support through E-mail or their Web page; a
broader technical support contract costs extra.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Red Hat Commercial Linux, Version 2.1
Red Hat offers a complete Unix-based, network ready operating system on a
set of four CD's with documentation, TSX-11, and Sunsite Archives.
Pros: The only Linux distribution with a built-in upgrade capability; ready
to run; ELF object file format; easy X Windows Configuration.
Cons: Technical support available only via E-mail or World Wide Web;
comprehensive technical support and updates cost $399 per year; no sound
card support.
Red Hat Software, Inc. Westport CT. (800) 546-7274, (203) 454-5500; E-mail:
info@redhat.com; FTP: ftp.redhat.com; World Wide Web: http://www.redhat.com
Price: $49.95
Frank Conley is a Unix system administrator at Trecom Business System, in
Atlanta. He can be reached via Internet at 72673.615@compuserve.com
December 11, 1995, INFOWORLD page 127.
ACC Corp., Inc. "Home of the PC UNIX - Linux Catalog"
Red Hat Software, Inc. makers of "The Red Hat Commercial Linux Distribution"
(800) 454-5502 or (203) 454-5500 fax: (203) 454-2582
bob@redhat.com or http://www.acc-corp.com
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