[Discuss] Oracle Linux, going after CentOs

[tmetro+blu at gmail.com (Tom Metro)]

Jim Gasek wrote:
> Yes, Oracle does want to go "big time" in Linux, and yes, Redhat is the target.
> 
> Oracle watched with interest as big banks began displacing (Sun and others)
> in favor of RHEL, and other linux, and then ran the apps and databases
> on top of Linux.
> 
> Oracle wants to provide full vertical integration, from hardware to app, and to
> support the whole thing on -their- platform.   It is the "one neck to choke"
> support paradigm.   Or, at least be as vertical as they can.

Agreed.

Oracle cam more easily afford to undercut RedHat, as Oracle has a bigger
stable of popular enterprise applications, which they can cross sell to
all the free Oracle Linux users. Plus, they aren't at all dependent on
the revenues from the Linux support services.


Richard Pieri wrote:
> Oracle killing Red Hat makes even less sense...
> A strong Red Hat makes for a strong Oracle Linux.

Larry may not see it that way. Oracle has demonstrated through their
actions that they don't seem to value open source too highly. They
probably have a contingency plan if Red Hat goes way (or otherwise makes
their code updates inaccessible to Oracle) of just hiring a few more
engineers and taking over maintenance themselves.

They likely underestimate the engineering value-add that Red Hat provides.


> I figure this is what Ellison wants.  He's not out to kill Red Hat. 
> He's out to make Oracle a necessity for Red Hat's continued operation.

I doubt it. Why bother setting up a situation where you have backhanded
leverage over a competitor when it is a much clearer path to simply
transition customers from your own free product to your own paid
product, and not involve the competitor at all.

 -Tom

-- 
Tom Metro
Venture Logic, Newton, MA, USA
"Enterprise solutions through open source."
Professional Profile: http://tmetro.venturelogic.com/