[Discuss] Oracle Linux, going after CentOs

[Richard Pieri]

On 7/26/2012 2:34 PM, Tom Metro wrote:
> 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.

RHEL is the dominant enterprise Linux.  Transitioning customers to a 
non-RHEL Oracle Linux means losing customers.  Oracle can't kill Red 
Hat, nor can it take over Red Hat.  IBM, Intel and the other big Red Hat 
partners would block that.  Oracle won't become a Red Hat VAR like IBM. 
  Ellison burned that bridge with SunOS and Ksplice.  Can't ignore 'em. 
  Can't beat 'em.  Won't join 'em.  What's left?

Blackmail.  Leverage.

-- 
Rich P.