Which Linux is right for you?

Product or project: choose for yourself

A few years ago there was just one Red Hat Linux. As acceptance grew and Linux reached further into enterprise computing, one Red Hat Linux product could no longer be all things to all users. That's why in 2002 Red Hat created what's now known as Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Stable, supported, certified—Red Hat Enterprise Linux has become the Linux standard.

The Fedora Project was introduced in late 2003. Built for and with the help of the open source community, the Fedora Project is for developers and high-tech enthusiasts using Linux in non-critical computing environments. Which Linux is right for you? See for yourself.

I am a:	Business, government, or other user looking for stable, supported, and certified Linux	Developer or highly technical enthusiast using Linux in non-critical computing environments
Recommended operating system	Red Hat Enterprise Linux	Fedora Project	Red Hat Linux

History	Launched in 2002 as Red Hat's enterprise-class Linux operating system	Launched in 2003 and designed to be the development forum for new Linux and open source technology	Red Hat's legacy Linux operating system, launched in 1994. Predecessor of Red Hat Enterprise Linux and the Fedora Project. Last version available was Red Hat Linux 9.
Status	Available now	Available now	No longer available
Primary benefits	Stable, reliable, and broadly supported. Easy to deploy and manage. Many certified applications available. Industry-leading combination of server performance/scalability and desktop features.	Bleeding edge technology released early and often	General purpose, low-cost solution that provided a combination of leading-edge technology and limited support. Attempted to be all things to all people.
Primary developers	Red Hat	Developer community, with contributions from Red Hat	Red Hat Linux development effort refocused on Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora Project
Development model	Open source	Open source	Open source
ISV certifications	More than 300 supported applications, including BEA, CA, IBM, Oracle, VERITAS	None	Few, not standardized. No new certifications.
Hardware certifications	Many, including Dell, HP, Fujitsu, IBM, Hitachi, NEC, Sun	None	Few, not standardized. No new certifications.
Architectures	Intel x86-compatible & Itanium; AMD64; IBM iSeries, pSeries, zSeries, S/390	Intel x86-compatible: Subject to change (community driven)	Intel x86-compatible
Industry benchmarks	Several, including ECperf and TPC	None	No current benchmarks
Red Hat support options	Many, including 24x7 with one hour response	None	Installation and configuration
Red Hat training options	Many, including classroom, on-site, e-learning	None	Converting to Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Training certifications	RHCE (Red Hat Certified Engineer) and RHCT (Red Hat Certified Technician)	None	Converting to Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Release interval	12-18 months	4-6 months	Was 6 months. Last version released Spring 2003.
Testers	Red Hat, partners, and extensive beta team	Developer community	Red Hat and beta testers through April 2004
Package selection criteria	Best balance of maturity and features selected based on their appropriateness for commercial deployment	Latest open source community packages. Selected to meet the needs of the open source community and drive rapid technology development.	Packages selected to provide a general purpose environment with no specific focus. Limited maturity/quality controls.
Maintenance and updates	Complete update, management, and monitoring capabilities available via Red Hat Network	Updates only from developer community	Updates via Red Hat Network, FTP, and web.
Update lifetime	Five years	2-3 months	Last updates end April 2004
Where to buy	Red Hat (1-866-273-3428), redhat.com, and partners	Not available for sale from Red Hat or partners. Available via download or third-party CD replicators only.	No longer available for sale
Price	Multiple offerings starting at $179	Free download	Was $39.95 to $149.95. No longer available for sale.