Linux (so you don't have to compile it yourself), guaranteed support, tools for tracking the
hardware and software on your computer, and access to the company's knowledge base.
While Red Hat's Fedora project includes much of the same software and is also available
in binary form, there are no guarantees associated with the software or future updates
of that software. A small office or personal user might take the risk on Fedora (which is
itself an excellent operating system), but a big company that's running mission-critical
applications will probably put down a few dollars for RHEL.
Donations -- Many open source projects accept donations from individuals or open source
companies that use code from their projects. Amazingly, many open source projects sup-
port one or two developers and run exclusively on donations.
Bounties -- Software bounties are a fascinating way for open source software companies
to make money. Let's say that you are using XYZ software package and you need a new
feature right away. By paying a software bounty to the project itself, or to other software
developers, you can have your needed improvements moved to the head of the queue.
The software you pay for will remain covered by its open source license, but you will
have the features you need, at probably a fraction of the cost of building the project
from scratch.
Boxed sets, mugs, and T-shirts -- Many open source projects have online stores where
you can buy boxed sets (some people still like physical CDs and hard copies of documen-
tation) and a variety of mugs, T-shirts, mouse pads, and other items. If you really love a
project, for goodness sake, buy a T-shirt!
This is in no way an exhaustive list, because more creative ways are being invented every day to
support those who create open source software. Remember that many people have become con-
tributors to and maintainers of open source software because they needed or wanted the software
themselves. The contributions they make for free are worth the return they get from others who
do the same.
How Different Are Linux Distributions
from One Another?
While different Linux systems will add different logos, choose some different software components
to include, and have different ways of installing and configuring Linux, most people who become
used to Linux can move pretty easily from one Linux to another. There are a few reasons for this:
Linux Standard Base -- There is an effort called the Linux Standard Base (
www
.linuxbase·org
) to which most major Linux systems subscribe. The Linux Standard
Base Specification (available from this site) has as one of its primary goals to ensure that
applications written for one Linux system will work on other systems. To that end, the
LSB will define what libraries need to be available, how software packages can be for-
matted, commands and utilities that must be available, and, to some extent, how the
30
Linux First Steps
Part I
