Is IBM shooting itself in its RedHat foot?

[GreyGeek]

https://news.itsfoss.com/red-hat-restricts-source-code/

Will this move affect RHEL-based distros?

Yes, the likes of Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, and Oracle Linux are some RHEL-based distros that come to mind.

Considering the selling point of these CentOS replacements is being 1:1 compatible with RHEL. And Red Hat's move makes CentOS Stream source code accessible to the public, which is not the same as RHEL (probably with a different kernel version and less stable?).

However, the open-source developer GloriousEggroll mentions that the developer subscription to RHEL is free. So, access to RHEL source code is still possible but inconvenient?

As a reminder:

Red Hat (and GPL Licence) allows for selling compiled binary software for a fee, but also guarantees the buyer the freedom to also get the Source Code (and his right to publish that Source Code for free, whether modified or not).

So RHEL compiled binary is a paid product (along with support). But RHEL Source Code is free.

What if Ubuntu took a similar step?

There are a ton of people wanting blood and asking for developers to sue IBM/RH for GPL violations.

It looks like the GPL is in for a series of legal tests as corporate powers try to lock in profits and lock out FOSS developers and users of FOSS.

[TWPonKubuntu]

I'm just waiting for Redmond to jump back on this bandwagon... Follow the money...
What's that line?: "Stupid is as stupid does" - Forest Gump

I dumped Win XP once. If the GPL loses in the courts, I can dump whoever fails to support FOSS/GPL. I have plenty of popcorn and beer to watch this show from the bunker. I'll also be watching my blood pressure 'cause this makes me angry...

[GreyGeek]

LOL!
RH5 was my first Linux distro, but I haven't used RH since I switched to SuSE 5.3 in Sept of 1998. What IBM does with RHEL is of no real concern to me. Now if Ubuntu jumped on that train .....

[TWPonKubuntu]

Yeah, me too. I remember the OS wars, when IBM lost with OS/2 (a good OS but IBM messed up). Ubuntu still honors the GPL, but I'm watching them too...

[oshunluvr]

Yeah, I used OS/2 Warp for a few years before Linux. When IBM dropped non-commercial support I found Mandrake.

[TWPonKubuntu]

I think you mean OS/2 WARP? Great OS, too bad it was tainted by IBM... Linux is SO much better.

[oshunluvr]

YES, lol...

[GreyGeek]

I found RH5.0 on a CD in the back of a $25 paperback titled "Learn Linux in 24 Hours". It took me more than 24 hours but RH5 was as stable as a rock on my new Sony VAIO desktop. I bought the Sony on Dec 29th, 1997 and it came with Win95. The combo was so unstable I had to re-install Win95 FIVE times between Jan 1 and May 1, 1998. Disgusted, I decided to return to my previous configuration: Win3.11FWG running in an OS/2 DOS box. While at Barns & Nobel, where OS's were sold at the time, I was looking for the latest OS/2, which was OS/2 Warp, for $250 (IIRC). That is equivalent to $460 today. RH5 was free. The choice was obvious. If RH5 didn't work out then I could always go back and buy OS/2. From May 1, 1998 till Sept, 1998, when I switched to SuSE 5.3 because it had KDE 1.0 Beta featured, my Sony never crashed once. Since 1998 I can count the number of times Linux has crashed on my on one hand, and those crashes were due to hardware failures. Since I adopted Kubuntu in Feb of 2009, it has crashed on my only once, also due to hardware failure.