DistributionWatch Review: Red Hat Linux 6.1 - page 2

Red Hat Linux: A Mainstream Linux

You can download Red Hat Linux 6.1 from the Red Hat Web site, but most users will want to obtain it in one of the three shrink-wrap editions. All three editions include some level of support, a boot disk, two CDs with the operating system and the accompanying source code, a CD with StarOffice 5.1a for Linux and Windows (it's the same format and packaging as if you'd ordered it directly from Sun), free priority access to a dedicated customer-support FTP server and some level of documentation.

The Standard Edition costs $29.95 and includes 30 days of access to the FTP server, 90 days of Web-based installation support, the Installation Guide and the Reference Guide. If you're looking for just the operating system and don't need a lot of hand-holding or applications shipped on CD, consider this edition.

Most users, especially those moving from the Windows or MacOS worlds, will want to consider the Deluxe Edition. For $79.95, the Deluxe Edition bundles 180 days of access to the dedicated FTP server, 30 days of telephone support, 90 days of Web-based installation support, a Powertools CD with over 300 applications, a Linux Application CD with over 40 third-party workstation applications (including Applixware 4.4.2 in a time-limited version, Allaire JRun, Flashpoint, a beta version of IBM Via Voice SDK, KAI C++, HyperWave Information Server in a time-limited version, Magic Enterprise Server, Mathsoft Splus, and a whole lot more), plus the Installation, Reference and Getting Started Guides.

The Professional Edition, which goes for $149.95, includes everything in the Deluxe Edition and adds a secure Web server, e-commerce software, database-management software, 30 days of dedicated Apache configuration support, an IBM DB2 CD, a CPAN archives CD, a Server Linux Application CD with over 30 popular server applications and a Secure Web Server Guide. For a powerful server software suite, this package is a tremendous bargain.