Linux [ Redhat or otherwise ]is actually available 'Free'
to anyone willing to go to the trouble to download it.
And you are free to modify it and become a distributor
of your own distribution as long as the GNU General
Public License is respected.
Redhat and the other distrubutions
'package a distribution'
on a CDROM and distribute the CDROM.
They are charging for the 'packaging'
and the 'convenience to the 'new/or experienced user'.
fred smith wrote:
>
> On Wed, Nov 24, 1999 at 11:04:56PM -0500, John Vincent M. Catral wrote:
> > > Linux is supposedly free under the
> > > >GNU General Public License. So I am confused, why will it cost me $30 to
> > > >download it?
It is Free if you download it...better have a good connection though.
> Er, actually it isn't free of charge. If you can find someone who is
> willing to pay you to give them a copy of it, you're "free" to carry out
> such a transaction. The phrase that's used a lot about GPL'd things is
> "free speech, not free beer", which means you're "free" (as in liberty)
> to use/modify/distribute, it does not mean that
> 'distribution'
> must be free of monetary (or other/equivalent) compensation.
>
> Fred
Exactly
> > alter. When you are paying for Linux it really means that you are paying for
> > the time and effort someone burned Linux into a CD, The CD itself =), support
> > from the Linux distributor and lastly, all the setup books that come with the
> > package. Those are what you are paying for.
When you are just starting out with Linux buying the CDROM and
manual is a wise way to go.
My two cents.
Johnny
> >
> > --
> > John Vincent M. Catral
> > Rutgers University - Newark
> > Computing Services (RUCS)
> > Work (973) 353-5083, Home (201) 440-0853
> >
> >
> >
> >
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>
> --
> ---- Fred Smith -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----------------------------
> The eyes of the Lord are everywhere,
> keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
> ----------------------------- Proverbs 15:3 (niv) -----------------------------
>
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