OK, here's the deal. RedHat started out as a great linux distro. Popular, easy to use, and yet powerful all rolled into one. For example, my favorite version was 7.3.

If you recall, RedHat 8 and 9 took a rather sharp turn. The user interface became much more user friendly, more newbie-ized, and a lot lot more like Microsoft. The RedHat corporation decided to act more like a publically traded corporation than like a group of nerds who created a *nix OS (like it initially started out). In versions 8 and 9, there was a switch over from becoming an open source linux distro for nerds to a commercialized windows alternative desktop / home pc. At the same time, the overall feel became more commercialized - i.e. you have to pay a subscription fee to access the RedHat network for *.rpm updates, etc. It lost the whole open source "feel" that other distros like Slackware and Debian still have.

RedHat thought that it would be the first to bring linux to the home pc for the average user as a windows alternative. However, they didn't count on the fact that they'd lose all of their faithful fans who have been with the distro from the beginning - for it's beginnings as a powerful open source OS.

They ended up digging themselves into a hole. So they decided to stop while they were ahead and give an end of life to all RedHat distros and not develop anymore - since the name "RedHat Linux" became associated with a commercialized Microsoft wannabe *nix version. So now they are only marketing RedHat Enterprise edition, a top of the line server platform for corporations who are willing to shell out the bucks for a *nix alternative to Windows Server 2003.

However, RedHat didn't just want to give up all the years of work they've put into their distros. So basically what they did was partner with an open source team, Fedora linux. Basically, it's a new linux distro that incorporates all the great features of RedHat (i.e. *.rpm, etc.), has the RedHat installer script (anaconda), and all the other stuff that was present back in RedHat 7.3 versions plus a bunch of the version 8 and 9 goodies also. But it's being marketed as a fully open source written by geeks for geeks linux OS ... basically to compete with the other nerdy linux distros and to get RedHat back on track. So it's basically completely endorsed and supported by RedHat with redhat features and functionality, but it can't be associated with that name because that is like associating it with the corporation - RedHat's failure in the first place. So basically they're trying again only this time making sure it's completely free, open source, in every aspect. Which is why it basically *is* RedHat, but it's not, because it's being ran like an open source group and not like a company/corporation this time around.

If I could give you more reputation points, I would...

WoW :!:

hehehe... In short, a fedora is a type of hat.

And it's Blue.

Red Hat, Blue Hat, what's the difference

I've seen Fedora screenshots and it looks real impressive. This type o Linux is good for people like me who want to learn Linux more on a user-friendly basis until I am more comfortable to explre the different commands and the power and stablility of Linux. It's a change from Windows and a challenge.

I've been trying linux distros since Caldera 2.3 and settled into Red Hat linux 7.3 when I came to have server needs. The desktop then was a challenge to use, but it's getting easier.

For todays distros you still should expect to have to have the experience of a "power user" to get things accomplished like sound and high end video. Wireless and USB have their challenges too. I'm speaking of Fedora Core 1, other distros may be different.

Currently FC1 seems quite stable for applications when LAMP is required. We're running Vbulletin 3, IPB and Deluxe portal on an FC1 box, an iptables firewall/router and remote X desktops. It hasn't even sneezed.

Linux is coming on strong and Fedora Core is helping pave the way.

I still say its a hat.

Hey,
I've been running fedora for a cople of weeks now just to have a look at it. and although i havent pushed it to take over from my RH8 severs it looks and feels exactly like RH8, and to be honist i recon that it will perform much the same (untested opinion). it does seem to have lots of gui/wisard stuff in it to config your main services.
personaly i think this system will move more towards simplicity, in time, to be a desktop rival. but there again if you remember the organal MS back office server (more wizards than a lord of the rings convention) simplicity can usually manage to make the system harder to control.

well i guess time will tell, at the moment fedora is a nice system with lots of functionality, i just hope that it doesnt dumb down to much.

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