Red Hat Commercial Linux

[jwt@example.com (Jim Tittsler)]

After reading the favorable reviews of Red Hat Commercial Linux
in _Linux Journal_ and on the 'net, I thought I would give it a
try.  I bought the Red Hat 2.1 package (Y3200 @ Laser 5) in order
to get their printed instruction manual.  The basic distribution
is also available on the Info-Magic 5 CD set (Y2500 @ Laser 5).

So far it has been a series of disappointments:

1. Using the supplied mkfloppies.pl script under my old Linux
system claimed to create the installation disks, but they didn't
get past LI(lo).  I used DOS rawrite to create the boot disk,
only to find out that the ramdisk floppies were corrupt as well.

2. The 1.3.xx images are GZipped... but they forgot to mention
that in the filename.  When the 1.2.13 image didn't work initially,
I decided to try the 1.3.xx image... that didn't even make it as
far as I had before.  Little wonder since I thought they were raw
images like the 1.2.13 set.

3. It doesn't correctly set up your swap space after asking you
about doing it.  (Hop over to another VC and do it by hand after
passing that point in the script.)

4. The supplied XFree86 3.1.2 server for the ET4000W32p/i seems
to be defective.  It hangs during probing (which my old one didn't
do).  If you instead give their install script information about
the card, clocks, etc... it claims to make a configuration file
and then fails to find it.

5. It will attempt to install more stuff than will fit in a 
partition.  Rather than detecting the error, it just continues,
until it starts acting rather strangely.

6. You really need to read the online FAQ (http://www.redhat.com)
to learn about these and other frustrations.  Don't be misled into
thinking the one included with the discs and book is current.  You
can get the RPM package updates that you'll find you need from
sunsite.sut.ac.jp.

All that said, when the installation script actually works it
is pretty and easy to use.  The "control panel" for setting
the mount points, adding/deleting users, setting the time, is
also cute.

Red Hat seems like a great idea with a lot of rough edges.  A
bit early to have the word "Commercial" in the product title.