UNC Linux Users Group

[John Reuning <john AT metalab.unc.edu>]

On Fri, 2003-12-12 at 16:39, Andy Ingham wrote:

> A point that seems to missed is that the $5,000 is an *annual* expense.  
> Sure, we can take up a collection, pool our money and pay the bill this 
> year.  Then we have to do it again next year?  And the year after that?  
> And ibiblio has graciously offered to host the system, but does that 
> mean that they have to find the money to buy and replace the hardware?

Some of our discussion involved guesswork and was based on the licensing
scheme from last year.  A longer conversation with the RH sales rep has
cleared up a couple of items.

The base package that provides the proxy server and unlimited licensing
for personal systems is $2500 annually, instead of $5000.  The licensing
for institutional systems isn't included in that figure, but there are
some nice system management extras that come with using the proxy server
instead of getting updates directly from RH.

ibiblio will keep the proxy server running and will consider the
hardware requirements as needed.  We're operating under the assumption
that this service will exist for a year, and we'll reevaluate our
options as a community for next year.  If we decide to renew the proxy
server, we'll happily keep running it or happily turn it over to anyone
else who wants to pick it up.  Happy is good.  :-)

The main goal of the linux community on campus is to encourage and
facilitate linux use.  Given the existing base of RH systems on campus,
the expertise with RH linux among sysadmins & users, and the purchasable
support from RH for those who need it, RH seems to be the best overall
choice right now.  Maybe RH will lower their academic pricing next
year.  Maybe there will be a better solution than RH.  Either way, since
the RH service is annual, everyone is free to reevaluate later.

Thanks,

-jrr

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