Oracle shows off Red Hat Linux defectors

Countering speculation that its Linux support offering is an empty marketing programme, Oracle has published a list 26 companies that traded Red Hat's enterprise Linux subscription for a less expensive Oracle offering.

The list includes high profile names such as Yahoo, BNP Paribas and Stanford University as well as lesser known companies.

The enterprise software vendor on last October unveiled a Linux support offering for Red Hat's enterprise Linux distribution. Oracle at the time charged that a lack of proper Linux support was holding back the open source operating system.

Red Hat sells its Linux software as a subscription service including support and updates. Users can acquire the software itself essentially free of charge.

Oracle is pricing its support below Red Hat's, and also offers to maintain outdated versions that Red Hat no longer supports.

The initial hype around the offering however has changed into sepsis over its market appeal. Although Oracle can support and patch Red Hat's software, it lacks a track record as an operating system developer.

Sun Microsystems' chief executive Jonathan Schwartz at a meeting with reporters last week said dismissed Oracle's Linux support.

"That's had little to no effect on the marketplace. The barriers to entry to compete against an operating system are a lot higher than they were historically," Schwartz said.

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