?Buying? Linux

[st12iker]

Dear Fellow Users,
What are the advantages to buying Linux over downloading it besides the fact that when boxed you get the CD's w/ Linux right away instead of waiting. Most importantly, is it true that if you buy linux you get 3 free technical support calls ? Please also address how much Linux companies (Red Hat) charge for tech support

THNX
-- * $t12!ker *

[EnigmaOne]

Originally posted by st12iker
What are the advantages to buying Linux over downloading it besides the fact that when boxed you get the CD's w/ Linux right away instead of waiting.
I download first, because it's faster than travelling to buy any particular distro in a brick and mortar store. It's also far faster than any mail-order options.
I then buy to support the comapny involved--as well as the Linux community at large. Oftentimes, buying a boxed set gives you manuals, which can be helpful.

Originally posted by st12iker
Most importantly, is it true that if you buy linux you get 3 free technical support calls?
That depends on the company involved.

Originally posted by st12iker
Please also address how much Linux companies (Red Hat) charge for tech support.
RedHat no longer supports a consumer-oriented distro, but there are a number of other companies out there that do. Xandros, Lindows/Linspire, SuSE/Novell, Lycoris, Mandrake are just a few of the distros that may be of interest to you in this case.
Visit Distrowatch.com to get the resources you need to investigate the pricing and support options that best suit your particular needs.

[st12iker]

That depends on the company involved.


Do you get 3 free technical support calls with Red Hat (if you purchase (Red Hat Personal Edition 9) ... do you know if you can subscribe to their technical support division. If not, do you know any other companies that offer free technical support if you buy their product or have options in which you may subscribe to their technical support division.


Please help me !!!

[bosox79]

Did you puchase a boxed set?, if so you may want to e-mail RH and ask them directly, you may find this helpful as well http://www.redhat.com/solutions/business/migration/
are you going to be using RH for personal use? if so you may want to look into http://www.distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=fedora

HTH & welcome to JL
Bosox

[EnigmaOne]

Originally posted by st12iker
Do you get 3 free technical support calls with Red Hat (if you purchase (Red Hat Personal Edition 9) ... do you know if you can subscribe to their technical support division.

All support for "RedHat"-branded consumer products was discontinued as of April of this year, so the short-answer to that is, unfortunately, "No."

As bosox79 mentioned, RedHat is sponsoring the Fedora project, and updates are available on an ongoing basis. That's as close as you can get to official RedHat support without buying an Enterprise-based distro offering.

Fedora does maintain a mailing list for the exchange of issue-based information:
http://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list

Consider SuSe as an alternative distro. You can get an idea of the support options offered to home users by SuSE here:
http://www.suse.com/us/private/support/index.html

[cybertron]

Originally posted by st12iker
If not, do you know any other companies that offer free technical support if you buy their product or have options in which you may subscribe to their technical support division.


All Linux distros offer free tech support. Just visit JustLinux.com (http://www.justlinux.com) for more info:D.


Please help me !!!

That's what we're here for;).

[happybunny]

I don't know who said it first but I'll repeat it here

"Software worth using is software worth paying for"

we just bought 9x5 coverage for a year for Redhat ES 3 (which is the high end server class OS)at I think $760 US, if that puts anything in perspective for you.

(On a support note, I called HP (who we bought RH and support from) with a weird problem. They called back and said they couldnt duplicate the problem and therefor couldn't help me. Glad we paid them all that money.)

SUSE was giving away their distro and i think 30 days email tech support for free? But check the site for accuracy of that.

[JohnT]

Originally posted by st12iker
Do you get 3 free technical support calls with Red Hat (if you purchase (Red Hat Personal Edition 9) ... do you know if you can subscribe to their technical support division. If not, do you know any other companies that offer free technical support if you buy their product or have options in which you may subscribe to their technical support division.


Please help me !!! Companies?......No.....Distros?.......Yes
http://www.slackware.com/support/

[Arjay]

I bought my first Slackware box set (7.1) because it came with a book, which i still use, but you can also view it on the Slack website. Since then i have just ordered them from a site on the internet who sell cheap cds (I still use a 56k dial-up you see). I recieve them in a couple of days of ordering.

I would love to support the great job people are doing by buying the box set, maybe i will one day, right now though i am in the middle of a compsci course and i need to budget as best i can. So right now it's cheap cds, JustLinux and google, that's about all you need really.

Cheers :)