Enterprise Linux or Fedora?

Product or project: choose for yourself

A few years ago there was just one Red Hat Linux. As acceptance grew and Linux reached further into enterprise computing, one Red Hat Linux product could no longer be all things to all users. That's why in 2002 Red Hat created Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Stable, supported, certified -- Red Hat Enterprise Linux has become the Linux standard.

The Fedora Project was introduced in late 2003. Built for and with the help of the open source community, the Fedora Project is for developers and high-tech enthusiasts using Linux in non-critical computing environments. Which Linux is right for you? See for yourself.

I am a: Business, government, or other user looking for stable, supported, and certified Linux Developer or highly technical enthusiast using Linux in non-critical computing environments
Recommended operating system Red Hat Enterprise Linux Fedora Project
Primary benefits Stable, reliable, and broadly supported. Easy to deploy and manage. Many certified applications and hardware systems available. Industry-leading combination of server performance/scalability and desktop features. Bleeding-edge technology released early and often
Feature selection and integration Red Hat Red Hat and developer community
Development model Open source Open source
ISV certifications More than 1000 supported applications, including BEA, CA, IBM, Oracle, VERITAS None
Hardware certifications Over 600 certified systems, including Bull, Dell, HP, Fujitsu, IBM, Hitachi, NEC None
Architectures Intel x86 & Itanium2; AMD64/EM64T; IBM POWER, zSeries, S/390 Intel x86, AMD64/EM64T, PPC (community selected)
Red Hat support options Many, including 24x7 with 1 hour response. Unlimited incidents. Include upgrades None (community supported)
Red Hat training options Many, including classroom, on-site, e-learning None
Training certifications RHCA (Red Hat Certified Architect)
RHCE (Red Hat Certified Engineer)
RHCT (Red Hat Certified Technician)		 None
Release interval Approx 18 months 4-6 months
Testers Red Hat, partners, and extensive beta team Developer community
Package selection criteria Best balance of maturity and features selected based on their appropriateness for commercial deployment Latest open source community packages. Selected to meet the needs of the open source community and drive rapid technology development.
Maintenance and updates Complete update, management, and monitoring capabilities available via Red Hat Network Community & 3rd party driven
Update lifetime Seven years N/A
Where to buy Red Hat (00800 7334 2835), Red Hat Shop, and partners Free download or from 3rd party replicators
Price Annual subscription. Multiple offerings, starting at $6/month (Red Hat Desktop, 50 units) Free download