In an effort to improve communications with the development community, enable Linux users to test bleeding-edge technology, speed development, and improve the quality of future Red Hat Linux releases (as well as to end world hunger and eliminate human conflict), Red Hat will be releasing development versions of the Red Hat Linux Operating System on a regular basis.
Dubbed "Raw Hide," the releases will have version numbers independent of Red Hat Linux's version. Raw Hide 1.0 will appear on ftp.redhat.com on Friday, August 14 for public gnawing.
How Raw Hide is a Team Effort
The success of Linux and its rapid adoption by an increasing number of users for mission-critical applications has resulted in a growing number of developers. In addition to helping new users discover Linux, this development community continues to bring new features, tools, and utilities to Linux. As the Linux development community continues to push the rapid evolution of Linux, infrequently released Linux distributions have a difficult time providing the latest tools and innovations developers need.
To solve this problem, Red Hat, Inc. is harnassing the rapid development model which has proven so successful for developing individual components of the Linux operating system. This model helps us deliver award-winning OSs, and we anticpiate that Raw Hide will provide similiar benefits. It's our hope that the feedback we receive from the Linux development community will range from notification of errors and omissions to valuable discussions of the technical benefit (or lack thereof) of new features.
http://developer.redhat.com will host a web site devoted to Raw Hide, and the redhat-devel-list@redhat.com mailing list will be the centerpiece of discussion.
Biting at the Bit for Raw Hide
The growing user base of Linux highlights the need for early, accurate, and broadly disseminated information on new features and trends in Linux development. We can't think of a better way of keeping our user base fully informed on what we are up to then regularly posting our development release and source code. Announcements on http://developer.redhat.com and newsletters available from Red Hat will provide our users with constant updates on the evolution of Red Hat Linux.
Raw Hide Can Be a Bit Tough to Chew on So Run at Your Own Risk (and Enjoyment
These releases have not been quality tested by Red Hat's Quality Assurance team. They may not boot. If they boot, they may not install. If they install, they may not do anything other then waste CPU cycle. If anything breaks, you most assuredly own the many fragments which will be littered across your floor.
It may not be possible to upgrade from Red Hat to Raw Hide, from Raw Hide to Red Hat, or from Raw Hide to Raw Hide! If a stable upgrade path is important to you, please do not use Raw Hide.
DO NOT USE THESE RELEASES FOR ANY WORK WHERE YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR APPLICATION RUNNING, THE ACCURACY OF YOUR DATA, THE INTEGRITY OF YOUR NETWORK, OR ANY OTHER PURPOSE FOR WHICH A RESPONSIBLE HUMAN WOULD USE A COMPUTER. (But then again what would be the fun of hacking Linux if there wasn't some risk involved. ;-)....)
These releases will be available from ftp.redhat.com:/pub/rawhide. A list of Raw Hide mirrors will be available as such mirrors come online.
For serious Linux users (those folks who are relying on Red Hat Linux for critical business tasks or for those who are otherwise betting their career on this OS), Red Hat, Inc. offers a variety of technical support services on their "Official" releases. These are available from Red Hat, Inc. , the latest version of which is 5.1, released on June 1,1998. For more information please see http://www.redhat.com/products/product-details.phtml?id=rhl-intel .
Common with UNIX footnote
LINUX is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. Red Hat is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group. All other names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
- About Red Hat
Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to reliable and high-performing cloud, Linux, middleware, storage and virtualization technologies. Red Hat also offers award-winning support, training, and consulting services. As the connective hub in a global network of enterprises, partners, and open source communities, Red Hat helps create relevant, innovative technologies that liberate resources for growth and prepare customers for the future of IT. Learn more at http://www.redhat.com.
- Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: risks related to delays or reductions in information technology spending; the effects of industry consolidation; the ability of the Company to compete effectively; the integration of acquisitions and the ability to market successfully acquired technologies and products; uncertainty and adverse results in litigation and related settlements; the inability to adequately protect Company intellectual property and the potential for infringement or breach of license claims of or relating to third party intellectual property; the ability to deliver and stimulate demand for new products and technological innovations on a timely basis; risks related to data and information security vulnerabilities; ineffective management of, and control over, the Company’s growth and international operations; fluctuations in exchange rates; and changes in and a dependence on key personnel, as well as other factors contained in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (copies of which may be accessed through the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov), including those found therein under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations". In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic and political conditions, governmental and public policy changes and the impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.
