Red Hat source code restrictions
Recent bold move has upset the community
This week, Red Hat is making some changes to how they handle their source code. It’s like their way of celebrating summer. I’ve been talking with people in the industry about it, and I wanted to share my thoughts in this blog post. Just to be clear, you can still get to the source code. But now, if you want to make copies that are exactly like theirs and totally free and open-source, it’s going to be a bit more complicated, maybe even impossible.
In Red Hat jargon, the “clones” such as Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, and Oracle Linux seem to be called “freeloaders”.
Red Hat’s abrupt strategic shift dictates that access to the RHEL-source code is confined solely to users with active subscriptions. They are not necessarily paid in all circumstances, but they are no longer made public either. Moving forward, the RHEL source code will be exclusively accessible to customers, who are legally prohibited from distributing it further.
This may raise the question of whether Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux will find themselves obligated to originate their own specification files for the process of recompilation. Facing such a monumental task, one might wonder: will they capitulate, or can they realistically afford to internalize such an extensive scope of work? Both communities have since commented that they will continue their effort, regardless of these moves, but with a different approach for both distributions.
Nobody saw it coming.
On June 21st, Mike McGrath from Red Hat posted a subtle blog titled “Furthering the Evolution of CentOS Stream“. This post initially didn’t draw much attention. He unveiled Red Hat’s strategy to limit its source code release. This plan targets only the CentOS Stream product. Consequently, only subscription holders can access the Red Hat Enterprise Linux source code. Their contracts with Red Hat prohibit further code distribution.
Red Hat chose to stop releasing RHEL sources on git.centos.org. They declared this move wouldn’t affect CentOS Project, CentOS Stream, or CentOS SIGs. Subscription-based access to RHEL sources will continue through specific portals. This could boost the adoption of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. However, it might also complicate the upkeep of a free, RHEL-mirroring community Linux distribution.
In simplified words, we could say that Red Hat source code restrictions by enforcing a new distribution mechanism with legal limits. Red Hat vigorously defends this move. They cite increased CentOS Stream engagement, heightened engineering investment, and new customer and partner priorities. They believe these changes make maintaining separate, redundant repositories inefficient. In short, Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, and Oracle Linux face a tough road ahead.
These RHEL clones draw appeal from their like-for-like RHEL compatibility. However, Red Hat’s strategy has led to the CentOS Stream source code’s public release, which doesn’t mirror RHEL. As RHEL’s testing platform, CentOS Stream might not always meet production stability and security standards.
What about now?
Red Hat and IBM’s unexpected move could disrupt many Linux distributions. This could slow their development or lead to hefty financial impacts. The move seems strategically planned for these effects. Red Hat’s bold move could cause a shift in the Linux community and businesses. True open source distributions like Debian might benefit from this move. This could eventually benefit the ecosystem in the long run. Time will tell, but shifts in market shares and distancing from large corporations seem like a real question now.
Seriously, Red Hat, why?
