CentOS Releases Free Clone of Red Hat Enterprise Linux

Following on the release of Red Hat Enterprise Linux version 5.2, the CentOS (Community Enterprise Operating System) organization has released a free clone, promising full compatibility.CentOS 5.2 offers the same features as RHEL 5.2, including new and improved drivers and performance and stability improvements to the Xen kernel. Based on and promising full binary compatibility with RHEL source code, the CentOS project even refers users to the Red Hat release notes for a list of changes in the new version.

The CentOS distribution appeals to companies who want the functionality of RHEL but balk at the $350-$2,500 per year subscription fee. Several companies provide commercial support for CentOS.Heise Online, The Register