Oracle shows off Red Hat Linux defectors

Oracle is attempting to bolster the appeal of its Linux support offering

Oracle has published a list of 26 companies which have traded a Red Hat enterprise Linux subscription for a less expensive Oracle offering. 

The vendor is attempting to counter speculation that its Linux support offering is an empty marketing programme.

The list includes high profile names such as Yahoo, BNP Paribas and Stanford University. 

Oracle unveiled a Linux support offering for Red Hat's enterprise Linux distribution in October, claiming that a lack of proper support was holding back the open source operating system.

Red Hat sells its Linux software as a subscription service which includes support and updates. Users can acquire the software itself essentially free of charge.

Oracle prices its support below Red Hat's, and offers to maintain outdated versions which Red Hat no longer supports.

The initial hype around the offering, however, has failed to generate much market appeal. Although Oracle can support and patch Red Hat's software, the company lacks a track record as an operating system developer.

Jonathan Schwartz, chief executive at Sun Microsystems, told reporters last week that Oracle's Linux support had " little to no effect on the marketplace".

"The barriers to entry to compete against an operating system are a lot higher than they were historically," he said.