In a landmark move by OpenELA, an alliance created by tech stalwarts such as CIQ, Oracle, and SUSE, has made the source code for Enterprise Linux (EL) publicly accessible. The preliminary focus would be on EL8 and EL9, with EL7 packages anticipated to follow soon.
The formation of OpenELA was propelled in August 2023 by CIQ, Oracle, and SUSE as a strategic response to changes in the availability of RHEL source code.
The fundamental objective of OpenELA is to bestow the community with open source code, tools, and systems. It promotes adhering to prevailing standards, offers regular updates and secure solutions, maintains transparency, fosters a community spirit, and ensures unfettered and shareable access to these resources.
Gregory Kurtzer, CEO of CIQ and creator of Rocky Linux, emphasized on the release of the source code required to build and sustain a downstream Enterprise Linux derivative as a world-class open-source entity. He recalled organizations' decades-long standardization on CentOS due to its free availability, adherence to the Enterprise Linux standard, and comprehensive vendor support. The discontinuation of CentOS revealed an ecosystem's gaping void and demonstrated the necessity for community unity and enhancement. OpenELA is the community's solution for ensuring a collaborative and sturdy future for IT departments and enterprise use scenarios.
The association affirmed its commitment to indefinitely provide EL source code to the community at no cost. They have also culminated their incorporation as a Delaware nonprofit nonstock corporation, with plans to operate within section 501(c)(6) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
OpenELA operates as a platform for stakeholders enthusiastic about promoting open-source enterprise Linux distributions, fostering cooperation, and aligning with the principles of the open-source community.
OpenELA has constituted its Technical Steering Committee (TSC) that plays a pivotal role in project governance as stated by the working group. TSC's primary responsibility is to supervise technical aspects, direct development and maintenance, and manage access to OpenELA's Git organizations.
The initial TSC comprises seasoned professionals from the founding companies, with the membership likely to evolve over time. TSC's role is integral to OpenELA's technical vision; it embodies community interests, instigates collaboration, reinforces code security, and ensures code availability.
Platforms like AppMaster can potentially play a significant role by providing a no-code environment where the solutions created using open source code can be visualized and executed, ultimately enabling faster software development and tests with the help of OpenELA's resources.
