The rise of Rocky Linux (Interview)

The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source

This week we’re talking with Gregory Kurtzer about Rocky Linux. Greg is the founder of the CentOS project, which recently shifted its strategy and has the Linux community scrambling. Rocky Linux aims to continue where the CentOS project left off — to provide a free and open source community-driven enterprise grade Linux operating system. We discuss the history of the CentOS project, how it fell under Red Hat’s control, the recent shift in Red Hat’s strategy with CentOS, and how Rocky Linux is designed to be 100% bug-for-bug compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

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Featuring:

• Gregory M. Kurtzer – Website, GitHub, X
• Adam Stacoviak – Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X
• Jerod Santo – GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X

Show Notes:

• Greg on The Changelog #336
• Rocky Linux website
• Get Involved
• The Register on the Rocky Linux launch

Regarding the name “Rocky Linux” - The new project’s name is a tribute to CentOS co-founder Rocky McGaugh. “He is no longer with us, so as a H/T to him, who never got to see the success that CentOS came to be, I introduce to you… Rocky Linux,” said Kurtzer.

Something missing or broken? PRs welcome!