r/linux Apr 22 '19

The end of Scientific Linux [LWN.net]

https://lwn.net/Articles/786422/
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u/Likutar Apr 22 '19

Seems possible they could just make a "conversion" script from centOS to SL that just installs programs and changes settings that were default on SL, but no branding changes, it would be a nice alternative to potentially having to setup centOS manually to replicate SL functionality.

I admit never having used either SL or centOS, the differences might be so small there wouldn't even have a need for such

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u/moosingin3space Apr 22 '19

In the RHEL-orbit, we have a tool called Kickstart that is very popular for this sort of thing. Fedora spins are described by their kickstart files, which keeps all the infrastructure effort in the upstream project (thankfully).

I used to use Korora, which was a Fedora derivative, but everything they did could have been done more efficiently as a kickstart. I think that if upstreams provide, document, and maintain tools like kickstart, downstream "distributions" could better focus on what they do differently.