My development box is an unlicensed version of RHEL 5.2, therefore I do not have a product key or what Redhat Network (RHN) calls a subscription id. As a result, I cannot use YUM to download much needed software from RHN.

Can I configure YUM to point to another network (i believe you call them repositories) that does not require a subscription id and will allow me to download safe versions of software? If so, how?

FYI - I'm 60 days old to Linux...redundant verbiage good.

Buy the subscription. It's cheap enough, and if you want the benefits of what the folks at RHN are doing for you, it's proper that you should contribute your share to their salary.

Software isn't "free."

sundialsvcs, I totally agree with you...believe me I am not that guy trying to steal from the big bag software company :-) This is a new project that I have been assigned to, I have no budget, and no understanding of linux. I would love to go to my manager and say "here is what I don't have...and this is what it costs to get it." That was my first course of action, but getting that information has proven tough because the RHN website is not intuitive for someone with my level of linux experience. It's taking me 2 weeks just to figure out what I think I'm supposed to ask on this board.

I agree with your stance. If my posts ask the wrong question, I ask that you understand I am a newbie and take the liberty to help me find the right questions? For instance, how much is the subscription? where can I purchase the subscription? Do I have to purchase a new version of RHEL before buying the subscription? Does the subscription automatically license my copy of Linux?

Can you use CentOS instead? That is the free (as in beer as well as in speech), unbranded version of RHEL.

Can I use YUM to resolve dependencies in CentOS?

If you cannot pay for Redhat support, switch to Centos and you then will be using the Centos repositories. And yes, yum being yum will continue to resolve the dependencies.

Hi djpme,

What other members have told you, needs consideration. Yum will resolve dependencies in Centos as well, but it will be like belling the cat to go for Centos along with RHEL knowledge, as you are a newbie for linux.
Anyways, could you please tell us what software were you trying to download from RHN, for which you require subscription id ?? Maybe we can suggest you something regarding that.

Cheers,
Kapil

Yes, as the person you quoted mentioned Cent is basically RHEL without the logos or support. If you need the support (which is what some other responses are suggesting) you may want to consider purchasing the license and support and get RHEL (oh and the logos).

If you look at this page:
https://www.redhat.com/wapps/store/allProducts.html

I would guess that a basic subscription might fit your needs until you can figure out what you really need. Redhat is usually pretty cool, you could also call them up and describe your situation and see if they have a solution.

-Chad

You can also use the Centos repos with RHEL. Since they are made from the same source(sans logos), they are binary compatible.

Thank you all...I did not know anything about CentOS. Thanks again.

chose one of this three, google if you have issues:
http://dag.wieers.com/rpm/
http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/apt.sw.be/
http://dries.ulyssis.org/rpm/

You can safely disable/remove the red hat update tool and use just yum directly from the command line, once you update the repositories. go trough the documentation and FAQ on the sites above.

cheers

dibi58

The repos you provided only contain software that is not in the RH repo. They do not have the base software or the updates to it.

Well, then try Fedora 10, they are version equivalent, but is not written anywhere it "will" work, it "may" depending of what you are installing.

Here, RH people running 5.2, any other suggestions than Centos and Fedora ?

RHEL5.X was based on FC6. There have been a ton of changes between FC6 and F10 (libata being a major one), so no F10 is not version equivalent to RHEL5.X.

Fundamentally, the OP has 3 options:

1. pay RH and get the support & updates
2. Go with Centos and get same code for free, but sans support, but with SW updates
3. Choose another distro entirely. Could be Fedora, Mandriva, Ubuntu, Suse etc

Really depends on the OP's requirements/preferences.

Not recommended to update one distro from the repos of another & unnecessary.
Repo extras eg EPEL (http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/EPEL/FAQ )are a different qn, but remember that if you pay for support, you will not get support for any unofficial SW.