Why do you support Ubuntu and not any other distributions?
We really like Debian GNU/Linux. Debian has great licensing guidelines and has a massive collection of software pre-packaged. It's package management policies ensure that the quality of their packages are generally very good, and its package management system is advanced and there are many tools available that makes it easier to manage these software packages.
Ubuntu builds on the Debian project's work. Ubuntu has a predictable 6 month release cycle, and every release is supported for 18 months. Ubuntu also releases a long-term-support version every 2 years, which is supported for 3 years on the desktop, and 5 years on the server. The predictability of Ubuntu's support and release cycles makes it simpler to manage. Upgrades can be planned and resources can be allocated more efficiently. Ubuntu, backed by the power of Debian, makes it an ideal system for most small and large implementations.
We're currently working hard to put together infrastructure to make working with Ubuntu packages easier and making the management of custom repositories easier. Since Ubuntu is technically extremely similar to Debian, we do anticipate supporting Debian too in the near future.
If there is enough demand for Fedora, we may consider supporting it in the distant future. However, Fedora's installer and package management system is drastically different from Ubuntu and Debian, and adding support for it will be a big decision from our side.
In summary:
- Debian has a massive software repository with high-quality free software packages
- Debian has an advanced package management system
- Ubuntu builds on the work of Debian, and makes management and planning of large projects simpler by offering a predictable release and support cycle
- More distributions will be supported in the future
Are you suggesting that Ubuntu is appropriate for any situation?
Ubuntu is a great operating system, but there are use cases where other systems are more appropriate. In some cases, it's essential to use other systems, for example:
- Certain software is only certified to run on certain distributions. Software such as Oracle or SAP would be certified to run on Red Hat Linux, but not Ubuntu. Some 3rd party providers will not offer support for their software if it's running on an uncertified system.
- Often, there is legacy or very specialised software that will only run on non-linux systems such as Microsoft Windows. While there are work-arounds in many cases, it's not always possible to completely migrate to Ubuntu.
For practically all other cases, we will strongly recommend Ubuntu. We take pride in our professionalism, and it's our policy to always recommend what's in the best interest of the client, even if that would not be in our best interest. If you do require Red Hat, Solaris or other services that we do not provide, we will gladly recommend one of our partners who do provide those services.
Where does your name come from?
We needed a cool name that had a "Z" and an "X" in it, and also sounded like "Linux" somehow and have a South African link to it (as in, .za). Zanix was one of the first names that popped up. It's close to "Zenex" which is a fuel company, and "Zanax" which is an anti-depressant. It wasn't chosen for any of those connections, but it does grow on you over time.
