Hi Everyone,

I pulled together (much of) the coverage around the beta from Tuesday - very good stuff so far, but if you have any questions, let me know.

Thanks!
John

InfoWorld
Fedora 21 rolls three versions of Linux into one OS
http://www.infoworld.com/article/2842575/linux/fedora-21-three-flavors-of-linux-one-os.html

 Following hints earlier in the year, a beta of Red Hat Fedora Linux 21 has finally arrived in three incarnations: Cloud, Server, and Workstation. Fedora 21 also provides the first public glimpse of Project Atomic, Red Hat's initiative to produce a Linux distribution optimized as a Docker container host.

Users who have deployed Fedora in the past as a workstation environment can turn to the appropriately named Fedora 21 Workstation. In addition to updates of all previously included software, the new version features a technology preview of the Wayland display server, an improvement on the X.org display server currently used by Linux distributions. Workstation also includes the Dev Assistant tool to provide developers with a fast way to instantiate project environments.

Fedora 21 Cloud allows the best idea of what the "atomic" in Project Atomic means. It's available in two varieties of images: one for use in conventional cloud environments like OpenStack or Amazon Web Services, and a slimmed-down version optimized as a Docker host. The latter -- the "atomic" incarnation -- doesn't have any more moving parts than is absolutely needed and uses Red Hat project rpm-ostree to keep the system updated without the the restrictions of Fedora's package manager.

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PCWorld
One OS, three flavors: How Fedora 21 is splitting up to double down on focus
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2842555/how-fedora-21-is-splitting-itself-inself-in-thirds-to-prepare-for-the-next-10-years.html

Fedora has an identity as a long-standing free software Linux distribution; it’s now existed for ten years. The Fedora.next project is a rethink of the way Fedora is made and developed, and who it’s targeted towards.

“Fedora.next is basically looking at this next decade and seeing what we can do to be more successful and hopefully dominate the decade—that’s the goal," Miller told me. Fedora’s stated goal is still “world domination.” It’s good to aim high.

Traditionally, Fedora has been developed as a bunch of “Lego bricks,” as Fedora’s project leader put it. Sure, there’s a desktop installation disc, but if you want to do anything beyond use the basic desktop you’re a bit on your own. There’s a full installer DVD with four gigabytes of packages you can download if you’d like. You’re on your own when it comes to choosing, installing, and setting them up, however.

Fedora’s reorganized itself to produce “three separate products… not just as a bunch of packages and Lego bricks,” but to meet specific needs. These products are Workstation, Cloud, and Server.

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BetaNews
Linux fans, Fedora 21 Beta 1 is here! Now featuring three flavors
http://betanews.com/2014/11/04/linux-fans-fedora-21-beta-1-is-here-now-featuring-three-flavors/

...

Unfortunately, Fedora has fallen a bit behind lately with a slow release schedule, frustrating some users. How bad is it? Well, Fedora 20 was released back in December of 2013. Today, finally, the first beta of Fedora 21 is released, and there is something unique about it; for the first time, there are three distinct versions (flavors) of the operating system. Is that a good or bad thing?

"The Fedora Project is excited to announce the beta release of Fedora 21, the first Fedora release to embrace the Fedora.next initiative, which in part seeks to better meet user needs by delivering three distinct products. Fedora 21 is a Linux ­based operating system developed and maintained by the Fedora Project's diverse global community as part of the project's mission of advancing free software. It deviates from other Fedora releases, however, by delivering not one, but three flavors of Fedora 21 Beta: Fedora 21 Cloud Beta, Fedora 21 Server Beta, Fedora 21 Workstation Beta" says the Fedora Project Team.

This three-flavor concept will likely draw the ire of many in the Fedora Community; however it will likely stem from a fear of change. Yes, this is something new and Fedora fans love their distro, so any threat to it is understandably an emotional thing. With that said, I think the community should give the concept a chance.

For most home users, the Workstation flavor will be the target. The Fedora Project Team explains, "offering a reliable, user ­friendly and powerful operating system for laptops and PCs, Fedora 21 Workstation Beta delivers a stable and flexible development platform for application developers from students to hobbyists to corporate coders".

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Liliputing
Fedora 21 Beta released in Workstation, Server, and Cloud flavors
http://liliputing.com/2014/11/fedora-21-beta-released-in-workstation-server-and-cloud-flavors.html

The next major release of the Fedora Linux-based operating system is scheduled for December, but you can take a beta version of Fedora 21 for a spin today.

Version 21 is the first update based on Fedora.next, an initiative to separate the operating system into three different variants. Fedora Workstation is for desktop and laptop users, while Fedora Server is aimed at web or file servers. There’s also a Fedora Cloud version designed for creating private clouds or other simple projects.

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ZDNet
Fedora 21 beta finally arrives
http://www.zdnet.com/fedora-21-beta-finally-arrives-7000035455/

It's a bit late, but the Fedora 21 beta is now out and ready to download.

Previously, Fedora was first and foremost a desktop distribution that also contained server elements. If all went well, the new features introduced in Fedora would eventually appear in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). This go-around, there are three Fedora spins: one for the cloud, one for the server, and one for the workstation.

Fedora now uses a modular-style design. So, while each spin is for a specific use case, they all share the basics of the Linux kernel, RPM, yum, systemd, and Anaconda.

...

Looking at Fedora 21 as a whole, it's become clear to me that Fedora is becoming more and more an advanced look for developers and system administrators at the future of RHEL. It's always been a bleeding-edge distribution, but now more than ever, it's a distro for serious professionals rather than enthusiastic amateurs.

If you don't feel up to working with the beta, the final release of Fedora 21 is now scheduled for December 9th.

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The Inquirer
Red Hat releases Fedora 21 Beta for cloud, server and workstation environments
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2379690/red-hat-releases-fedora-21-beta-for-cloud-server-and-workstation-environments

RED HAT'S FEDORA PROJECT announced the release of Fedora 21 Beta in a blog post on Tuesday, suggesting that the final release of its next leading-edge Fedora Linux distribution might be only weeks away.

Fedora 21 realises Red Hat's Fedora.next initiative by packaging the release in three variants for cloud, server and workstation environments.

Red Hat said that each flavour of Fedora 21 Beta addresses a distinct set of use cases, but that all three platforms are built from a common set of software packages.

Fedora 21 Cloud Beta offers images for use in private or commercially hosted cloud data centres, as well as an image suitable for running Docker containers.

It features modular kernel packaging for the cloud that supports a minimal set of drivers for virtual hosting and a larger set of drivers for general use. It also delivers a Fedora Atomic Host optimised for Docker containers.

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LinuxPlanet
openSUSE 13.2 Ships, Fedora 21 hits Beta
http://www.linuxplanet.com/news/opensuse-13.2-ships-fedora-21-hits-beta.html

After some delay, the first Fedora beta in 2014 has arrived to show off what's next for Red Hat's community Linux distribution.

The biggest change comes in how the release is split up into three products instead of just one general purpose system. With Fedora 21 there are now cloud, server and workstation releases. The of course there is also the Base working group, which is the core of Fedora (pun intended), but not really a full release itself.

"The Base Working Group develops the standard platform for all Fedora products, which includes the installer, compose tools, and basic platform for the other products. The Base set of packages is not a full product intended for use on its own, but to be kept as a small, stable platform for other products to build on."

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The Register
Old hat: Fedora 21 beta late than never... and could be best ever
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/11/06/fedora_21_beta_review/?page=1

As has become regrettably typical for the Fedora project, the first Fedora 21 beta is well behind schedule. According to the current schedule on the Fedora wiki, the final version will arrive about a month late, on 9 December. That is if nothing goes wrong during the beta testing phase that's just started.

A month might not sound so bad, but it has been nearly 12 months since Fedora 20 arrived, which is not good for a distro that supposedly updates every six months.

Whatever. Fedora 21, whose beta has just arrived, looks like it will be worth the wait.

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OSTATIC
openSUSE 13.2 and Fedora 21 Beta Released
http://ostatic.com/blog/opensuse-13-2-and-fedora-21-beta-released

...

The Fedora Project Team today announced the release of Fedora 21 Beta right on the www.redhat.com website highlighting its availability in "not one, but three flavors." It was also announced on fedoramagazine.org saying "users also have the choice of Fedora Spins that highlight user favorites like KDE Plasma Workspaces, Xfce, LXDE, and Sugar on a Stick (SoaS)." GNOME 3.14, Wayland Technology Preview, and DevAssistant are among the features of the desktop flavor. Prereleases are available at fedoraproject.org.

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-- 
John Terrill
Corporate Communications
Red Hat
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