Benefits of a Packaged Distribution

What are the benefits of a packaged Linux distribution within the context of Open Source Software?
A packaged Linux distribution provides several benefits within the context of Open Source Software (OSS). Here are some of the major benefits:

1. Easy installation and setup: With a packaged Linux distribution, users can quickly install and set up OSS without having to worry about dependencies, libraries, or other technical details. The package manager takes care of these things automatically, making it easy for users to get started with OSS.
2. Centralized software management: With a packaged Linux distribution, all OSS packages are managed centrally by the package manager. This makes it easy for users to keep their software up-to-date and to install new packages as needed.
3. Security: Packaged Linux distributions often include security features that help protect against threats such as viruses and malware. This can give users peace of mind when using OSS.
4. Support: Many packaged Linux distributions include support for OSS, which can be helpful for users who are new to OSS or who need assistance with installation, configuration, or troubleshooting.
5. Community: Packaged Linux distributions often have vibrant communities of users and developers who share information, provide support, and collaborate on new projects. This can help users learn more about OSS and get involved in the community.

Overall, a packaged Linux distribution can make it easier for users to discover, install, and use OSS, while also providing important benefits such as security, support, and community.

If Linux is available free on the Internet, why does Red Hat's packaged CD-ROM distribution of Linux sell at all?
The primary reason is convenience. There are a number of benefits to the Red Hat packaged distribution.
One benefit is that a packaged distribution means that each component can be easily upgraded. Another is that the user does not need to make decisions about which components to download, a process that is time consuming and requires intimate knowledge of the hardware environment into which Linux is to be introduced.
Red Hat Linux 1.0 was released on November 3, 1994. It was originally called "Red Hat Commercial Linux". It was the first Linux distribution to use the RlPM Package Manager as its packaging format, and over time has served as the starting point for several other distributions, such as Mandriva Linux and Mandrake.

I like to work with open source code and it is not always possible. Sometimes you have to deal with proprietary code and sometimes you have to distribute it.
I like to distribute software as RPM package because it allows me to put together patches, post-install scripts and configuration files. But how can I create and distribute proprietary software without violating license?
Answer: nosrc.rpm.
For example, let assume that you want to distribute Oracle Database Server with your custom settings and patches. The oracle-server.spec file may look like this:

Summary: Oracle 10g Database Server Enterprise Edition
License: Oracle License
Group: Applications/Databases
Name: oracle-server-x86_64
Version: 10.2.0.4
Release: 78%{?dist}
Source0: 10201_database_linux_x86_64.cpio.gz
Source1: p6810189_10204_Linux-x86-64.zip
...