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The Linux Standard Base

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hoojchoons:
When I first started getting involved in the world of Open Source by trying out Linux (about 5 years ago), I was under the impression that the various distributions of Linux were more or less uniformly designed. It didn't take long though before I realized that there were (and still are) certain differences amongst them like the directory trees, the init scripts, the package formats etc.

Recently, I came across thisweb page. Now, most sceptics say that Linux will never become a real threat to M$ in the desktop while others say that Linux will prevail in a few years from now. What's your opinion about this? Do you think that a common base for Linux distros will be of help towards that direction or not?

voidmain:
yes and no.  yes Linux will prevail and no they do not need to be exactly alike.  I like the way certain distros are laid out. Other like the way others are laid out. I can use any just fine.

Calum:
ther's no prevailing, that's the point. i am very critical of linux development that is not done in true open source attitude, the LSB however seems to be true open source style, ie a distro can be as eclectic and unusual as it likes so long as it conforms to certain expected standards, like how one app might be in a directory other than where you expect it to be, some flags may be different for an app, depending on the version et c. They want to standardise all that so you only need to know one set of commands, and you use less time looking up the man pages, and typing whereis, which and whence and so on every time you use a new machine.

As to linux prevailing, who cares? if it's a better OS, more people will use it, linux isn't the OS anyway, it's the kernel, GNU is largely the OS, sadly that OS seems to need to be partly nonGNU closed source stuff though, due to the proliferation of closed source, non-free technologies, libraries and file types.

hoojchoons:
I'm sorry Calum but at least to me there was and allways will be the matter of prevailing! You seem to oversimplify things when you claim that "if it's a better OS, more people will use it,..". Unfortunately, the majority of computer users out there is even unaware that GNU/Linux really exists! Not everyone is a techie you know and certainly not everyone is willing to go into all that trouble just to install a new OS on their machine/s no matter how much better it is!! That's what I started this topic for. I simply wanted to state that in order to make GNU/Linux known to the rest of the world, one must standardize some important aspects of the OS, like the file system, the package formats etc. Of course, all of the above apply only if you or anyone else here want to see LINUX PREVAIL and not only flame Windoze users or M$ at the first chance you get.  :D

voidmain:
But what you are missing is the fact that all Linux distros do not have to come together into one (your version of standardizing) to be successful. Let me give you a scenerio (maybe it's far fetched but we'll see, and I'll pick on Mandrake in this example).

Let's say Mandrake refines (depending on your point of view) their OS to the point that it is *exactly* like Windows or Mac OSX in every respect, and they have the easiest method of installing and running applications.  And let's say they start getting much backing and support from investors and can start spending big advertising dollars. And let's say they get Dell and other PC manufacturers to offer Mandrake as an alternative to Windows and market it just as heavily.  And because of this app vendors all port their applications. And let's say this was the break in the dam that people were looking for and overnight Mandrake takes over the majority of desktop PC marketshare from M$.

Mandrake will have gone off and done their own thing. The majority of people that once used Windows now use Mandrake. There is no reason for RedHat, Debian, SuSe to be exactly like Mandrake for this to happen. And most of us who use RedHat, Debian, SuSe, Slackware, etc will continue to use those distros. We don't want our operating system to be like Windows because it is too limiting. The majority of "users" would not feel that way and would be very happy with the new Mandrake.  The different distros can live with each other just fine and not be exactly alike. Just like Linux and Windows can live with each other just fine, as long as Billy boy gets off his anti-GPL kick that is.

[ May 17, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]

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