[PLUG] Generic Linux

someone plug_0 at robinson-west.com
Thu Dec 7 01:34:11 UTC 2006


Who wants to write to 100 or more different versions of the same
platform?  Is it possible to write an application for Linux that
will work on: Fedora, Ubuntu, Debian, Slackware, etc. equally?

Ideally, a programmer writes to a generic Linux system and 
does not have to concern him/herself about the specifics of 
individual Linux distributions.  This can translate to 
smaller downloads and hopefully fewer bugs.

Why am I bringing this up as a topic?  Well, people go back and forth
about Linux distributions on here a lot.  There seem to be many Linux
distributions and a growing issue with products coming out for one
distribution and not for another.  This should be a problem for 
Windows, but it is less of one because there are far fewer popular
versions of Microsoft's OS around.  

Some people are saying, this week I'm an Ubuntu person and next 
week I'll go back to Fedora or Debian.  Wait a minute, maybe what 
is needed is more standardization across Linux distributions to 
ease migration.

The differences between CentOS and Redhat Enterprise Linux are 
interesting as well.  They supposedly come from the same source
base, but are they really the same?  Is this something someone 
who wants to work with and use Linux should really have to 
worry about?  

Subtopics under the topic, "What is generic Linux?"

1) For distributions that break out because of some proprietary driver,
   has the time come to say get these out of kernel space or don't
   call your offering a Linux system anymore?

2) If a company writes a closed driver, like the commercial nv
   drivers, how does it address Linux distribution diversity 
   today?

3) What can be done about companies that put out proprietary drivers
   for say Fedora Core 6 today when the next two to three versions of 
   Fedora come out in the near future and the libraries those drivers
   depend on change?  Fedora isn't the only example, replace with:
   Ubuntu, Debian, Slackware, etc.  Heck, puppylinux, whatever it is 
   based on, is a popular distribution too.

4) How many Linux distributions should there be?

5) Do the many different Linux distributions mature evenly?

6) Should the total number of Linux distributions be reduced 
   and the communities behind them combined?

There seem to be a growing number of Linux distributions.  Is this
hurting or helping Linux grow?  What can and should be done about
distribution divergence?

     Michael C. Robinson




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