>
> On 08-Feb-99 Jerry Lynn Kreps wrote:
> >
> > (Ted Harding) wrote:
> >
> >> The alternative, as Alex says and as has been forcefully said in other
> >> places, is "UNIX Wars" all over again. This is what marginalised UNIX
> >> for many major software ISVs; the ones that stayed in were mainly
> >> those that
> >
> > Linux has avoided the "Unix Wars" by ignoring those that would rekindle
> > the flames. Personally, I like the independence the Linux allows. Can
> > you imagine if the Qt toolkit was declared the standard and Xwindows
> > programs written without it were shunned? Confine yourself to KDE for
> > the next 10-15 years? Why? Let freedom ring, let inovation flourish.
I�d like to download a say KDE or gnome rpm, and install it on my Linux
system, redardless what distribution, and it should run. I�d like a
Linux even if it�s a bit "outdated" but stable.
None would stop anybody to develope improvements, that enhance or change
the standard after say two years. I you want to stay at the front end of
developement, well you�d have to care for yourself. But I am more like
Joe User, that wants a stable system and does not like to dive into
Makefiles / config issues over and over again.
> > There will be enought "standardization" by virtue of the number of
> > packages sold, but each should allow some place in their distro for
> > wiggle room so improvements can burst out.
Similar to the developers kernel: Do improvement on another System and
use the standard for dayly work. Then after abt. 2 years there is time
for a new standard. Then shift to it. Maybe the changes for application
software will be marginal.
> > Jerry
>
"(Ted Harding)" wrote:
> This is also a point of view for which I have strong sympathy.
>
> If the only issue were "what would the community of Linux users, breathing
> the free air, like", I think the answer would be along Jerry's lines.
>
quite true. I think that if the field is big enough, you whould not
notice the fence. On the other hand, if there is a reason to move the
fence further on, do an election and then move it on.
> But the current flowering of interest in Linux in the "real software"
> world (quotation marks deliberate ... ) -- while, at present, the Open
> Source software for similar purposes continues to lag (and, in the case
> of Windows compatibility which many of us genuinely need to achieve,
> continues to be almost lacking except in commercial packages) -- points
> to a need for a *standard* Linux that any ISV can debelop for and know
> what the target is.
That is exacly the point. If distributions differ to much you�ll always
have little surprises, like the original Staroffice install program not
working on SuSE 6.0 (german). The Install program that comes with SuSE
6.0 (german) works. If you have bought the sligtly better version from
stardiv, you cant install it on 6.0. You have copy the 6.0�s setup
overwriting stardivs setup.
(see german SDB). Easy thing, but you have either someone tell you, work
it out the hard way, or forget the install. (further SO setup versions
will correct this)
>
> As I pointed out earlier: compare FreeBSD. FreeBSD is what is on the
> FreeBSD ftp site. There are not 15 versions of it out there, incompatible
> at a basic level. If you develop for FreeBSD you *know* what it's going
> to be running on (to within shifts between versions, but that doesn't seem
> to throw up many problems).
>
I do not belive there is very much money in selling dists, there is more
money in professional support. That�s what�s needed as well. And support
will be much easier if you do not have to ask about which dist. is used.
Small conversation:
A: Hi, heared you got ISDN running, havn�t you?
B: Yapp. Works like a charm.
A: Can you help me? I�ve got problems.
B: What dist do you use. It�s no problem with my *******
A: I use ?????????.
B: Hmmm. Sorry. Good luck!
Juergen
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