Linux Journal: Linux Public Trust?

"To me, the bigger concern is what could happen with our own players. While the scenario I outline below could happen with any Linux distribution manufacturer, I use Red Hat as an example because they are in the news again with their purchase of Hell's Kitchen Systems."

"Red Hat has done a good job of establishing their brand so that many see Red Hat and Linux as synonymous. This is very similar to the earlier practice of referring to computers as IBM machines. It makes business sense on Red Hat's part, but also helps them grow at the expense of at least the other Linux distribution vendors. I feel it is also at the expense of the Linux community as a whole because, taken to the extreme, we end up with a fragmented Linux market competing against Microsoft...."

"Is There an Alternative?
I feel there is. The first step was establishing the Linux Standards Base project. This is an effort to create a core functionality made available by Linux. Once in place, vendors will be able to port to this standard and test their software against a standard distribution. If their software runs against the standard, then it should run on any Linux distribution subscribing the the LSB standards effort. Unfortunately, LSB could be too late."

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Related Stories:

• An open letter to Mr. Robert Young(Jun 10, 1999)
• LinuxWorld: Challenges ahead for the Linux Standards Base(Apr 23, 1999)
• ZDNet: Linux hamstrung by lack of standards?(Apr 20, 1999)
• CNN: Linux fans fear Red Hat takeover(Mar 27, 1999)