“many want to keep the open source version of Unix from forking
into multiple, incompatible forms, as Unix itself did back in the
1970s and 1980s. During this time, companies intentionally broke
Unix into multiple proprietary formats, such as Sun Microsystems’
Solaris and Hewlett-Packard’s HP-UX.”
“If Linux itself splintered many say they believe it could
cripple the spread of the OS, which has been exploding in
popularity.”
“There is a great fear that forking is a danger,” said John Hall
of VA Research, a company that makes Intel-based Linux hardware.
For companies like his, Hall said, forking would make it more
difficult to hire and train the technical-support people who will
be so important to the spread of Linux.
Obviously, this is an error. John ‘maddog’ Hall is Executive
Director of Linux International, and is employed by Compaq. -lt
ed