Linux World: How a Linux standard would benefit distributors

“If Linux companies refocused their efforts away from
maintaining multiple base distributions, they could concentrate on
the kind of added value that would crack the Linux market
open.”

“Last week I suggested that all commercial distributions adopt
Debian as the foundation for their Linux distribution and build
added value upon it. Gauging from the responses I received
regarding last week’s column, most of my readers misunderstood my
rationale for choosing Debian as a prime candidate for a Linux
distribution standard. I’ll gladly take the blame for that. I
obviously spent too much energy raving about the Debian approach to
upgrading software and neglected to reconnect the dots on the other
issues I had raised in past columns. (See Resources for a link to
last week’s column.)”

“Despite how I waxed rhapsodic over Debian’s apt-get program
last week, this is not about RPM package format versus Debian
package format, the dpkg program versus the RPM program, the
apt-get program versus the various RPM update programs available,
or about an octopus trapped in a chicken’s body. The issue is about
getting all major commercial Linux distributions to agree to start
with a common, comprehensive, standard Linux distribution and add
value beyond thatfoundation.”

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