Hi all, Was reading an article on News.com http://news.com.com/2100-1001-961296.html?tag=fd_top_5
---------------------- Four new versions of Linux have been certified to comply with guidelines set down by the Linux Standard Base, a group trying to make it easier for software to run on different companies' versions of the Unix clone. Red Hat 8, SuSE 8.1, SCO Group OpenLinux 3.1.1 and MandrakeSoft 9 ProSuite all comply with the LSB's guidelines, according to the Free Standards Group, which oversees the LSB certification process. --------------------- What are your thoughts on this? Since everyone on this group is presumably running Debian Linux for a server/commercial perspective, our views would probably differ from the home/desktop users. To the home user, I can't see this making any huge difference. But on the commercial side, I can see this having serious long-term consequences. IMHO, I think Debian should join the group (and as many standards groups as possible), if not just for the compatibility, but also for the appearance of co-operating. I'd hate if more and more companies certify their software and drivers for those 4 distros, and leave Debian out "because it's not part of any standard". I know that kind of answer is bogus and not really a reason to not support Debian, but I'm sure that's what we'll be hearing from the vendors later on as an excuse not to support Debian "officially". Since many times we need "official" vendor support for company purchases and such (however useless it may end up being), what do you guys think of all this? I would really hate if we were forced to go an "only Redhat" or "only Mandrake" path just because vendors start supporting only the "standardized" distros. (Oh, and just in case Debian actually already complies with the LSB, why on earth is it not mentioned in the article, or other prominent places? If that _IS_ the case I think Debian seriously needs to do better PR work, otherwise vendors are going to drop support and/or ignore Debian, calling it "the distro no one heard of"). Sincerely, Jason Lim Zentek International Co. Ltd. http://www.zentek-international.com
