Keywords

• Standard for hierarchic file systems
• Boot script (BSD, SysV, others)
• Configuration files
• Package managers

Motivation

The ability for free software to work on all computer architectures and satisfy all types of needs with great reliability are factors that daily contrbute to the great success of free software. Different needs of different users of free software have resulted in a large number of different distributions (more than 100 at the moment). This diversity, while being evidence of much activity, is not without major problems.

In effect, since there is currently no standard that gurarantees interoperability between distributions, each supplier sets itself apart by the solutions chosen for package management and for system configuration (i.e. making these solutions incompatible by those of its competitors), and by its own added value (applications, technical support, specific development, competence, etc). These differences generate some very real problems:

• developers can't propose a generic product that works with all distributions;
• on-line help services prefer to ignore Linux users, or concentrate their efforts on one or two major distributions. It becomes more and more difficult to propose high-quality technical support to all users of Linux, be it companies, public institutions, or individuals;
• users can only evolve their initial distribution towards a more personalized solution by using packages proposed by the original distributor.

This fragmentation of the Linux market is neither preferable nor preferred.

Linux standardization is not a recent problem, but most projects concern only APIs of interest only to developers, with the exception of the document "Standard of File Hierarchical System - v2.1" (FHS).

This document defines the role and position fo files and directories, the contents of certain files, and a list of essential commands. It has been created to be used by system integrators, package developers, and system administrators during the construction and maintenance of FHS-compatible file systems.

Still, there is no established standard concerning boot scrips, configuration files or files for customizations.

Sub-topics

• Standard for hierarchical file system
• Boot scrips
• Package manager
• Other contributions are welcome

Program

Friday, July 7th