Big Names Back Possible Linux Standards

Posted by Zonk on Friday October 21, 2005 @01:23AM from the keeping-things-straight dept.

Sean Feryl writes "Adobe Systems, IBM, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Novell, RealNetworks and Red Hat are all backing the new Linux standards effort led by the Free Standards Group to form standards for key components of Linux desktop software, including libraries, application runtime and install time. The goal is to encourage the development of more applications for the Linux platform. 'With this complex and costly development and support environment, independent software vendors may choose not to target the Linux desktop, leading to reduced choice for end users and an inability to compete with proprietary operating systems', the group said." Also covered on FoxNews.

2 of 239 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Any chance by Anonymous Coward · 2005-10-21 01:28 · Score: 4, Interesting

they can all decide to put similar files in similar places?

Not /etc/X11/

I LVOE IT!
good intentions, but really a trojan horse by CDPatten · 2005-10-21 01:37 · Score: 4, Interesting

The more big companies get involved in forcing standards, the less the single developer at home has to say about what happens with the OS.

One of the strengths that Linux has is that anyone can write good code and alter the direction. If Money driven corporations start calling shots, then politics come into play, and they start promoting/forcing standards that are advantageous to how they believe the market should be, or standards that work best with their business model.

This is really a wolf in sheep's clothing.