Re: SEUL: Re: Proposal for using a single mailing list [was Re: Oneend-user distribution?]

[Michel Stam <michel@wight.ddns.org>]

Donovan Rebbechi wrote:

> On Sat, 10 Apr 1999, Michel Stam wrote:
>
> > That is just a suggestion, Donovan. Perhaps you are still thinking of three
> > different groups, I'd like everyone to work together to the same common goal. I do
>
> There is a common goal: make linux easier. There are also three different
> groups: One group writing an installer, one group packaging software, and
> one group taking care of advocacy.
>

I see three different groups; LED, LaetOS and Independence.

>
> > As I said, we could make use of this by putting all these packages together to
> > create something very good.
>
> It already is something very good. It is a complete linux distribution.
> You can download it and use it.
>

But has it been completed already ? What I am suggesting is help to get everything
completed a little faster by trying to use as much the same software as possible.

>
> > This is something we could do, but it would still mean three different groups
> > trying to accomplish the same thing.
>
> Wrong.
>
> the three groups are doing different things.
>

Wrong again, I think we are both talking about three different groups here.

>
> > Don't you think that by working together we
> > could accomplish a lot more in a lot less time ?
>
> Only to a small degree. We are doing different things , it's not like Laet
> , SEUL, and independence are doing exactly the same thing.
>

We are doing the same thing - We are all creating a Linux distribution. It may look a
little different, but in essential it is the same.

>
> > I disagree; To get people to use Linux means that it should have a familiar look
>
> Someone who is running the installer is already going to use linux ( so
> doesn't need to be converted )  provided the installation works. And then
> they will not run it again for some time.
>

The installation is not easy enough for a user not knowing about his own computer.
Someone who has no idea of the hardware in his computer will have a very hard time
configuring Linux. That too is part of the installation process. Some people I know of
wanted to stop using Linux because they could not get it configured using the
commandline tools available. So aside from the installation process for copying the
various packages to the harddisk, the installation process should also contain utilities
for configuring Linux. Though work for this is in progress, not everything can be
configured by utilities a the moment (unless you count vi among these).

> > > this is really for the big distros to fight about. Now if anyone can get
> > > something like LSB working, this would be nice ...
>
> > Why ? Because we are small we are not allowed to do this ? Someone's got
>
> no. Because if you can't convince Redhat, Debian and SuSE to accept your
> standard, then noone will take it seriously. You can form your own
> standards body, but ultimately, everything rests on whether the big boys
> listen to you.
>
> -- Donovan

I did not talk about convincing RH, Debian, SuSe or whatever distribution. The
suggestion I made was to standardize our way of placing binaries and configuration files
in directories, as well as version requirements for libraries etc. to ensure that a
program that runs on one distribution (for instance, LaetOS) runs on another as well
(for instance, Independence).

That way, it is possible to share the binaries as well as the sources. It means that a
package created for Independence would always work on LaetOS or LED.

Think about it.

Michel