Linux Group to Simplify Software Installation

[Hairbautt]

The LSB (Linux Standard Base) project and its parent organization, the FSG (Free Standards Group), plan to ease the process, for both users and developers, to install an application on Linux. According to Ian Murdock, CEO of the FSG and chair of the LSB, what Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) want is "to treat Linux as a single platform, which means they want to offer a single package for Linux, much as they do for Windows." To do this, many linux developpers agreed, according to Murdock, that the best real-world solution was to construct "a single API that could be implemented across the various package systems, because APIs make for nice evolutionary steps and can, done right, mask underlying implementation differences."

Source: Neowin.Net
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A lot of people seem really happy about this. I've never used Linux, so I didn't know that there's lotsa issues managing software installations.

[4play]

Having all linux versions and maybe even the bsd'd follow a single api would be great. Then again the linux community love variety thats why there is pretty much always at least 2 ways for everything.

I can see apt, yum and rpm being pretty easy to make cross platform as tools already exist to post one install method to another already exist. How are they gonna get around app's that are only released as source code is whats gonna be interesting.

[grchl3]

Software installation is one of the major factors thats been holding linux back from greater desktop adoption in the home. I'd love to see their solution transform linux into an easier to use os but getting all the various flavors of linux that thrive on variety to conform to one install system is no small feat. Here's hoping some headway is made on this.

[tesco]

This is great. The biggest reason I found linux hard to understand and use is that stuff was really difficult to get installed (atleast for me since I'm so used to windows. Maybe as a new user starting out in linux it might make more sense and be easier to get used to).

[raspberry1331]

installing programs is not too hard any more... now you have package manager, which will automatically install the programs from the appropriate packages (.deb, .rpm etc) depending on your distro. and nowadays you can experiment within a virtual machine without the danger of destroying your system. definitely worth a try.

[lynx]

installing programs is not too hard any more... now you have package manager, which will automatically install the programs from the appropriate packages (.deb, .rpm etc) depending on your distro. and nowadays you can experiment within a virtual machine without the danger of destroying your system. definitely worth a try.

I disagree.

The amount of information about which release format you need for a particular distro is minimal, so if you haven't downloaded the right one then the package manager can't install it. Coupled with the fact that there is usually minimal information about how to even find the package manager is is hardly surprising that linux hasn't really taken off. Even as an experienced Unix/Linux user I still find the lack of documentation about installation very frustrating.

If I want to install a new package under Windows, then I don't have to go and find an installer, I just run the installation program provided. Similarly, as long as I'm not using a version of Windows that's too out-of-date I don't need to worry about the version.

The linux community has long needed to take a good look at what it is trying to achieve. Unless these issues are addressed (as they have been under Windows) then it will continue to flounder on the sidelines.

One can only hope that this news is going to provide the solution to installation issues. If it does then hopefully we can finally begin to see an end to Microsoft's oppressive domination of the software arena.

[rdealer]

It's about time. I like Linux but it is just this issue that keeps me using Windows.

[vipaar]

I`ve got a few linux distros but I`m having trouble getting modem drivers and the info to be able to install the modem, I`m as confused as a lot of peeps about linux, the diff distros and cores, so a single API would be great news as I hate M$ and would love to switch to linux fulltime, I don`t know about you guys & gals but I`ve got NO intention of letting Vista get anywhere near my machine

[raspberry1331]

installing programs is not too hard any more... now you have package manager, which will automatically install the programs from the appropriate packages (.deb, .rpm etc) depending on your distro. and nowadays you can experiment within a virtual machine without the danger of destroying your system. definitely worth a try.

I disagree.

The amount of information about which release format you need for a particular distro is minimal, so if you haven't downloaded the right one then the package manager can't install it. Coupled with the fact that there is usually minimal information about how to even find the package manager is is hardly surprising that linux hasn't really taken off. Even as an experienced Unix/Linux user I still find the lack of documentation about installation very frustrating.

If I want to install a new package under Windows, then I don't have to go and find an installer, I just run the installation program provided. Similarly, as long as I'm not using a version of Windows that's too out-of-date I don't need to worry about the version.

The linux community has long needed to take a good look at what it is trying to achieve. Unless these issues are addressed (as they have been under Windows) then it will continue to flounder on the sidelines.

One can only hope that this news is going to provide the solution to installation issues. If it does then hopefully we can finally begin to see an end to Microsoft's oppressive domination of the software arena.

maybe you are right, and what i wrote is not true for every distro. but under ubuntu i never had any issues installing the debian packages, it worked as simple as in windows.