Re: [tlug] There are way too many Linux distros

[Dave Brown <dagbrown@example.com>]

On Wed, Jun 18, 2008 at 02:23:03PM -0600, Phillip Tribble wrote:
> I wrote the article and I am not a BSD user. I love Linux. just as
> much as anyone else. I just thought we could use some unity.

Well, to put on my serious hat--or at least, the most serious-looking
clown hat I have available, isn't that just exactly what the Linux
Standard Base is supposed to be for?

The examples you cited--Arch Linux's and Ubuntu's placement of the
apache root--are both, in my opinion, craziness.  However, before you
say "BSD's makes sense!", have a look at the config.layout file in the
Apache httpd tarball sometime.

BSD/OS has apache's prefix be /var/www and the exec_prefix /usr/contrib.
OpenBSD puts apache's prefix in /var/www and the exec_prefix is /usr.
FreeBSD puts everything in /usr/local so the htdocs base is /usr/local/www.

It doesn't say anything about NetBSD because if you're installing it on
NetBSD you have to hew the configuration out of raw electrons.  One of
the nice things about Linux is that it'll run on any computer you're
likely to have sitting on your desk--but NetBSD will also run on the
desk itself.

If you're looking at it from a "Hey, are you using PLD, SimplyMEPIS or
Lunar Linux?" point of view, sure, the BSDs look like one single unified
system with everyone speaking in a single great voice, like some sort of
cybernetic Greek chorus.  Once you start getting close enough to make
out the details, though, that illusion starts to falter.

Personally, I like the rich profusion of distros.  Everyone likes to do
things their own way, so they can find the distro that best suits their
own way of doing things.

--Dave (oh yeah--Lunar Linux here)