>
>I wonder why the Linux installation needs to be more tedious than the
>Windows counterpart. The problem is of course not specific to Python.
>There are many Linux distributions, running on different kernels, but
>maybe binaries that have been tested on the "major" distributions like
>Debian, Red Hat / Fedora, SUSE, and Mandrake could be created. Compare
>the instructions:
>

Welcome to an open platform. It all boils down to money and what the =
"open source movement" is really about. On the money front, no =
organization is going to step up and try to implement standards if =
there's no revenue in it. Period. And rightly so. Take RedHat for =
instance. You can download their distribution for free. But they charge =
for burned media, distribution of said media and for support. All =
rightly so. Now, imagine the headaches and woe if, say, RedHat were to =
step up and introduce a Linux Standardized Platform Specification, =
granting "Designed for RedHat" certifications to vendors, issuing =
mandates on standardized directory trees, version coupling, dependency =
mandates, and all the other fun stuff we all deal with running our linux =
systems. It'd last all of about 3 days.

Personally, I'd love it. As an APPLICATION developer, and not a SYSTEMS =
developer, the last thing I want to worry about when writing business =
software or even tinkering around with my own stuff, is which dotted =
version of some GLIBC file I have. Oh, I have .4, I need .6 =
pffffffffffft. There are those among us who thrive on that. Me? I just =
wanna use my computer and write my software. Period.

Not to mention, the minute ANY "standards body" starts using words like =
"mandate" and "control", the Open Source movement will erupt into (more) =
religious wars and the whole "bill gates, the antichrist" crap will rise =
(again).

*rolls eyes*

I just wanna write software.

Really.

--------------------------
Chris Hornberger
Blackrock - 302.797.2318
chris.hornberger@blackrock.com

Card carrying MSDN member since 2004.
No, really. I've got the card to prove it.