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Too Many Linux Distributions?

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Linux

had to deal with the "why are there so many Linux distributions? It's too confusing!" whinging again over the weekend. I've decided to succumb to the tide, and agree - there are too many distributions, and we should immediately start reducing them, to a target of ONE TRUE LINUX DISTRIBUTION. No choice, no variations, no options, one kernel, one desktop, one window manager, one set of programs, utilities and applications. Period. We can call it "Windux" (since Lindows didn't work out too well...).

While we are at it, we need to get busy on removing all those pesky choices from the rest of our lives. Why on earth is there more than one kind of car available? Choose one, shut down the rest, and keep things uniform and simple. The same goes for major home appliances - who wants to have to decide between so many different appliance suppliers? Pick one, get rid of the rest, and the world will be a better place.

Rest here




so much choice!

"I went to the super market to buy toothpaste, but there was so many options! I couldnt' decide on which to buy!"

"So, what did you do?"

"I just walked away. My teeth are doing fine right now, and I don't want to learn how one whitens different from another."

re: choice

Bad analogies are like leaky screwdrivers.

Your "story" doesn't apply, since ANY toothbrush will work with ANY toothpaste.

Until ANY linux APP can be one-click installed on ANY linux distro - there's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many distro's.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg. The way too many distros is just an indication that Linux and it's 9 bazillion flavours have no direction. Instead of any unified effort, you have a bunch of little groups, doing their own little project, their own little way, adding their own batch of bugs, etc.

The only thing they do in unison is whine that "Linux should be more popular".

one click install?

Your said:
Until ANY linux APP can be one-click installed on ANY linux distro - there's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many distro's.

yeah, right... like in windows you can one-click any app to install it?!

From my point of view I think

From my point of view I think there are too many Linux distributions. If all the developers efforts of the different distros were focused to get a better hardware support and to improve linux apps, Linux would be more popular.

If you look at the fight that exists only between KDE and Gnome users you'll see the time we are losing only to convince the others to change the desktop manager. Why don't we agree to make only one desktop manager with all the good features of both?

Anyway, I know that it would be impossible today. Too many interests ... ....

In theory and slightly out of context, yes

Designing and maintaining a distro doesn't equal a lost effort to get better hardware support or better applications. Developers of applications might as well technically support a distro. You can't force the ones who aren't hired to use their time according to someone's plan.

The key to good hardware support isn't reverse engineering, so what the small distro projects do wouldn't have any real effect on how the big players directly or indirectly support Linux. It's not like you're telling someone in a forum: "can you fix a driver for this device, please?", for a device with no documented white papers. Still my opinion is that for a conscious buyer Linux has better hardware support than the competition.

If you know history there's a more profound reason for why we have both KDE and Gnome. I doubt a joint effort would become everyone's darling. The freedom of choice would only trigger another branch of DE. There are several other options beside these two with totally different approaches to the desktop. Until you ban freedom of choice or eradicate humans from earth it's useless, yes even selfish and pompous, to suggest uniformity.

There aren't "too many interests", there are simply to many humans. More than one is already too much for what you ask for.

Distro vs. Kernel

The number of distros does two healthy things. It gives users a huge number of choices, and lets you pick your flavor according to your needs, wants, whatever -- Crunchbang appeals to a vastly different group than plain brown flavored Ubuntu, for instance, which has a different audience than, say, Knoppix. The choice drives competition between distros, which is good for the health of the Linux scene. It does make it harder to get widespread adoption, but the differences between two distros with the same kernel is a lot less than the difference between OS X and Win 7.

I think the idea that there are too many distros also misses the point that the key to Linux is presumably in the kernel more than the distro. You can't argue -- or I wouldn't think so, anyway -- that x-y-z group's efforts on their distro detract from effort to make the kernel better/more compatible/etc.

Too many distros

Hmmmm this is a tough one.

strange brain grinding noises

No surely its an easy one really. The fact that all this choice exists is an indication that they are all needed. Natural selection kills off the distros that cant fend for themselves. All the others bob along happily now and again rising to the top of the distrowatch list and sometimes falling off the bottom of it. But the choice is I am sure part of the main reason that we all love our Redsusebuntudebxfcgnokdethingamybob distros.

I feel that saying we have too much choice is about as silly as saying lets close all the libraries stop printing books and all work together on just one item to read.

People write books because they have a need or to make money or to be famous. Sometimes they sell in the 100's of millions some times just 100's.

Oh well thats my gobby view on the subject. I will never be creating a Raymondillo version of a Windows OS but like to know that when I do decide to create Gnmondillo the choice will still be available to me.

Smile

You may choose or not to read this comment, but I did not consider your choice when I wrote it. Have a nice day.

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